United States Air Force

Gravity Probe B

Delta II 7920-10C

SUCCESS
Success

Tuesday, April 20, 2004 · 16:57 UTC

Mission

/01

Gravity Probe B (GP-B) was a satellite-based experiment to test two unverified predictions of general relativity: the geodetic effect and frame-dragging. This was to be accomplished by measuring, very precisely, tiny changes in the direction of spin of four gyroscopes contained in an Earth-orbiting satellite at 650 km (400 mi) altitude, crossing directly over the poles.

Mission Type

Astrophysics

Orbit

Low Earth Orbit (LEO)

Probability

N/A

Status

Launch Successful

Vehicle & Pad

/02

Rocket

Delta II 7920-10C

Variant: 7920-10C

Launch Pad

Space Launch Complex 2W

Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

34.756° N, 120.622° W

71

Pad Launches

617

Location Launches

1060

Agency Launches

14

Orbital This Year

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