Towards a Roadmap for Future Satellite Gravity Missions September 30 - October 2, 2009, Graz, Austria

Breakout Session B2 (Wednesday, September 30, 2009): Mission Design (Candidate Technology).
Co-chairs: Jürgen Müller, Stefano Cesare, Nico Sneeuw.
Rapporteur: nn.
Session description:

This session focuses on candidate technology for future satellite gravity missions and Earth system research, including advanced mission design and formation flight scenarios. The session covers such diverse topics as GRACE-like low-low satellite tracking based on microwave or laser links, GOCE-like satellite gravity gradiometry with conventional and advanced acceleration measurements, special satellite formations and constellations, potential application of atomic interferometry, use of clock measurements in space and on Earth, application of new drag-free and formation control techniques and related propulsion systems technologies, spacecraft tracking from ground or space, laser beam pointing system, etc..

Such candidate technology shall generally be reviewed in terms of development status and technological readiness. For future technologies the required time for space qualification shall be addressed.

Finally, also complementary sensor systems (like altimetry, GNSS, SAR) to be combined for obtaining a more complete picture of the complex interaction of the Earth system may be presented.