Aurora
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Delta II | Gravity Probe B
Delta II | Gravity Probe B launched on Tue, Apr 20, 2004, 04:57 PM UTC — a United States Air Force mission.
Launch SuccessfulUnited States Air Force
Lifted offNET Apr 2004
NET Tue, Apr 20, 2004, 04:57 PM UTC
Mission profile
The flight at a glance
Delta IIVehicle
United States Air ForceProvider
Space Launch Complex 2WPad
Vandenberg SFB, CA, USALocation
AstrophysicsMission type
Low Earth OrbitOrbit
Flight simulation
Ascent to orbit
A representative gravity-turn climb for Delta II to Low Earth Orbit. Illustrative model — not this mission’s live telemetry.
Mission timeT+0:00
Altitude0.0 km
Velocity0.00 km/s
PhaseLiftoff
T+0:00 / 8:30
SimulatedRepresentative Delta II ascent profile — illustrative model, not this mission’s live telemetry.
The mission
Gravity Probe B
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.
Around this launch
Related news
No news linked to this launch yet
As coverage publishes, deduplicated articles about this mission will appear here.
Good to know
Frequently asked
What time does Delta II | Gravity Probe B launch?
Delta II | Gravity Probe B is scheduled to lift off Tue, Apr 20, 2004, 04:57 PM UTC.
Where can I watch Delta II | Gravity Probe B?
A live webcast will appear on this page as soon as the provider publishes a stream link.
Who is launching Delta II | Gravity Probe B?
Delta II | Gravity Probe B is an United States Air Force mission flying on a Delta II.
Where does Delta II | Gravity Probe B launch from?
It lifts off from Space Launch Complex 2W, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA.