Next Generation Gravity Mission: Mission Requirements Document

This document is the formal Mission Requirements Document (MRD) for the Next Generation Gravity Mission (NGGM), which is a Mission of Opportunity part of the European Space Agency (ESA) FutureEO programme.

NGGM will extend and improve time series of satellite gravity missions by providing enhanced spatial and temporal resolution time-varying gravity field measurements with improved performance and latency. The mission addresses international user needs as expressed by IUGG and GCOS and demonstrates operational capabilities relevant for Copernicus. The NGGM MRD defines unambiguous requirements for NGGM, traceable to the joint ESA/NASA MAss Change and Geosciences International Constellation (MAGIC) MRD (c.f. MAGIC MRD), defines requirements for the provision of MAGIC products from ESA’s NGGM ground segment and provides recommendations for MAGIC. MAGIC will combine the NASA/DLR GRACE-C mission as a first pair of satellites in a near-polar orbit, complemented by the ESA NGGM mission as a second pair of satellites in an inclined controlled orbit (Bender constellation), to deliver significantly improved time-space sampling and constellation performance to demonstrate the benefits of operational gravimetry.

The NGGM MRD was an input to the ESA’s preparatory phase (Phase B1) study activities started end of 2023, and to the implementation phase (Phase B2/C/D), to be kicked off tentatively Q1 2027. It is managed by the NGGM Mission Scientist according to the ESA Quality Management System (QMS) procedure for Mission Requirements Management (QMSPR-MMAN-2050-EOP), and Procedure for Mission Implementation and Operations (QMS-PR-MMAN-2070-EOP).