The Geo Research Satellite GFZ-1

GFZ-1, the first satellite of the GeoForschungsZentrum Potsdam (GFZ), was a small, passive, geodetic satellite, to be tracked by the global network of satellite laser ranging (SLR) systems of the International Laser Ranging Service (ILRS) of the International Association of Geodesy (IAG). GFZ-1 was released from the MIR space station into a low Earth orbit on April 19th, 1995. At its altitude GFZ-1 was the lowest geodynamic satellite ever so far being ranged to by lasers. The mission objective of a significant improvement in modelling higher order terms of the gravity field was successfully achieved. On June 23rd, 1999, GFZ-1 completed its mission burning up in the upper atmosphere.

The collection of GFZ-1 data here at the ISDC contains the Precise Science Orbits (PSO, Koenig, Rolf (2021): GFZ-1 Precise Science Orbit. GFZ Data Services. doi.org/10.5880/GFZ.1.2.2021.001 - under preparation) and the Two-Line Elements (TLE) of this mission.

The SLR tracking data of this mission are available at the data centers of the International Laser Ranging Service (ILRS), the Crustal Dynamics Data Information System (CDDIS) and the EUROLAS Data Center (EDC).