The University of Texas at Austin, Center for Space Research was established in 1981 under the direction of Dr. Byron D. Tapley. The mission of the Center is to conduct research in orbit determination, space geodesy, the Earth and its environment, exploration of the solar system, as well as expanding the scientific applications of space systems data.

Results of CSR's research have provided solutions to questions associated with fishery, agriculture, mapping ocean circulation, improving models of the Earth's gravity field, environmental impacts of oil spills, oil exploration and drilling operations, and weather forecasting.

GRACE at the 10 Year Epoch
On March 17, 2012 10:46:50.875 UTC, the orbiting phase of the twin GRACE satellites completed 10 years in orbit. During this 3653 day interval, the GRACE satellites have circled the Earth approximately 55,000 times collecting observations of the earth's gravity that are unmatched in their ability to provide an accurate, global and, for some purposes, near synoptic set of measurements of the Earth's Dynamical System interactions.

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Today the satellites are 3700 days in orbit!