Media Gallery
On this page:
Program Overview and Results
Gravity Probe B in a Nutshell — The Video A 14-minute overview of GP-B that combines, video, animations, photos, diagrams and illustrations, describing all major aspects—including the final results—of this landmark experiment. |
Gravity Probe B Video File, Part I Includes: Technology development,
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Gravity Probe B Video File, Part II Contains six segments of GP-B PI
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Final Results Announcement Press Conference at NASA Headquarters, May 4, 2011 NASA Headquarters science update and press conference announcing the results and discussing various aspects of the program, its many accomplishments and the significance of the results to physicists and the scientific community at large. For more informaton about the results, see Mission Status Update, 4 May 2011 |
Francis Everitt Interviewed on NPR Science Friday by Ira Flatow, Ira Flatow interviews Francis Everitt about GP-B and the final results on NPR's Talk of the Nation—Science Friday. For more informaton about the results, see Mission Status Update, 4 May 2011
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Francis Everitt Interviewed on Planetary Radio by Matt Kaplan Matt Kaplan interviews Francis Everitt about GP-B and the final results on The Planetary Society's Planetary Radio. For more informaton about the results, see Mission Status Update, 4 May 2011 |
Animations
A "Simple" Experiment Captioned animation showing the simplicity of the GP-B experimental concept, contrasted with the complex engineering required to make the ultra-precise measurements required. |
Gravity in Newton's Universe Captioned animation showing Isaac Newton's concept of gravity as a force, acting instantaneously at a distance between objects. |
Gravity in Einstein's Universe Captioned animation showing Albert Einstein's concept of gravity as bodies moving along geodesic paths through warped spacetime |
Measuring Spacetime Curvature with Gyroscopes Captioned animation showing how space-borne gyroscopes are used to measure the geodetic & frame-dragging effects of gravity on Earth's local spacetime, asa predicted by Einstein's general theory of relativity. |
SQUID Magnetic Gyro Readout—Superconductivity, & the London Moment Captioned animation showing how superconductivity and the London moment enable SQUID magnetometers to read out the changing spin-axis orientation of the four GP-B spherical gyroscopes. |
The Drag-Free Satellite Captioned animation showing how a drag-free satellite works by using satellite to shield and "chase" a gyroscope or other "proof mass," which maintains a free-fall orbit. |
Orbit Insertion, Guide Star Acquisition & Measurement Animation Excerpt from the movie, "Testing Einstein's Universe," 2003, with new GP-B measurements animation created by Lee Kolb & Greg Trent, NASA/MSFC Animation Group, 2007 |
Polhode Motion Looping animation showing the actual polhode motion of gyroscope #1 at during early, middle and late in the mission |
Testing Einstein�s Universe
Testing Einstein�s Universe Written, Directed & Produced by Norbert Bartel, Ph.D. Professor of Astrophysics & Space Sciences, York University, Canada, September 2003 Copyright ©2003 by Norbert Bartel |
GP-B Measurement of the Geodetic Effect Movie excerpt Copyright ©2003 by Norbert Bartel New animation created by Lee Kolb & Greg Trent, NASA/MSFC Animation Group, 2007
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GP-B Measurement of the Frame-Dragging Effect Movie excerpt Copyright ©2003 by Norbert Bartel New animation created by Lee Kolb & Greg Trent, NASA/MSFC Animation Group, 2007 |
Previous Tests of General Relativity Francis Everitt describes previous tests of general relativity Copyright ©2003 by Norbert Bartel |
How Small an Angle is One Tenth of a Milliarcsecond? Animation showing the minuscule size of 0.0001 arc-seconds (i.e. 1/10 milli-arcsecond) Copyright ©2003 by Norbert Bartel |
GP-B: A Collaborative Effort Francis Everitt describes the collaborative effort necessary to carry out GP-B Copyright ©2003 by Norbert Bartel |
Superconductivity: SQUID Readout & London Moment Superconductivity�A magnetic readout for determining the spin-axis orientation of the gyros Copyright ©2003 by Norbert Bartel |
Spacecraft/Payload dissection A dissection of the GP-B experiment, starting with the spacecraft and moving in through the payload layers to the gyros Copyright ©2003 by Norbert Bartel |
VLBI Measurement of IM Pegasi's Proper Motion Relating the motion of the guide star, IM Pegasi, to distant quasars using VLBI to precisely measure its proper motion Copyright ©2003 by Norbert Bartel |
Pre-Launch Press Conference at NASA Headquarters April 2, 2004
Pre-Launch Press Conference at NASA Headquarters (PLPC) Panelists: Don Savage, Moderator; Anne Kinney, NASA Science Mission Directorate; Rex Geveden, NASA/MSFC Program Manager; Francis Everitt, Principal Investigator; Bradford Parkinson, Co-Principal Investigator; Kip Thorne, Feynman Professor of Physics, CalTech |
The Missing Inch Kip Thorne, Feynman Professor of Theoretical Physics, CalTech |
The Significance of GP-B Kip Thorne, Feynman Professor of Theoretical Physics, CalTech |
Why Perform Another Test of Einstein�s Theory of General Relativity? Francis Everitt, GP-B Principal Investigator, Stanford University |
GP-B in the Context of Black Holes Kip Thorne, Feynman Professor of Theoretical Physics, CalTech |
GP-B Student Involvement Francis Everitt, GP-B Principal Investigator, Stanford University |
1976 Viking Measurement of the Shapiro Time Delay Kip Thorne, Feynman Professor of Theoretical Physics, CalTech |
Dragging Space Into Motion Around The Rotating Earth Kip Thorne, Feynman Professor of Theoretical Physics, CalTech |
Gravity Probe A � Measuring the Warping of Time Kip Thorne, Feynman Professor of Theoretical Physics, CalTech |
Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) � Building on GP-B Technology to Measure Gravity Waves Kip Thorne, Feynman Professor of Theoretical Physics, CalTech |
Movie Clips
Francis Everitt: GP-B Public Lecture Francis Everitt, Stanford Brainstorm Lecture Series, May 18, 2006 |
Launch Commemorative Movie Short Documentary covering the period before, during and immediately following the April 2004 GP-B launch Produced my Mick Speer, NASA/MSFC Television |
NASA Video Footage of GP-B Launch & Spacecraft Separation Edited NASA video footage of the GP-B spacecraft launch and separation |
Simulation of Launch in GP-B Mission Operations Center B-Roll Footage showing a launch simulation exercise in the GP-B Mission Operations Center in 2003 |
Polishing & Measuring the Sphericity of a Gyroscope Rotor NASA/GP-B Stanford Video Archive Video shot in WW Hansen Experimental Physics Labs (HEPL) at Stanford University � 1998 Australian Broadcasting Company; Used with permission |
Thermal Connection Repairs to the Flight Probe and Replacement of Gyro #4 NASA/GP-B Stanford Video Archive Video shot in a clean room at Stanford University, where final repairs were made to the flight probe |
Moving the complete GP-B spacecraft to the Thermal Vacuum Test Chamber at Lockheed Martin NASA/ Lockheed Martin Video Archive The complete GP-B spacecraft, sans solar arrays, is moved to the Thermal Vacuum Test Chamber at Lockheed Martin Missiles & Space Co. in Sunnvale, CA |
Spacecraft arrives in a satellite pre-launch preparation room at Vandenberg Air Force Base, CA NASA/Stanford/Lockheed Martin Video Archive Arrival and preliminary testing� of the GP-B spacecraft in a pre-launch processing room at Vandenberg Air Force Base, CA |
Pre-launch spacecraft preparations in a clean room at Vandenberg AFB, CA NASA/Stanford/Lockheed Martin Video Archive Pre-launch spacecraft preparations, including installation of the 4 solar arrays, and packaging for transport to the launch pad |
Preparation of the Boeing Delta II Rocket Fairing at Vandenberg AFB, CA Boeing/NASA Video Archive Installation of the Boeing Delta II rocket fairing that houses the GP-B spacecraft atop the rocket |
Pre-launch preparation of the GP-B spacecraft & Boeing Delta II Rocket at Vandenberg AFB, CA NASA/Stanford/Lockheed Martin/Boeing Video Archive Erection of the Boeing Delta II rocket stages, installation of the GP-B spacecraft inside the fairing, and removal of the gantry tower in preparation for launch |
Vandenberg AFB LaunchDay interview with Francis Everitt NASA Video NASA Launch Commentator, George Diller interviews Francis Everitt in the VAFB Launch Control Room one hour prior to the GP-B launch |
Vandenberg AFB LaunchDay interview with Brad Parkinson NASA Video NASA Launch Commentator, George Diller interviews Brad Parkinson in the VAFB Launch Control Room 26 minutes following the GP-B launch |
Video from the Stanford Mission Operations Center during the GP-B Launch on April 20, 2004 ©2004 Stanford University; Video courtesy Bob Kahn, GP-B Public Affairs Selected footage, including the final launch countdown and minutes following launch from a stationery video camera in the Stanford Mission Opoerations Center. April 20, 2004
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GP-B Exhibit at Stanford Community Day, April 10, 2005 ©2005 Stanford University; Video courtesy Bob Kahn, GP-B Public Affairs An overview of public educational demonstrations and hands-on learning activities in the GP-B exhibit at Stanford's annual Communicty Day in 2005
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Francis Everitt: Invited Talk at the Stanford Aeronautics & Astronautics 50th Anniversary Celebration, May 9, 2008
A talk about the engineering challenges and aspects of a physics experiment performed in space-borne satellite and the involvement of students in all phases of the experiment
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News Stories
CBS Evening News Story: Time & Gravity in 2004 CBS Evening News with John Roberts, December 28, 2003 TV news story on time, gravity, GP-B and string theory � 2003, CBS News. Video courtesy of CBS News. This video may not be copied or re-distributed. |
ABC World News Tonight Story: Scientist Spends Lifetime on Space Probe ABC World News Tonight with Elizabet Vargas, Sunday, April 18, 2004 TV news story on Francis Everitt and GP-B by Ned Potter and Clayton Sandell � 2004, ABC News. Video courtesy of ABC News. This video may not be copied or re-distributed. |
KTVU Television News Story on the GP-B Launch, April 20, 2004 San Franciso Bay Area KTVU 10:00 PM News story with anchor Leslie Griffith, and Health & Science Editor, John Fowler � 2004 by KTVU.com Video courtesy of KTVU News. This video may not be copied or re-distributed. |
NBC11 Television News Story on the GP-B Launch, April 20, 2004 San Franciso Bay Area NBC11 Evening News story with anchors Allen Denton & Lisa Kim, and Business & Technology Reporter Scott Budman � 2004, NBC11.com. Video courtesy of NBC11 News. This video may not be copied or re-distributed. |
Comedy Central: The Daily Show Story on Gravity Probe B John Stewart reports on the GP-B Launch, April 28, 2004. � 2004, Comedy Central. Video courtesy of The Daily Show. This video may not be copied or re-distributed. |
Stanford News: GP-B Team receives NASA Group Achievement Award Video by Jack Hubbard, Stanford News Service © 2005 Stanford University, Stanford News Service |
Catalyst Science News Magazine: The Gravity Probe Australian Broadcasting Co. View Gravity Probe Story on the Catalyst Website © 2009 by the Australian Broadcasting Company. Video courtesy of ABC Catalyst. This video may not be copied or re-distributed. |
Audio Files
Francis Everitt�s Plenary Talk at the APS Meeting, 4/14/07 |
Mac Keiser�s APS Talk, 4/15/07 |
Brad Parkinson�s APS Talk, 4/15/07 |
John Turneaure�s APS Talk, 4/15/07 |
Paul Worden�s APS Paper on GP-B Technology Development, 4/14/07 |
Irwin Shapiro�s APS Paper on the GP-B Guide Star |
NPR�s David Kestenbaum�s pre-launch interview with Franics Everitt, 4/18/04 |