Media Gallery
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Program Overview and Results
Gravity Probe B in a Nutshell — The Video
14 min YouTube 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.
Download Mac QuickTime MOV version (320MB)
Download Windows Media WMV version (150MB)
Gravity Probe B Video File, Part I
10 min YouTube Video
Includes: Technology development,
Spacecraft launch & separation and
four selected animations
Gravity Probe B Video File, Part II
14 min YouTube Video
Contains six segments of GP-B PI
Francis Everitt and Co-PI Brad
Parkinson talking about GP-B
Results Press Conference at NASA HQ
Final Results Announcement Press Conference at NASA Headquarters, May 4, 2011
50 min YouTube Video
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
Everitt interview on Science Friday
Francis Everitt Interviewed on NPR Science Friday by Ira Flatow,
May 6, 2011
14 min 11 sec MP3 Audio
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
Everitt interview on Planetary Radio
Francis Everitt Interviewed on Planetary Radio by Matt Kaplan
May 23, 2011
15 min MP3 Audio
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
GP-B 'Simple' Experiment Animation
A "Simple" Experiment
1 min 8 sec YouTube Video
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
1 min 32 sec YouTube Video
Captioned animation showing Isaac Newton's concept of gravity as a force, acting instantaneously at a distance between objects.
Gravity in Einstein's Universe
Gravity in Einstein's Universe
1 min 32 sec YouTube Video
Captioned animation showing Albert Einstein's concept of gravity as bodies moving along geodesic paths through warped spacetime
Gravity in Einstein's Universe
Measuring Spacetime Curvature with Gyroscopes
3 min YouTube Video
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.
Gravity in Einstein's Universe
SQUID Magnetic Gyro Readout—Superconductivity, & the London Moment
2 mins, 12 sec YouTube Video
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.
Gravity in Einstein's Universe
The Drag-Free Satellite
4 mins, 24 sec YouTube Video
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 & Experimental Measurements Animation
Orbit Insertion, Guide Star Acquisition & Measurement Animation
2 min 23 sec YouTube Video
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
GP-B Gyro #1 Polhode Motion Animations
Polhode Motion
Continuous Looping
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
26 min YouTube Video
Written, Directed & Produced by Norbert Bartel, Ph.D.
Professor of Astrophysics & Space Sciences, York University, Canada, September 2003
Copyright ©2003 by Norbert Bartel
Excerpts from the movie, �Testing Einstein�s Universe�
GP-B Measurement of the Geodetic Effect
GP-B Measurement of the Geodetic Effect
52 sec YouTube Video
Movie excerpt Copyright ©2003 by Norbert Bartel
New animation created by Lee Kolb & Greg Trent, NASA/MSFC Animation Group, 2007
GP-B Measurement of the Frame-Dragging Effect
GP-B Measurement of the Frame-Dragging Effect
1 min 26 sec YouTube Video
Movie excerpt Copyright ©2003 by Norbert Bartel
New animation created by Lee Kolb & Greg Trent, NASA/MSFC Animation Group, 2007
Prior Tests of Einstein's General Theory of Relativity
Previous Tests of General Relativity
1 min 17 sec YouTube Video
Francis Everitt describes previous tests of general relativity
Copyright ©2003 by Norbert Bartel
How Small an Angle is One Tenth of a Milliarcsecond?
How Small an Angle is One Tenth of a Milliarcsecond?
58 sec YouTube Video
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
1 min 6 sec YouTube Video
Francis Everitt describes the collaborative effort necessary to carry out GP-B
Copyright ©2003 by Norbert Bartel
Superconductivity: SQUID Readout & London Moment
Superconductivity: SQUID Readout & London Moment
1 min 43 sec YouTube Video
Superconductivity�A magnetic readout for determining the spin-axis orientation of the gyros
Copyright ©2003 by Norbert Bartel
Spacecraft/Payload dissection
1 min 32 sec YouTube Video
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
4 min 20 sec YouTube Video
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
Pre-Launch Press Conference at NASA Headquarters (PLPC)
April 2, 2004
63 min
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
Excerpts from GP-B Pre-launch Press Conference at NASA Headquarters, April 2, 2004
The Missing Inch
1 min 52 sec YouTube Video
Kip Thorne, Feynman Professor of Theoretical Physics, CalTech
The Significance of GP-B
2 min 58 sec YouTube Video
Kip Thorne, Feynman Professor of Theoretical Physics, CalTech
Why Perform Another Test of Einstein�s Theory of General Relativity?
Why Perform Another Test of Einstein�s Theory of General Relativity?
2 min 7 sec YouTube Video
Francis Everitt, GP-B Principal Investigator, Stanford University
GP-B in the Context of Black Holes
GP-B in the Context of Black Holes
4 min 6 sec YouTube Video
Kip Thorne, Feynman Professor of Theoretical Physics, CalTech
GP-B Student Involvement
40 sec YouTube Video
Francis Everitt, GP-B Principal Investigator, Stanford University
1976 Viking Measurement of Geodetic Warping
1976 Viking Measurement of the Shapiro Time Delay
2 min 21 sec YouTube Video
Kip Thorne, Feynman Professor of Theoretical Physics, CalTech
Dragging Space Into Motion Around The Rotating Earth
Dragging Space Into Motion Around The Rotating Earth
1 min 23 sec YouTube Video
Kip Thorne, Feynman Professor of Theoretical Physics, CalTech
Gravity Probe A � Measuring the Warping of Time
Gravity Probe A � Measuring the Warping of Time
1 min 9 sec YouTube Video
Kip Thorne, Feynman Professor of Theoretical Physics, CalTech
Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) � Building on GP-B Technology to Measure Gravity Waves
Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) � Building on GP-B Technology to Measure Gravity Waves
3 min 34 sec YouTube Video
Kip Thorne, Feynman Professor of Theoretical Physics, CalTech
Movie Clips
Francis Everitt: GP-B Public Lecture
Francis Everitt: GP-B Public Lecture
1 hour 28 min YouTube Video
Francis Everitt, Stanford Brainstorm Lecture Series, May 18, 2006
Launch Commemorative Movie
12 min YouTube Video
Short Documentary covering the period before, during and immediately following the April 2004 GP-B launch
Produced my Mick Speer, NASA/MSFC Television
NASA Launch & Spacecraft Separation Video
NASA Video Footage of GP-B Launch & Spacecraft Separation
1 min 36 sec YouTube Video
Edited NASA video footage of the GP-B spacecraft launch and separation
Simulation of Launch in GP-B Mission Operations Center
Simulation of Launch in GP-B Mission Operations Center
1 min 54 sec YouTube Video
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
Polishing & Measuring the Sphericity of a Gyroscope Rotor
1 min 25 sec YouTube Video
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
Thermal Connection Repairs to the Flight Probe and Replacement of Gyro #4
4 min 5 sec YouTube Video
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
Moving the complete GP-B spacecraft to the Thermal Vacuum Test Chamber at Lockheed Martin
1 min 42 sec YouTube Video
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
Spacecraft arrives in a satellite pre-launch preparation room at Vandenberg Air Force Base, CA
2 min 2 sec YouTube Video
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
Pre-launch spacecraft preparations in a clean room at Vandenberg AFB, CA
5 min 42 sec YouTube Video
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
Preparation of the Boeing Delta II Rocket Fairing at Vandenberg AFB, CA
43 sec YouTube Video
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
Pre-launch preparation of the GP-B spacecraft & Boeing Delta II Rocket at Vandenberg AFB, CA
6 min 14 sec YouTube Video
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
Vandenberg AFB LaunchDay interview with Francis Everitt
8 min 42 sec YouTube Video
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
Vandenberg AFB LaunchDay interview with Brad Parkinson
11 min 8 sec YouTube Video
NASA Video
NASA Launch Commentator, George Diller interviews Brad Parkinson in the VAFB Launch Control Room 26 minutes following the GP-B launch
Vandenberg AFB LaunchDay interview with Brad Parkinson
Video from the Stanford Mission Operations Center during the GP-B Launch on April 20, 2004
12 min 15 sec YouTube Video
©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
Vandenberg AFB LaunchDay interview with Brad ParkinsonGP-B Exhibit at Stanford Community Day, April 10, 2005
3 min 55 sec YouTube Video
©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
Vandenberg AFB LaunchDay interview with Brad Parkinson
Francis Everitt: Invited Talk at the Stanford Aeronautics & Astronautics 50th Anniversary Celebration, May 9, 2008
48 minutes YouTube Video
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
News Stories
CBS Evening News Story: Time & Gravity in 2004
CBS Evening News Story: Time & Gravity in 2004
4 min 7 sec YouTube Video
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 Story: Scientist Spends Lifetime on Space Probe
3 min 19 sec YouTube Video
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
KTVU Television News Story on the GP-B Launch, April 20, 2004
3 min 38 sec YouTube Video
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
NBC11 Television News Story on the GP-B Launch, April 20, 2004
2 min 32 sec YouTube Video
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
Comedy Central: The Daily Show Story on Gravity Probe B
2 min 15 sec MPEG-4 Video
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.
Comedy Central: The Daily Show Story on Gravity Probe B
Stanford News: GP-B Team receives NASA Group Achievement Award
2 min 22 sec
YouTube Video
Video by Jack Hubbard, Stanford News Service
© 2005 Stanford University, Stanford News Service
Catalyst Science News Magazine: The Gravity Probe
18 min 11 sec YouTube Video
Australian Broadcasting Co.
November 6, 2009
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
Francis Everitt�s Plenary Talk at the APS Meeting, 4/14/07
1 hour
View/Download PDF file of Everitt's presentation slides
Mac Keiser�s APS Talk, 4/15/07
Mac Keiser�s APS Talk, 4/15/07
20 min
View/Download PDF file of Keiser's presentation slides
Brad Parkinson�s APS Talk, 4/15/07
Brad Parkinson�s APS Talk, 4/15/07
20 min
View/Download PDF file of Parkinson's presentation slides
John Turneaure�s APS Talk, 4/15/07
John Turneaure�s APS Talk, 4/15/07
20 min
View/Download PDF file of Turneaure's presentation slides
Paul Worden�s APS Paper on GP-B Technology Development, 4/14/07
Paul Worden�s APS Paper on GP-B Technology Development, 4/14/07
12 min
View/Download PDF file of Worden's presentation slides
Irwin Shapiro�s APS Paper on the GP-B Guide Star
Irwin Shapiro�s APS Paper on the GP-B Guide Star
12 min
View/Download PDF file of Shapiro's presentation slides
NPR�s David Kestenbaum�s pre-launch interview with Franics Everitt, 4/18/04
NPR�s David Kestenbaum�s pre-launch interview with Franics Everitt, 4/18/04
4 min 30 sec