GOCE

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Launched on March 17th 2009 to an altitude of 268 Km, GOCE (Gravity field and steady-state Ocean Circulation Explorer) successfully completed its in-orbit acceptance and calibration phase in mid-October and its flight assessment review, attaining an altitude of 259 Km.
On this occasion, the ESA congratulated all the teams for the work accomplished and emphasized GOCE's major contribution to improved understanding of the effects of climatic heating (variations in ocean circulation and sea level, ice caps, volcanic activity or earthquake forecasting).

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The preliminary results from the first measurement campaign (15th September 2009 - April 2010) are already quite impressive, even exceeding specifications in some frequency bands. The first measurements taken were correlated for reference zones with data collected by airborne sensors. These first measurements have already demonstrated higher levels of accuracy and sensitivity.
copyrights ESA

Satellite performance (in view of a more favorable atmospheric density than had been anticipated and a more high-performance drag compensation system than specified) is such that, particularly in terms of electric consumption, it will be possible to extend the measurement campaigns and prolong the total mission duration quite significantly.

GOCE is the first of the ESA Earth Explorer satellites to be placed in orbit.

It was designed to create the first 3D map of the earth's gravitational field, with an unprecedented level of accuracy due to its high-tech gradiometry (resolution 10 to 100 times that of previous missions, sensibility increased by 100 to 1000 times previous levels). The gradiometer and the satellite were integrated on site in Cannes and Turin respectively.

GOCE's 3D measurement of the geoid will provide a global reference system for oceanographic observation and the study of ice caps, as well as for orbitography and altitude measurement unification worldwide. Furthermore GOCE will draw up a map of density variations in the upper layers of the Earth's mantle.
This data will be of primary importance in understanding certain phenomena governing our climate.

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GOCE delivering data for best gravity map ever
copyrights ESA

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