In orbit, the same side of the GOCE satellite remains facing the Sun. The spacecraft is equipped with four body-mounted and two wing-mounted solar panels. Due to the configuration in orbit, the solar panels will experience extreme temperature variations so it was necessary to use materials that will tolerate temperatures as high as 160ºC and as low as -170ºC.
The Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) mission makes global observations of soil moisture over Earth’s landmasses and salinity over the oceans. Variations in soil moisture and ocean salinity are a consequence of the continuous exchange of water between the oceans, the atmosphere and the land – Earth’s water cycle.
The CryoSat mission provides data to determine the precise rate of change in the thickness of the polar ice sheets and floating sea ice. It is capable of detecting changes as little as 1 cm per year. The information from the CryoSat will lead to a better understanding of how the volume of ice on Earth is changing and, in turn, a better appreciation of how ice and climate are linked.
Swarm is an Earth Explorer Opportunity Mission. The Swarm constellation will study the dynamics of the Earth's magnetic field and its interactions with the Earth system. Each Swarm satellite will be eight metres long and weigh 300 - 400 kilograms.
Earth Explorers are developed in direct response to the needs of the science community and cover a broad range of science issues to further our understanding of the Earth system. Earth Explorers focus on the atmosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere and Earth’s interior, with the overall emphasis on learning more about the interactions between these components and the influence human activity is having on natural Earth processes.
SMOS launch
CryoSat
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