ESA - Living Planet Programme - GOCE - GOCE satellite

ESA's gravity mission GOCE

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GOCE satellite

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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.

Credits: ESA–AOES-Medialab

Inside the satellite

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GOCE is a sleek five metre-long satellite about one metre in diameter. It consists of a central octagonal tube with seven internal 'floors' that support the equipment and electronic units. The satellite is built largely of carbon-fibre reinforced plastic sandwich panels to guarantee stable conditions and minimise mass. Forming the heart of the satellite, the gradiometer is mounted close to the satellite’s centre of mass. The gradiometer structure is based on ultra-stable carbon-carbon technology. GOCE is the first mission to employ the concept of gradiometry in space.

Credits: ESA–AOES-Medialab

Last update: 16 September 2010

More information

GOCE - ESA's gravity mission (BR-285)GOCE - ESA's schwerkraft mission (BR-209)

In detail

GOCE System Critical Design Review - Executive Summary (pdf)