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GOCE completes early orbit phase

20 March 2009

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Industry & ESA project representatives in MCR, ESOC

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Smiling faces: GOCE team from industry and ESA at end of LEOP in Main Control Room, ESOC, Darmstadt, Germany.

Credits: ESA

Satellite-to-satellite tracking in operation

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Although the Gravity Field and Steady-State Ocean Circulation Explorer (GOCE) gradiometer is highly accurate, it is not possible to map the complete gravity field at all spatial scales with the same quality. To overcome this limitation the position of the GOCE satellite is tracked by GPS relative to GPS satellites at an altitude of 20 000 km – this procedure is known as satellite-to-satellite tracking. The gradiometer is used to measure small scales of the gravity field whilst GPS is used to obtain large-scale data.

Credits: ESA–AOES-Medialab

First science data sets already received

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ESA managers confer in ESOC MCR during GOCE LEOP

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Deputy Flight Operations Director Paolo Ferri (L) & GOCE Mission Manager Rune Floberghagen in Main Control Room during LEOP, 19 March 2009.

Credits: ESA

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GOCE realtime graphic showing orientation in Fine Pointing Mode as of 18:01 CET, 19 March 2009.

This screenshot was taken from the Flight Dynamics system and shows GOCE oriented in orbit after achieving Fine Pointing Mode. The two green arrows pointing to the left are aligned, indicating that the spacecraft is properly oriented along the direction of flight, thus minimising drag.

Credits: ESA

GOCE launch

Space Operations & Situational Awareness

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