ESA title

The mission

ESA's Earth Explorer GOCE mission was dedicated to map Earth's gravity with unrivalled precision and provided the most accurate model of the 'geoid' ever produced to further our understanding of how Earth works. After more than four years in orbit, the mission came to a natural end on 11 November 2013, but the wealth of data from GOCE continues to be exploited to improve our understanding of ocean circulation, sea level, ice dynamics, Earth’s interior and climate change.

The launch

  • Date: 17 March 2009
  • Site: Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russia
  • Launcher: Rockot
GOCE
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GOCE results press briefing

31/03/2011 2751 views 15 likes
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GOCE in orbit
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Follow the GOCE results press briefing live

28/03/2011 1529 views 1 likes
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GOCE delivers on its promise

04/03/2011 4856 views 5 likes
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Mean dynamic topography of global ocean
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ESA missions highlighted at world's largest scientific conf…

17/12/2010 2079 views 1 likes
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Building a picture of the gravity field
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ESA's gravity mission granted 18-month extension

25/11/2010 1876 views 3 likes
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GOCE fully operational again

29/09/2010 1191 views 0 likes
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GOCE in orbit
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GOCE gravity mission back in action

07/09/2010 3228 views 3 likes
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GOCE first global gravity model
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GOCE giving new insights into Earth’s gravity

29/06/2010 18705 views 20 likes
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Building a picture of the gravity field
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ESA makes first GOCE dataset available

09/06/2010 3220 views 4 likes
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Muzi (left) and Floberghagen at the ceremony
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‘Keys’ to GOCE satellite handed over

25/11/2009 1646 views 0 likes
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Gravity gradient simulations
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GOCE delivering data for best gravity map ever

30/09/2009 6583 views 13 likes
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GOCE in orbit
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GOCE achieves drag-free perfection

26/05/2009 4356 views 2 likes
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GOCE in orbit
Enabling & Support

ESA's low-flying gravity-detector was weighty technology ch…

16/04/2009 1200 views 1 likes
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GOCE gradiometer
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GOCE’s ‘heart’ starts beating

08/04/2009 1970 views 0 likes
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Counteracting drag
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GOCE's electric ion propulsion engine switched on

06/04/2009 7406 views 6 likes
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Smiling faces: GOCE team from industry and ESA at end of LEOP
Enabling & Support

GOCE completes early orbit phase

20/03/2009 2116 views 0 likes
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GOCE Flight Control Team in Main Control Room round-the-clock
Enabling & Support

GOCE: Critical operations ongoing

18/03/2009 1548 views 0 likes
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GOCE liftoff
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ESA launches Earth Explorer mission GOCE

17/03/2009 3900 views 2 likes
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ESA's Juergen Schmid during GOCE launch rehearsal, 13 March
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Launch readiness confirmed

17/03/2009 873 views 0 likes
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GOCE liftoff
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GOCE launch in pictures

17/03/2009 1286 views 1 likes
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GOCE liftoff
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Watch the GOCE launch live

17/03/2009 2017 views 0 likes
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Rockot launch tower
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GOCE launch confirmed for Tuesday 17 March

16/03/2009 687 views 0 likes
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Launch tower at Plesetsk
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Launch of ESA’s gravity mapping satellite delayed

16/03/2009 1735 views 0 likes
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GOCE ready for launch

16/03/2009 1200 views 0 likes
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Spacecraft Operations Manager Juan Piñeiro in ESOC's Main Control Room
Enabling & Support

ESA teams in Germany, Russia in last GOCE rehearsal

15/03/2009 469 views 0 likes
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Launch tower
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GOCE timeline for 16 March 2009

13/03/2009 493 views 0 likes
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Ground Operations Manager
Enabling & Support

Ground operations ready for GOCE launch

12/03/2009 1361 views 0 likes
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Follow GOCE launch on Twitter

11/03/2009 627 views 1 likes
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Launch tower at Plesetsk
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ESA's gravity satellite moves to launch pad

11/03/2009 1490 views 0 likes
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GOCE in orbit
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GOCE satellite launch – mapping the Earth’s gravity as neve…

09/03/2009 2675 views 0 likes
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ESA’s YouTube spotlights GOCE

09/03/2009 930 views 0 likes
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GOCE Flight Dynamics team: practising for launch
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GOCE: Orbiting on the edge

06/03/2009 2456 views 1 likes
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European scientists take the measure of gravity

20/02/2009 768 views 0 likes
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GOCE in Plesetsk
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March launch planned for ESA's gravity mission

04/02/2009 1560 views 0 likes
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Different spheres of the Earth system
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Landmark year ahead for Earth observation science missions

16/01/2009 1889 views 0 likes
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GOCE mounted onto Breeze
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GOCE launch delayed until 2009

24/10/2008 2040 views 0 likes
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Manoeuvring GOCE in the cleanroom
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GOCE launch postponed

16/10/2008 858 views 0 likes
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Fairing with logos
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GOCE team gearing up for new launch date

02/10/2008 1000 views 0 likes
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J. Piñeiro
Enabling & Support

GOCE Spacecraft Operations Manager: Interview with Juan Piñ…

26/09/2008 970 views 0 likes
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GOCE in orbit
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Launch of GOCE delayed

08/09/2008 1444 views 0 likes
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Last look at GOCE
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Last-ever look at ESA's gravity satellite GOCE

04/09/2008 1139 views 0 likes
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GOCE positioned for alignment check
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GOCE Earth Explorer satellite to look at the Earth’s surfac…

22/08/2008 3543 views 0 likes
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ESA mission controllers in simulation training for GOCE launch
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Countdown for GOCE: launch simulation for ground team

14/08/2008 1509 views 0 likes
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Safe arrival for GOCE at Arkhangelsk
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GOCE arrives safely at launch site in Russia

05/08/2008 937 views 0 likes
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GOCE
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GOCE begins its journey to launch site

29/07/2008 1062 views 0 likes
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GOCE in ESA's test facilities
Enabling & Support

GOCE prepares for shipment to Russia

24/07/2008 1245 views 0 likes
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GOCE in the Large Space Simulator
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September launch for ESA's gravity mission GOCE

27/05/2008 1631 views 0 likes
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GOCE
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GOCE Media day at ESA/ESTEC

20/03/2008 909 views 0 likes
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GOCE, mapping gravity as never before
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GOCE - Mapping gravity as never before

14/02/2008 647 views 0 likes
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Opening the transport container at ESA
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Gravity satellite GOCE arrives at ESA's test centre

27/08/2007 1371 views 2 likes
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