Orbiting on the edge of space at just 268 km, GOCE would have a mere eight days before sinking dangerously low if its ion propulsion should fail. Some of the first responders who would have to react in such a contingency are the flight dynamics specialists on ESA's Operations Team.

Editor's note: This page is no longer being updated, but will be preserved as a record. Click here for the latest information on GOCE.The Gravity Field and Steady-State Ocean Circulation Explorer (GOCE; pronounced ‘go-chay’) is measuring Earth's gravity field and model the geoid with extremely high accuracy. It was launched on 17 March 2009. Owing to its sleek shape, GOCE is often cited as one of ESA's most elegant space probes. The mission ended on 11 November 2013 after a planned destructive re-entry into the atmosphere.