GOCE Mission

[MeteorWayne]

http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/GOCE/SEMV5HITYRF_0.html

Scrubbed or delayed...not sure.Not very forthcoming with info

I'll keep an eye out for it

A Eurockot Rockot vehicle will launch the Gravity field and steady-state Ocean Circulation Explorer (GOCE) satellite for the European Space Agency. GOCE will map global variations in Earth's gravity field with unprecedented detail and derive measurements of ocean circulation and changes in sea level.

 

[3488]

Re: GOCE Launch scrubbed

Hi Wayne,

Looks like another attempt will be made at the same time tomorrow.

ESA article.

Andrew Brown.

 

[MeteorWayne]

Re: GOCE Launch scrubbed

Thanx Andrew, I've been tied up today trying to get my hot water repaired so didn't have a chance to check. I'll set my watch alarm so I don't miss it tomorrow!

 

[aphh]

Re: GOCE Launch scrubbed

Great launch, Goce is now on it's first orbit and waiting period for acquisition of signal has started. Only after first orbit it'll be possible to evaluate whether everything is fine.

 

[aphh]

Re: GOCE Launch scrubbed

http://www.esa.int/esaLP/SEMUKIEH1TF_LPgoce_0.html

GOCE appears to be readying for science operations.

I thought I saw GOCE last night, a slightly glittering and shimmering satellite on polar orbit towards north passed above me faster than satellites normally do, as Goce is on a very low 270 km orbit.

 

[EarthlingX]

Re: GOCE Launch scrubbed

news.bbc.co.uk : Goce satellite views Earth's gravity in high definition

Page last updated at 14:50 GMT, Monday, 28 June 2010 15:50 UK

By Jonathan Amos
Science correspondent, BBC News, Bergen



It is one of the most exquisite views we have ever had of the Earth.

This colourful new map traces the subtle but all pervasive influence the pull of gravity has across the globe.

Known as a geoid, it essentially defines where the level surface is on our planet; it tells us which way is "up" and which way is "down".

It is drawn from delicate measurements made by Europe's Goce satellite, which flies so low it comes perilously close to falling out of the sky.

The new map was presented here in Norway's second city at a special Earth observation (EO) symposium dedicated to the data being acquired by Goce and other European Space Agency (Esa) missions.

www.esa.int : GOCE giving new insights into Earth’s gravity

29 June 2010
The first global gravity model based on GOCE satellite data has been presented at ESA’s Living Planet Symposium. ESA launched GOCE in March 2009 to map Earth's gravity with unprecedented accuracy and resolution.

 

[EarthlingX]

Re: GOCE Launch scrubbed

SDC : Gravity-Mapping Satellite's Communications Glitch to Be Fixed Soon

By Peter B. de Selding
Space News
posted: 31 August 2010
11:25 am ET



PARIS — Ground controllers are gradually raising the orbit of Europe's GOCE gravity-measuring satellite in preparation for a series of procedures they hope will permit the satellite to recover its data-transmission function, which failed in July.

The procedures, designed by a team of engineers from the European Space Agency (ESA) and GOCE's industrial contractors, had not been approved for use as of Aug. 24. But Mark R. Drinkwater, head of ESA's Earth observation mission science division, said some variant of the proposed data-restoration plan would be approved, and that by mid-September, GOCE controllers should have an idea of whether the plan is working.

 

[EarthlingX]

http://www.spaceflightnow.com : ESA overcomes glitch on gravity-mapping satellite

BY STEPHEN CLARK

Posted: September 7, 2010

Artist's concept of GOCE. Credit: ESA

The European Space Agency's GOCE satellite is again collecting data on Earth's gravitational field after a computer glitch disrupted the flow of scientific communications to the ground.

The July anomaly prevented GOCE science data from reaching the ground, and engineers were devising software patches to connect working functions of the two computers to restore full capacity.

But the recovery came sooner than expected as ESA commanded a rise in temperature inside the satellite's computer compartment.

"We are very glad that one of the most innovative missions of ESA is back on track," said Volker Liebig, director of the agency's Earth observation programs. "I would like to congratulate and thank the teams from ESA and especially industry."

GOCE resumed normal communications after the temperature increased by about 7 degrees Celsius, according to ESA.

Engineers are still developing software patches to link the two computers should the communications system suffer the same problem again, an ESA statement said.

GOCE's gradiometer, the mission's scientific instrument, was turned back on Monday and is working well, said Rune Floberghagen, the satellite's mission manager.

 

[EarthlingX]

http://www.esa.int : GOCE fully operational again

29 September 2010

Following recovery from a glitch that prevented ESA’s GOCE gravity mission from sending any scientific data to the ground, the satellite has been gently brought back down to its operational altitude and resumed normal service – delivering the most detailed gravity data to date.

...

To observe the strongest gravity signal possible, the Gravity field and steady-state Ocean Explorer (GOCE) orbits at an exceptionally low altitude: just 255 km above Earth, skimming the fringes of our atmosphere. However, when the telemetry problem was discovered in July, operators raised GOCE’s orbit to 263 km while experts set about fixing it.

The reason for this was to safeguard the sophisticated xenon ion engines, which gently compensate for atmospheric drag in the satellite’s normal low orbit. The thrusters help to keep the satellite stable in ‘free fall’ to prevent any buffeting from the residual air at this low altitude, which could drown out the gravity data.

The telemetry problem was resolved earlier this month and operators have spent the last three weeks gently bringing GOCE back down to the very precise altitude of 254.9 km – within 10 m!

...