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Source Space News, Peter B. de Selding, PARIS


The European Defence Agency (EDA) is quietly moving toward involvement in the military-space sector by providing Europe’s civil space authorities with a list of military requirements for future civilian-financed Earth observation and space-situational awareness projects, according to EDA and other European officials.

It remains unclear how far the effort will go, and already some heads of individual European government space agencies are protesting that they are being asked to fund programs with military specifications but no military funding.

EDA, the European Space Agency (ESA) and the commission of the 27-nation European Union have agreed to create a task force with European space-hardware manufacturers to identify technologies that Europe needs but does not have on its own.

Leonardo Argiri, an EDA research and technology project officer, said one EDA role will be to encourage its member governments to coordinate with ESA on what manufacturer to use for a given technology deemed to be in short supply in Europe.

Argiri said during a Sept. 25 presentation at a space-technology seminar organized by the Eurospace space-industry association that by coordinating supply-chain decisions with ESA and the European Commission, EDA can help assure that the space sector maximizes its chance of assuring low-volume production of critical space hardware.

European government and industry officials say a key roadblock to Europe’s self-sufficiency in certain space technologies is that the customers for these products do not agree to use the same suppliers. Without a sufficiently large market, manufacturers of high-end electronics components are unlikely to maintain production lines.

“The idea is to select, for a given component, one company that we can agree to,” Argiri said, “and to agree among the governments that we won’t try to duplicate that product throughout Europe.”

Some European governments, such as France, have long welded civil and military space into a single research and development organization. The French space agency, CNES, is funded by the French research and defense ministries and does work for both.

But other governments, as well as ESA, have maintained a strictly civil role for their space agencies, if for no other reason than that they have no military space ambitions.

But these governments have agreed, through the European Commission and ESA, to fund programs that have clear military applications. One, called Kopernikus, is a fleet of Earth observation satellites planned for the next decade — many of interest to military users. Another, which ESA calls Space Situational Awareness, is a proposal that ESA coordinate existing ground-based radar and optical assets in Europe to get a better look at what is in orbit over European territory.

“There are reasons for combining our work in the context of the Commission’s European Security and Research Program, of the [Kopernikus] community and of ESA,” said Dick Zandee, EDA’s head of planning and policy.

“How do we do this?” Zandee asked during the Sept. 9 conference with ESA and the European Commission that set up the task force. “First, where others can take our military requirements into consideration, [EDA] will provide them. We have already provided the commission with military requirements for [Kopernikus] use for maritime surveillance. In the future, military requirements for wider military use of [Kopernikus] will be developed. We have also started work on military requirements for Space Situational Awareness, though these will not be available before 2009.”

Argiri said that in addition to these areas, EDA is interested in military satellite telecommunications and in satellite data relay. In Europe, most military satellite communications technologies are based on commercial work. ESA has launched a data-relay capability with the Artemis satellite in geostationary orbit and ESA governments are expected to be asked to fund a follow-on data-relay system when they meet in late November to vote on ESA’s long-term budget.

Christian Breant, EDA’s research and technology director, said EDA is active in assuring that the next generation of military or dual-use reconnaissance satellites are built as a network rather than independently as is the case of existing or currently planned observation satellites in France, Germany, Italy and Spain.

These nations, joined by Belgium and Greece, have formed a group to design what is called the Multinational Space-Based Imaging System, or MUSIS, to assure that future reconnaissance systems can be used by all members. The MUSIS goal is to have these nations agree, by mid-2009, on a design architecture for all future European reconnaissance satellite programs.

By Peter B. de Selding, PARIS
Space News Staff Writer

Source SpaceNews

The webstreaming of the GMES Forum 2008 that took place in Lille on 16-17 September 2008 is now available online on the Europa website.

It is now possible to watch and listen to all the sessions of the Forum in its five languages (FR, DE, EN, IT, ES) and to watch/download the presentations and CVs of the speakers

Presentations made at the forum are now available online

Forum

Source GMES.Info

The Thai Earth observation satellite THEOS was finally launched from Yasny, Russia, on 1 October at 06:37 UTC.

SSC provides the THEOS mission with uplink and downlink communication services during the so called LEOP – Launch and Early Orbit Phase – covering the 15 first days of the mission. After launch, SSC’s Esrange Satellite Station had its first contact with THEOS at 08.07 UTC. The station now communicates with the satellite each time it passes over Esrange’s horizon, i.e. nine times a day.

The services are provided by contract with EADS Astrium which built THEOS for GISTDA, the Thai Ministry of Science and Technology

Source

v1 Magazine

Perspectives

Jeff Thurston

There are many ways that geospatial technology can drive political consensus on environmental issues. Flooding, disease, conservation, water quality, noise mapping and many other issues often demand high quality geographic information, spatial analysis and integration. Action, coordination and working together are necessary to meet these challenges.

The role of GIS and other spatial technologies, I think, is to provide the best information possible through capitalising upon their functionality – end-to-end – to enable decision makers to make informed decisions. In fact, I would argue that organisations not using GIS should have higher insurance premiums – they are higher risks because they are spatially disadvantaged.

The results of these technologies should help anyone to understand and make better, more informed decisions. Consequently, technology can be seen as enabling consensus and facilitating action. These tools should be able to provide intelligence which is useful, not confusing. They ought to be able to be used for supporting the development of strategic actions that mitigate risk, reduce uncertainty and protect human life.

I heard an example of this this week at the Association for Geographic Information (AGI) 2008 conference in the UK at Stratford-Upon-Avon, UK. Charlie Pattinson, head of resources and information, UK Environment Agency gave a keynote presentation which included information about the 2007 floods within the country. He cited 17% of all emergency facilities at risk, 350,000 people without water, 512 railway stations impacted and 6,896 businesses impacted. “Data sharing and collaboration are our greatest needs and interoperaility is critically important,” he said. As well, are our memories so short we forget the floods in Germany not long ago?

With these levels of impact it is clear that environmental disasters strike regions, cutting across administrative boundaries and impacting people, businesses and infrastructure. As Pattinson put it, “we need to bring technology to bear on reducing uncertainty.” The unknown (if known) can be valuable information for planning recovery efforts and so on.

Our industry has the needed tools for reducing risk and this is accomplished through improved spatial analysis, modeling and, in the case of flooding, greater use of visualisation. Well designed and spatially supported infrastructure necessitates numerous people collaborating and working together.

It is important to enable people with information about events that involve them. Informed decision making occurs through spatial tools and data that is not only delivered to people, but also explained to them, so that they understand its value and usefulness as well as its limitations.

Matt Ball

In this heated season of political debates and attack ads, it’s hard not to get swept up in the vitriolic back and forth of red and blue perspectives. There’s no other time of year where issues become more polarized, and the environment tends to be a battle topic.

At this point in time, geospatial technology, in all its different forms, drives most environmental policy decisions. The information that can be synthesized through observation, modeling and analysis of geospatial information, provides a valuable tool for informing both sides of any given environmental debate.

Beyond simply the big-picture national policy that shapes a country’s impact on the planet, there are the practical on-the-ground elements of policy that need to be assessed and monitored for oversight. Geospatial tools are ideally suited for long-term observation and analysis both before a policy outcome, and afterward, when the management of impacts becomes the focus. These tools will become increasingly valuable as we realize our ability to modify our practices in order to improve our long-term stability.

Providing Evidence and Analysis

When determining a policy direction, evidence on both sides of an argument need to be presented. The supporting government agencies provide this ongoing service with geospatial technology as a key contributor to insight. As details are amassed, in visual map or image format, and in reports with charts and tables, there’s an effort to see the big picture. Geospatial technology is responsible for bringing together that big picture in a way that’s informed by science and not swayed by ideology.

Regardless of legislative focus, if there’s an environmental impact, it’s likely that spatial analysis was employed. The capability to combine the human, environment and economic perspectives of decisions give this toolset the most power. Making knowledge from information relies on the application of domain expertise to generic data about our world. It’s the combination of data and visualization to inform insight that sets geospatial technology apart from other intelligence gathering tools.

Encouraging Public Participation

At the local level, there are often issues of development and community growth that have an impact on the local environment. Consensus on politically charged issues of growth and local economic development versus environmental impacts, needs an impartial data gathering effort and community interaction.

These ongoing issues of local impacts needs broad input to reach beyond well-organized lobbying groups. Public meetings and hearings regarding issues of local importance can be expensive and time-consuming. The combination of geospatial technology and the Internet provides a very effective means of achieving public participation regarding land use planning. The tools amass viewpoints in a consensus-driven process that can yield outcomes that factor in all sides of any issue related to place.

Energy at the Forefront

Her in the United States, we’ve seen the “drill baby, drill!” mantra, as well as a bipartisan call for investment in renewable energy. Having both renewable energy and new exploration appears to be the emerging moderate stance, and is the likely outcome of the political wrangling. Geospatial technology can help us get to this moderate consensus more quickly, and with an informed understanding of the impacts that each choice will have upon our planet. A thorough assessment of the impact of each energy option will promote policy toward environmentally-friendly regulations that make the most of these opportunities.

The idea of renewable energy as a means for energy independence is taking a strong hold. Energy independence promises to improve the economy and provide greater global security. These benefits on all sides makes this a solid bipartisan idea. Promoting the renewable energy industry will require a great deal of geospatial analysis in order to make the most of these investments with the least amount of impact. And geospatial tools can help assess and monitor new oil plays that have the least impact on the environment.

Speed Not a Factor

While I’ve mentioned quicker consensus building, the speed of legislation shouldn’t be a primary goal of any technology. I’m often reminded of the slow and deliberate nature of national politics. While you can point to the process as inefficient, it’s inefficient by design. When Congress was conceived, the founding fathers aimed for a slow moving organization in order to shield it from the whims of current popular opinion. That goal has been achieved, often in conflict with the fast pace of today’s society.

Geospatial technology is a valuable tool for reasoned and deliberate decision making regarding a myriad of policy decisions. With our increasingly fragile balance on our planet’s systems, geospatial tools will play an increasing role for the stewardship of our planet.

Source Vector1media

Jason-2 meets its performance requirements

On September 11, 2008, Jason-2 received its in-flight acceptance after the evaluation of the functioning of its spacecraft platform and payload during a in-flight assessment meeting in Toulouse.

To some extent the success of the Jason-2 mission was due to the recurrence between the Jason-1 and Jason-2 missions, which allowed the latter to be launched on time and to a smooth transition between the different parties working within Jason-2. According to these positive results, a similar overlap between Jason-2 and the future Jason-3 is expected.

Ensuring the management of the routine satellite operations, the French space agency – CNES is in charge until the end of October, and then NOAA (the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) will take over.

On November 15, 2008, in Nice, the Ocean Surface Topography Science Team meeting will decide how to proceed with the dissemination of the first Jason-2 Operational Geophysical Data Record (OGDR) data.

More information on Eumetsat website

Source GMES.Info

Delta II rocket launched on September 6, 2008 the satellite GeoEye-1.

GeoEye-1 is the world’s highest resolution, commercial Earth-imaging satellite at this time.

GeoEye-1 is part of the NGA NextView program. The NextView program is designed to ensure that the NGA has access to commercial imagery in support of its mission to provide timely, relevant and accurate geospatial intelligence in support of national security. GeoEye won its $500-million NextView contract in September 2004 and was able to build and launch GeoEye-1 without any contract cost overruns in less than four years after contract award.

GeoEye-1 will simultaneously collect 0.41-meter ground resolution black-and-white (panchromatic) images and 1.65-meter color (multispectral) images. Designed to take digital images of the Earth from 681 kilometers and moving at a speed of about four-and-a-half miles (seven kilometers) per second, the satellite camera can distinguish objects on the Earth’s surface as small as 0.41-meter or 16 inches in size. Due to U.S. licensing restrictions, commercial customers will get access to imagery at half-meter ground resolution.

GeoEye-1 was built by General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems in Gilbert, Ariz. The imaging system was built by ITT in Rochester, NY. ITT is also building the imaging system for GeoEye-2 slated for launch in 2011. The 4310-pound satellite was launched at 11:50 a.m. PDT on a United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. The launch of GeoEye-1 marks the 83rd consecutive successful launch of the Delta II rocket.

GeoEye-1 will now undergo a calibration and check-out period before imagery products will be available for sale.

You can find more info about the launch here

China launched two satellites on Saturday 6 September 2008

Both of them have to monitor the environment and natural disasters. The two satellites, launched from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in Shanxi Province and carried by a Long March 2C rocket, were expected to enhance the country’s capacity to forecast natural disasters, according to Bai Zhaoguang, a leading scientist and designer of the satellites.

The satellites are the first of their kind put into space by China. They are expected to have a lifespan of more than three years. They have state-of-the-art imaging systems and infrared cameras and provide a global scan every two days. The satellites can closely track natural disasters and provide quick assessments of damage to guide rescue and reconstruction work. The role of the satellites will be significant when China faces such natural disasters as this year’s snowstorms and massive earthquake.

The satellites are unparalleled in monitoring the environment in terms of their scale, speed and ability to operate regardless of weather. China had several natural disasters this year. In the winter, prolonged snowstorms affected large areas of southern and central China and stranded millions of people. On May 12, an earthquake measuring 8.0 on the Richter Scale struck southwest Sichuan Province. It is feared more than 87,000 died in the disaster. China used satellite images to help assess damage to infrastructure after that quake.

Remote sensing solution provider DMCii’s Chief Scientist, Dr Steve Mackin, has pioneered a new approach for deriving quality control indicators from Disaster Monitoring Constellation data. The new framework, which is being implemented by DMCii, holds great potential for quality control and consistency in multi-source imaging projects such as the European Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES).


Dr Mackin commented: “This has never been done before and its application holds great potential for projects where imaging is sourced from multiple providers and satellites. As a GMES contributor, DMCii has begun implementing this new quality control framework within the Disaster Monitoring Constellation to validate it for wider use.”

The European Space Agency (ESA) has expressed interest in the techniques that Dr Mackin presented in his role as one of the UK’s representatives in the Working Group for Constellation Calibration on the Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS). The first dedicated GMES satellites, Sentinel 2 and Sentinel 3, will demonstrate (at least in part) the new framework as a quality control measure for GMES.

From research conducted with the National Physics Laboratory it was clear that making extra quality information available to describe imaging products would be of significant benefit to imaging experts. The new framework provides a clearer quality statement with defined error budgets at each stage and hence identifies low quality data before it can be issued. The traceability of data is also improved, enabling the rapid identification of the processing area at fault.

Dr Mackin states that the proposed methodology holds many benefits for imaging users:

“It makes sense for any customer to request standardized quality control information from imaging suppliers. Only then can you be sure of the quality of your end product and its fitness for purpose. It also allows users to compare data across image providers in a fast and simple manner and determine who meets the user’s requirements at the lowest cost – hence saving time and money for the end-user”.

The Disaster Monitoring Constellation (DMC) is a unique cooperation between partners that own satellites and share their data. DMCii coordinates the constellation to provide high quality commercial imaging services and rapid disaster monitoring programmes. The DMC’s imaging capacity is set to grow to more than 10 million sq km per day by the end of 2008 with the addition of new satellites, UK-DMC2 and Deimos-1, which share a 20metre 600km swath imaging capability. The UK-DMC2 satellite will also offer a direct downlink service to X-band groundstations.

Last year, DMCii imaged 38 European countries for GMES in the 6 months between April and October 2007 as a GMES contributing mission. DMCii delivered precisely positioned data in each national map projection. This was the first time that the whole of Europe had been successfully imaged at high resolution in a single year.

The Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) programme is led by the European Commission with the aim of delivering environment and security services. It is the European response to the ever-increasing demands of effective environmental policies. GMES is the European contribution to the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS).

About DMC International Imaging Ltd

DMC International Imaging Ltd (DMCii) is a UK based supplier of remote sensing data products and services for international Earth Observation (EO) markets. DMCii supplies programmed and archived optical satellite imagery provided by the multi-satellite Disaster Monitoring Constellation (DMC). DMC data is now used in a wide variety of commercial and government applications including agriculture, forestry and environmental mapping.

In partnership with the British National Space Centre (BNSC) and the other DMC member nations (Algeria, China, Nigeria, Turkey and Spain), DMCii works with the International Charter: ‘Space and Major Disasters’ to provide free satellite imagery for humanitarian use in the event of major international disasters such as tsunami, hurricanes, fires and flooding.

DMCii was formed in October 2004 and is a subsidiary of Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd, the world leader in small satellite technology. SSTL designed and built the DMC with the support of the BNSC and in conjunction with the DMC member nations Algeria, China, Nigeria, Turkey and Spain.

Notes to editor:

The DMCii mosaic image of Europe is available from Robin Wolstenholme or Paul Stephens upon request as a jpeg file.

This press release can be downloaded from www.ballard.co.uk/dmcii

Press contacts:

Robin Wolstenholme, Ballard Communications Management
Tel: +44 (0)1306 882288
Email: r.wolstenholme@ballard.co.uk
Paul Stephens, Sales & Marketing Director, DMC International Imaging Ltd.
Tel: +44 (0)1483 804299
Email: p.stephens@dmcii.com

Source DMCII and Ballard

4C Controls Inc. (OTCBB: FOUR.OB) today announced that it has selected for negotiation Thales Alenia Space Italia S.P.A. (TASI) as the prime contractor for the in-orbit delivery of the first two satellites with related Ground Segment of the planned 4C Controls’ satellites constellation.

NEW YORK, Jul 17, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE). This selection is a result of intensive technical due diligence and analysis with TASI for more than six months, and signals long term technical and commercial cooperation between 4C Controls and TASI.

The two Satellites are expected to be equipped with very high-resolution (1meter) synthetic aperture radar (SAR). The first satellite is planned to be in orbit by end of 2011.

The activation of this relationship with Thales Alenia Space Italia will be the basis to establish a strategic partnership between 4C Controls and Thales Alenia Space Italia. The partnership will involve long term technical and commercial cooperation.

The expertise of 4C Controls in the satellite technologies, provided by the Politecnico di Torino (Polito), combined with the distinguished capacity and international records of Thales Alenia Space Italia, provides a unique platform for the 4C Controls planned Earth Observation Multi Satellite Program.
4C Controls is focused on becoming the world leader in the design, engineering, development, construction, sales and operations of high-performing SAR satellites for research, earth observation, remote sensing and security surveillance. It plans to place into service one of the most advanced, high-capacity, high-resolution commercial imaging SAR satellites in the world. 4C Controls will focus on significant market opportunities in the Middle East, Asia Pacific, Africa and Latin America where there is growing demand for low equatorial position, high resolution, small satellites.

SAR satellites have the ability to provide all-weather, day-and-night imaging, which are mission critical capabilities for a variety of end-user applications. The satellites are expected to have the following main characteristics:
— High-resolution: 1 meter resolution
— Regional Data Downlink: data transmission during data acquisition, using a network of ground stations located in the observed regional areas
— Low inclination orbit with altitude of 536 km
— X-band SAR: enables clear imaging through cloud and night skies

“As a first mover in a rapidly developing market, we expect to achieve significant competitive advantages in respect of customer necessity, price and performance. The combination of Thales Alenia Space Italia S.P.A.‘s expertise and the cutting-edge know-how in SAR technology of the Polito team will help to ensure a high efficient and dynamic market entry,” said Dr. Riccardo Maggiora, Director and Chief Technology Officer at 4C Controls.

“We are delighted that 4C Controls has selected us for negotiation as prime contractor. We have been working closely together on technical due diligence and are confident that positive outcomes will be achieved for both parties as a result of our collaboration,” said Massimo Di Lazzaro, SVP and General Manager Business Unit Observation Systems & Radars at Thales Alenia Space Italia.

About 4C Controls Inc.

With headquarters in New York, 4C Controls is an early stage company offering high technology security integrated solutions providing real-time early warning and reduction of time scales from threat-detection to termination in the field. The Company’s primary focus is on the acquisition of technologies and large distribution networks including high resolution synthetic aperture radar satellites (SAR) and satellite images; ground high performance radars for intrusion detection and electronic surveillance / access control markets such as biometric, radio frequency identification (RFID), real time locating systems (RTLS) and closed-circuit television (CCTV).

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains ‘forward-looking statements’ as defined in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are based upon currently available competitive, financial, and economic data and management’s views and assumptions regarding future events. Such forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain. 4C Controls cannot provide assurances that any prospective matters described in the press release will be successfully completed or that it will realize the anticipated benefits of any transactions. Actual results may differ materially from those projected as a result of certain risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to: global economic and market conditions; the war on terrorism and the potential from war or other hostilities in other parts of the world; availability of financing and lines of credit; successful integration of acquired or merged businesses; changes in interest rates; management’s ability to forecast revenues and control expenses, especially on a quarterly basis; unexpected decline in revenues without a corresponding and timely slowdown in expense growth; its ability to retain key management and employees; intense competition and the ability to meet demand at competitive prices and to continue to introduce new products and new versions of existing products that keep pace with technological developments, satisfy increasingly sophisticated customer requirements and achieve market acceptance; relationships with significant suppliers and customers; as well as other risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to those detailed from time to time in the 4C Controls filings with the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission. 4C Controls undertakes no obligation to update information contained in this release.

SOURCE: 4C Controls Inc.

September 10: A new launch date has been set for GOCE.

(27 May 2008). A new launch date has been set for GOCE. The change of date is due to precautionary measures taken after the malfunction of an upper-stage section of a Russian Proton launcher. Now confirmed not to affect GOCE’s Rockot launcher, the most advanced gravity mission to date is scheduled for lift-off on 10 September 2008.

As a consequence of the new launch date, the Gravity field and steady-state Ocean Circulation Explorer (GOCE) satellite is currently undergoing final flight reconfiguration at ESA-ESTEC in the Netherlands. Shipment to the Plesetsk launch site in northern Russia will take place in July – from where the sleek five-metre long GOCE spacecraft will be carried into its unusually low orbit on a modified SS-19 Russian Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) launcher. The adaptation of the SS-19, called ‘Rockot’, uses the two original lower stages of the ICBM in conjunction with an upper-stage called Breeze-KM for commercial payloads.

Up until early March this year, GOCE was well on its way to being launched at the end of May. However, as a result of the failure on
15 March of a Proton Breeze-M upper-stage, all launches using Breeze were suspended pending investigations by the Russian State Commission. Although GOCE’s Breeze-KM upper-stage is different to the larger Proton Breeze-M, they do share some common elements. The investigations have led to the conclusion that it is safe to use the Breeze-KM as is, resulting in the Russian State Commission clearing GOCE for launch.

Solar-panel inspection

Since August last year, the high-tech GOCE spacecraft has been undergoing extensive testing at ESA’s test facilities in the Netherlands. The programme included a wide range of qualification tests to ensure that the satellite could withstand the rigours of launch as well as the harsh environment of space. One such series of tests was carried out in the Large Space Simulator where, under vacuum, the extreme heat of the Sun is simulated by lamps and mirrors – subjecting the satellite to 1400 W of power over each square metre of the side of the satellite that faces the Sun.

As well as being designed to fly in an orbit as low as is technically feasible to retrieve the strongest possible gravity signal, the sleek arrow-shaped satellite is ultra-stable to ensure that measurements taken are of true gravity and not influenced by any movement of the satellite. GOCE, therefore, has none of the moving parts often seen on other spacecraft. Since GOCE is designed to orbit the Earth with one side always facing the Sun, one side only is equipped with solar panels.

Due to its low altitude and inclination, once a year the GOCE satellite will experience an eclipse period of 135 days with one eclipse of up to 28 minutes per orbit. A peculiarity of orbital dynamics is that one is free to choose the eclipse period to fall either between October and February or, between April and August by launching either in the morning or in the evening of the launch day.

GOCE in orbit

Now launching in September, it is best to have the eclipses in the April to August time frame. The May launch would still have gone for the eclipse season in winter. The difference in the two configurations is that, as seen from the Sun, the satellite either flies clock- or anti-clockwise around the Earth. This has impact on the satellite configuration and some units have to be moved from one side of the satellite to the other. Thanks to the flexibility of the satellite design, this is a relatively simple operation. Therefore, modifications to accommodate this new flight configuration are about to be carried out at ESA in the Netherlands. When GOCE has been reconfigured, the spacecraft will be transported by aircraft from the Netherlands to Arkhangelsk in Russia, and from there by train to the launch site in Plesetsk for final testing.

GOCE data products

Once launched, GOCE will begin to map global variations in the gravity field with unprecedented detail and accuracy. This will result in a unique model of the geoid, which is the surface of equal gravitational potential defined by the gravity field – crucial for deriving accurate measurements of ocean circulation and sea-level change, both of which are affected by climate change. GOCE-derived data is also much needed to understand more about processes occurring inside the Earth and for use in practical applications such as surveying and levelling.

Source ESA