GOCE

ESA's GOCE mission is dedicated to measuring the Earth's gravity field and modelling the geoid with unprecedented accuracy and spatial resolution. GOCE is the first in a series of research missions known as Earth Explorers. Driven by the needs of the scientific community, Earth Explorers will provide the data to help understand critical Earth system variables and put Europe in pole position on Earth observation in the coming years. GOCE is due for launch in September 2008 on a Russian Rockot vehicle – a converted SS-19 Russian Intercontinental Ballistic Missile – from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in northern Russia. All the data collected by GOCE will go towards creating a global gravity-field map with a level of accuracy never before available. ESA has developed an internet interface that will make these data easily and quickly available to scientists and researchers. ESApod video programme