BackForward Satellite Programme: Gravity Field and Steady-State Ocean Circulation Explorer 

Programme details
Programme description
  • Single satellite programme, for gravity field measurements.
  • Earth Explorer core mission in the framework of the ESA Living Planet programme: ESA responsible of development and operations.
  • The platform is actively stabilised over 3 axes.
  • The design life time of the satellite is 2 years.
  • The satellite exploits the dawn-dusk orbit at 6:00.
  • See detailed description at http://www.esa.int/export/esaLP/goce.html.
Data circulation
  • Data stored onboard and downlinked to the Kiruna and Svalbard stations.
  • Data processing and distribution from the Payload Data Ground Segment (PDGS) at ESA/ESRIN (Frascati, Rome).
Agencies ESA
Programme lifetime 2009 - 2013
Associated satellites and instruments

Note: red tag => no longer operational , green tag => operational , blue tag => planned

  • Gravity Field and Steady-State Ocean Circulation Explorer