# GOCE
*missions*

## Specifications
- **operator**: esa
- **actual launch**: 2009-03-17
- **actual end of life**: 2013-11-11
- **current status**: ended
- **orbit type**: Low Earth orbit gravity mission; drag-free operations at about 254 km before lower-orbit campaign
- **tasking supported**: false
- **archive depth years**: 4.7
- **current geographic priority**: Global
- **entity type**: mission
- **last verified date**: 2026-06-08
- **verified by**: agency-doc
- **claim status**: agency-sourced
- **provider**: esa
- **attributes**: {"operator":"esa","actual_launch":"2009-03-17","actual_end_of_life":"2013-11-11","current_status":"ended","orbit_type":"Low Earth orbit gravity mission; drag-free operations at about 254 km before lower-orbit campaign","tasking_supported":false,"archive_depth_years":4.7,"current_geographic_priority":"Global"}
- **relevance**: in-scope

## Editorial
GOCE (Gravity field and steady-state Ocean Circulation Explorer) was an ESA Earth Explorer gravity mission launched on 17 March 2009 [^esa-goce-facts][^esa-goce-visuals]. The mission used the Electrostatic Gravity Gradiometer to measure Earth's gravity field in three dimensions while the spacecraft operated in a low, drag-free orbit [^esa-goce-instruments][^esa-goce-operations]. ESA declared the end of mission on 21 October 2013 after the spacecraft ran out of fuel, and re-entry followed on 11 November 2013 [^esa-goce-end][^esa-goce-facts]. GOCE data support static gravity-field and geoid products for ocean circulation, sea-level, geodesy, and solid-Earth applications [^esa-goce-visuals].

## Compositional position
- GOCE --[mission_payloads]--> egg (products)
- GOCE --[data_products_from_missions]--> goce-global-gravity-field-models (data_products)
- goce-level-2-processing-chain (standards) --[related]--> GOCE

## Sources
- [esa-goce-visuals] | GOCE mission visuals, ESA Earth Online | https://visuals.earth.esa.int/satellites/goce | tier=agency-doc | accessed=2026-06-08
- [esa-goce-facts] | GOCE facts and figures, ESA | https://www.esa.int/Applications/Observing_the_Earth/FutureEO/GOCE/Facts_and_figures | tier=agency-doc | accessed=2026-06-08
- [esa-goce-instruments] | GOCE instruments, ESA | https://www.esa.int/Applications/Observing_the_Earth/FutureEO/GOCE/Instruments | tier=agency-doc | accessed=2026-06-08
- [esa-goce-operations] | GOCE operations, ESA | https://www.esa.int/Enabling_Support/Operations/GOCE_operations | tier=agency-doc | accessed=2026-06-08
- [esa-goce-end] | ESA's GOCE mission comes to an end | https://www.esa.int/Newsroom/Press_Releases/ESA_s_GOCE_mission_comes_to_an_end | tier=operator-press | accessed=2026-06-08 | published=2013-10-21

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Source: https://eo-atlas.org/missions/goce
Maintainer: SpectraWorks B.V. (CC-BY 4.0)