The small spacecraft broke up in the environment and didnt cause any home damage.Artists conception of the European Space Agencys Gravity field and steady-state Ocean Circulation Explorer (GOCE) satellite in orbit. The European Space Agency called the mission a success. Still not sufficient area?
On Nov. 10, 2013, Europes GOCE satellite fell to Earth. GOCE is short for Gravity field and steady-state Ocean Circulation Explorer. Its mission was to map Earths gravitational field. GOCE did this for 4 years. It ran out of fuel. Controllers werent sure where GOCE would fall back to Earth or stick around in orbit. Some people stressed that it might crash into an inhabited location. However, the small spacecraft broke up in the environment and didnt cause any property damage.Artists conception of the European Space Agencys Gravity field and steady-state Ocean Circulation Explorer (GOCE) satellite in orbit. The $450 million satellite launched in 2009 to study Earths gravity field in unmatched detail and will be up to Earth in 2013. (Image credit: ESA/ AOES Medialab) It broke down about 50 miles above the Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic Ocean. The European Space Agency called the objective a success. GOCE lasted far longer than expected. It revealed little variations in Earths gravity, mapped the structure of Earths crust and mantle, and tracked ocean currents.Catch up on our whole “On This Day In Space” series on YouTube with this playlist. On This Day in Space Archive! Still inadequate space? Dont forget to take a look at our Space Image of the Day, and on the weekends our Best Space Photos and Top Space News Stories of the week. Email Hanneke Weitering at [email protected] or follow her @hannekescience. Follow us @Spacedotcom and on Facebook..