The European Space Agency (ESA) is Europe’s gateway to space. Its mission is to shape the development of Europe’s space capability and ensure that investment in space continues to deliver benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world.
Find out more about space activities in our 23 Member States, and understand how ESA works together with their national agencies, institutions and organisations.
Exploring our Solar System and unlocking the secrets of the Universe
Go to topicProtecting life and infrastructure on Earth and in orbit
Go to topicUsing space to benefit citizens and meet future challenges on Earth
Go to topicMaking space accessible and developing the technologies for the future
Go to topicThe GOCE (Gravity Field and Steady-State Ocean Circulation Explorer) satellite consists of a central octagonal tube with seven internal floors that support the equipment and electronic units. Two of the floors support the gradiometer which is mounted close to the satellite’s centre of mass. The spacecraft structure is built largely of carbon-fibre reinforced plastic sandwich panels to guarantee stable conditions under greatly varying temperatures and to minimise its mass. The gradiometer structure is based on ultra-stable carbon-carbon technology.