The End of a Magnificent Satellite: The ESA GOCE Spacecraft

Good evening readers. As I write this, the European Space Agency's Gravity and Ocean Mapping GOCE spacecraft is making its death plunge back through Earth's atmosphere. Where it lands however is still a mystery to us all. An article with details is available by clicking here.

The GOCE is powered by a Xenon ion engine, but ran out of fuel back in mid-October, and has since started to descend slowly but surely back to Earth. The satellite was used to map out Earth's gravity field and oceans, and has performed beyond expectations. The satellite is expected to come crashing back into Earth sometime between now and tomorrow morning. Until then, we wait in anticipation on where it lands. Who knows, maybe you'll have a souvenir courtesy of the ESA via special delivery by tomorrow morning :)