Tin hats at the ready!

[skomedal]

Today lowest 177.5 highest 189.9 km ( n2yo ) 1100 cet

 

[skomedal]

Todays update from esa.

""
8 November 2013
Reentry of GOCE into Earth’s atmosphere is predicted to occur during the night between Sunday and Monday. Break-up of the spacecraft will occur at an altitude of approximately 80 km. At the moment, the exact time and location of where the fragments will land cannot be foreseen.

The estimate is based on the results of detailed analysis, taking in to account a number of changeable factors including spacecraft orientation, the functioning of the attitude control system, as well as solar and geomagnetic activity. ""



http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Observing_the_Earth/GOCE/GOCE_completes_its_mission


"" Updated predictions will be communicated on this page and in the related blog. ""

 

[Analoguesat]

If she starts spinning laterally she could come down a bit earlier - broadside on will present a much bigger air resistance than nose first

 

[Analoguesat]

Intersting ESA blog here - and it says the onboard instruments are still operational and sending back data!

http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Observing_the_Earth/GOCE/GOCE_completes_its_mission

 

[skomedal]

Update from esa website :-

http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Observing_the_Earth/GOCE/GOCE_completes_its_mission

""
9 November 2013
This morning, GOCE was at an altitude of about 160 km. As expected, drag levels have increased with a current average of about 90 mN (milli Newton). There are significant temperature increases in several areas of the spacecraft, possibly linked to GOCE encountering increasingly dense atmosphere as its orbit drops.

GOCE is expected to fall by over 13 km today. ""

Height at 1940cet satflare 176.4 highest 159.2 lowest

 

[skomedal]

Latest update from esa:-


10 November 2013
Less than one day before the predicted reentry into the atmosphere, the spacecraft is still functioning well and standard spacecraft operations activities are proceeding.

The satellite is at an altitude of about 147 km, dropping at a rate of more than 1 km an hour.

Drag levels are now too high to be measured by the accelerometers. Based on the results of the orbit determination, average drag levels are at about 165 mN (milli Newton). Temperatures of units and subsystems close to the front of the spacecraft continue to increase, but have not yet reached levels threatening the correct functioning of GOCE.

The orientation of the spacecraft is as it should be, with the attitude control system continuing to work well. Owing to its aerodynamic shape, it is estimated that the spacecraft is kept in the correct orientation by atmospheric drag forces alone.

Given the fast altitude drop and change of environmental conditions, the end of flight operations is getting close.

 

[Analoguesat]

Theres a UK pass of the craft this evening.

1855 in the SE to 1857 in the N.

I shall be outside if its clear on the off chance shes heating up enough to be visible - or she breaks up at that moment!

This assumes the old girl lasts until this evening.....

 

[hexah]

Owing to its aerodynamic shape, it is estimated that the spacecraft is kept in the correct orientation by atmospheric drag forces alone.

The engineers and designers did great job!

 

[Analoguesat]

ESA’s Space Debris Office says that reentry is expected to occur between 18:30 and 24:00 UTC today. The most probable impact ground swath runs over oceans and polar regions, as well as uninhabited areas of Australia. The probability of reentry over Europe can be excluded.

With measurements from the Tracking and Imaging Radar, GOCE’s satellite-to-satellite tracking and orbit data from the Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee, the reentry of GOCE could be predicted with an accuracy of about +/-2 orbits.

 

[Analoguesat]

Latest ESA info:

Less than 10 hours before reentry, another ground contact was made with GOCE at 14:37 UTC using KSAT's Svalbard station.

The spacecraft is now at an altitude of just 133 km, with the decay rate around 1.5 km per hour.

The Gradiometer has been switched off. GOCE’s scientific GPS receivers keep working very well. Temperatures close to the front of the spacecraft are increasing steadily: the central computer is now at around 40 ºC.

 

[skomedal]

10 November 2013 - 18:55 CET
GOCE is now below an altitude of 130 km. The spacecraft was still in good shape when last seen around 18:30 CET at ESA's Kiruna ground station in northern Sweden.

Attitude control is working perfectly. Temperatures of the battery and central computer are now at about 45ºC. Next contact with GOCE is expected at Kiruna for around 20:00 CET.

 

[Piltdownpaul]

Its clear here so i'll pop out in for a look. Cant track it on n2yo.

 

[Analoguesat]

Half an hour till GOCE passes just to the east of the UK.

 

[Analoguesat]

Its clear here so i'll pop out in for a look. Cant track it on n2yo.

n2yo has been down all day:

http://www.satflare.com/track.asp?q=34602#TOP

 

[Piltdownpaul]

Thanks AS, i have my camera ready with large zoom just in case .......

 

[sonnetpete]

According to Satflare it's next pass is directly over my house........now where did I put that tin foil?.....

 

[Piltdownpaul]

Luckily i dont have much hair to get scorched so i'll be fine.

 

[Piltdownpaul]

Nothing seen here.

 

[Analoguesat]

Nowt seen here

 

[hvdh]

According the satflare map, Goce was only 3 minutes over the horizon at Kiruna...