Casual Astronomy, Spaceflight News and Lower California Weather

... Its arrow shape and fins help keep the satellite stable as it flies through the wisps of air still present at an altitude of 260km. ... To increase resolution, the satellite will fly in an unusually low orbit; an electric engine will make up drag losses to compensate for the residual drag losses. ...

... Goce data will have many uses, probing hazardous volcanic regions and bringing new insight into ocean behaviour.

The latter, in particular, is a major driver for the mission.

By combining the gravity data with information about sea-surface height gathered by other spacecraft, scientists will be able to track the direction and speed of ocean currents.

"If we want to improve our climate models then we need to improve our knowledge of how the oceans move, and Goce will help us do that," mission scientist Dr Mark Drinkwater, from the European Space Agency (Esa), told BBC News. ...

(all times are EDT)
October 12, Sunday
1:15 a.m. - Video Feed of Expedition 18/Spaceflight Participant Launch Morning Activities in Baikonur, Kazakhstan - JSC via Baikonur (Public and Media Channels)
2 a.m. - Coverage of Expedition 18/Spaceflight Participant Launch to the International Space Station (launch scheduled at 3:01 a.m.) - JSC/Baikonur (Public and Media Channels)
6 a.m. - Video File of Expedition 18/Spaceflight Participant Prelaunch and Launch Material - JSC (Public and Media Channels)
10 a.m. - Replay of Expedition 18/Spaceflight Pre-launch and Launch Material - HQ (Public and Media Channels)

October 14, Tuesday
4 a.m. - Coverage of Expedition 18/Spaceflight Participant Docking to the International Space Station and Post-Docking News Conference (docking scheduled at 4:38 a.m., news conference follows) - JSC/Moscow (Public and Media Channels)
5:30 a.m. - Coverage of Expedition 18/Spaceflight Participant Hatch Opening and Welcoming Ceremony (hatch opening scheduled at 6 a.m.) - JSC/Moscow (Public and Media Channels)
9 a.m. - Video File of Expedition 18/Spaceflight Participant Docking, Hatch Opening and Welcoming Ceremony - JSC (Public and Media Channels)

(all times are EDT)
October 23, Thursday
4:45 p.m. - Expedition 17/Spaceflight Participant Farewells and Hatch Closing (hatch closing scheduled at 5:15 p.m.) - JSC (Public and Media Channels)
8 p.m. - Expedition 17/Spaceflight Participant Undocking from the International Space Station (undocking scheduled at 8:15 p.m.) - JSC (Public and Media Channels)
10:30 p.m. - Expedition 17/Spaceflight Participant Deorbit Burn and Landing Coverage (deorbit burn scheduled at 10:44 p.m., landing scheduled at 11:36 p.m.) - JSC/Kazakhstan (Public and Media Channels)

... Its arrow shape and fins help keep the satellite stable as it flies through the wisps of air still present at an altitude of 260km. ... To increase resolution, the satellite will fly in an unusually low orbit; an electric engine will make up drag losses to compensate for the residual drag losses. ...

... Goce data will have many uses, probing hazardous volcanic regions and bringing new insight into ocean behaviour.

The latter, in particular, is a major driver for the mission.

By combining the gravity data with information about sea-surface height gathered by other spacecraft, scientists will be able to track the direction and speed of ocean currents.

"If we want to improve our climate models then we need to improve our knowledge of how the oceans move, and Goce will help us do that," mission scientist Dr Mark Drinkwater, from the European Space Agency (Esa), told BBC News. ...

... moon will already be within the Pleiades as it rises over the Eastern U.S. and Canada during the mid-evening hours. The reappearance of stars such as Alcyone and Taygeta should be well-seen along the moon's dark limb.