Eurockot Launch Services and its customer, the European Space Agency (ESA), have started preparations for the launch of the GOCE Earth Explorer satellite from Plesetsk Cosmodrome in Russia.

The original launch date had been postponed last October, following an anomaly in the launcher's guidance and navigation system. With corrective measures now implemented, the new launch date agreed upon by all parties is March 16, 2009. An advance party from ESA and Eurockot have arrived in Plesetsk to arrange logistics. These teams will be augmented by additional engineers from ESA and prime contractor Thales Alenia Space, who will prepare the satellite for launch. GOCE had been held in storage in Plesetsk since October 2008, pending the investigation into the launcher`s anomaly and subsequent rectification. GOCE is the first ESA Earth Explorer Core Mission developed in direct response to Earth science issues. The satellite will map the Earth`s gravity field with unprecedented precision from an orbit of some 260 km.

(Image of GOCE satellite courtesy of ESA)