Simulation of the GOCE Gravity Field Mission

GOCE (Gravity Field and Steady-State Ocean Circulation Explorer) is one of the four selected ESA Earth Explorer Missions. The main objective of GOCE is the determination of the Earth’s gravity field with high spatial resolution and with high homogeneous accuracy. For this purpose, two observation concepts will be realised. Satellite-to-Satellite Tracking (SST) in high-low mode will be used for the orbit determination and for the retrieval of the long-wavelength part of the gravity field. Satellite Gravity Gradiometry (SGG) will be employed for the derivation of the medium/short-wavelength parts of the gravity field..