A modified Russian
ballistic missile launched at 10:21 a.m. EDT (1421 GMT) today carrying a
European probe that will measure the tug of Earth's gravity with finer detail
than ever before.
The $450
million European satellite launched a day later than planned due to
problems retracting the pad gantry.
The Gravity field and
steady-state Ocean Circulation Explorer, or GOCE, launched atop
a Rockot launcher at Complex 133 at the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in far
northern Russia.
The Rockot
is an SS-19 missile built to deliver nuclear warheads to targets across the
globe. Eurockot, a Germany-based launch services
firm, oversaw Tuesday's launch for the European Space Agency.
GOCE's launch was postponed
from September after rocket officials discovered a failure in the guidance
and navigation system of the Rockot's Breeze KM upper
stage. Technicians had to replace the rocket's gyroscope and refurbish its
power system, delaying launch to this year.
Controllers will monitor
the GOCE from the European Space Operations Center in Darmstadt, Germany.
The spacecraft carries an
ultra-sensitive sensor to detect subtle variations in Earth's gravity field as
it circles the planet in an unusually low orbit just 162 miles high.
Accurate maps of the
gravity field will give scientists a crucial reference to compare against ocean
circulation and sea level measurements.
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