Europe's gravity mission has been bumped to next year because of ongoing technical problems with its launcher.
The arrow-shaped Goce satellite will map tiny variations in the pull of gravity experi
enced across the world. The information will give scientists a clearer insight into how the oceans move, and provide a universal reference to measure height anywhere on Earth.But concerns about the reliability of its Russian rocket mean a lift-off is now unlikely before February.
On picture: Goce has fins to keep it stable as it flies through whisps of air.
It is a frustrating delay for the Gravity Field and Steady-State Ocean Circulation Explorer (Goce). The satellite was already two years behind schedule when it was sent to the launch pad because engineers had to work through immense technical difficulties in building it. The super-sleek spacecraft was due to go into orbit on a modified intercontinental ballistic missile, known at the Rockot, from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in north-west Russia in the spring. It was held on the ground while an investigation was undertaken into the performance of a different, failed rocket system that shared key components.
By Jonathan Amos http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7592689.stm
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