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The on 17 March represents an exciting new era in the exploration of planet Earth.

At a billion euros a year and with 24 satellites already commissioned - of which Goce is the first - the will lead to 'a global system for the observation of the Earth ... for a better understanding of the processes which survive thereon," said Stephen Briggs, the head of Earth observation science at the ESA.

Goce will map variations in Earth's gravity, while its successors will look at everything from soil moisture to ice cover, and ocean salinity to wind patterns (the latter using a cool-sounding laser).

Why should we care? Because the better we understand what the planet is doing, the better we understand climate and other forms of global change and their potential impacts. Then, just maybe, we can figure out what it is we need to do about it.

ESA Web TV: Behind the scenes of the Goce mission

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