[ISL]

GOCE is a wonderful (and beautiful) experiment. Its scientific contributions are particularly wonderful.

When I think of pretty gravity experiments, there are many, as the form must follow the function and gravity is geometry.

I'm particularly partial to the laser-ranging satellites:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LAGEOS

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LARES_(satellite)

LARES is particularly cool, as it is (and may forever be) the densest object of its mass in the solar system. As so many gravity experiments go, systematic uncertainties are more-important than raw signal, though, so LARES 2 is composed of nickel instead of tungsten. It'll still be quite a day when LARES 1 re-enters; it'd be quite a sight to see.

[andyjohnson0]

LAGEOS is a beautiful object. Wikipedia says its projected lifespan in orbit is 8.4 million years, which somehow makes me very happy today.

[gpderetta]

The mission plaque as a message for Earth habitants of the future is also cool!

[ISL]

I'm a little sad that the mission-planning team didn't include a "Look out below!" warning on the other side of the plaque.

Dropping a half-ton, two-foot-diameter, sphere of brass out of orbit is something of a health hazard to whatever life forms might have to catch it. If Miley Cyrus needs a follow-up hit, "Wrecking Ball" and "LAGEOS" have the same number of syllables.

[sleepytimetea]

When is LARES-1 rentry expected ? 1500 km orbit shouldn't be very long lived, right ?

[throwaway8503]

Very cool. Reminds me of the retroreflectors on GLONASS.