David, KG4ZLB asked:

I was reading about the newly launched GOCE satellite and the fact that its mission will end when its 40kg tank empties - that of course may be a long time coming but as it has an S band transmitter, could this not be tweaked for us once the mission is complete?

Given the low altitude orbit for this gravity mapping mission, I suspect that the satellite will quickly reenter when the Xenon supply is used up.

Dan Schultz N8FGV