THE 17-MEMBER state European meteorological satellite organisation, Eumetsat, opened its new $37 million headquarters, including a mission control centre, in Darmstadt, Germany, on 26 June.
The control centre will take over operations of Meteosat satellites on 1 December, replacing the European Space Agency's (ESA) space-operations centre, ESOC, also in Darmstadt. It is part of a new ground system which includes a primary ground station at Fucino, Italy; a back-up station in Weilhein, Germany; and link-up stations in Italy, France and UK.
Eumetsat will continue to use ESA's Meteosats - including a satellite to be launched in 1997 - until 2000, when these craft will be replaced by a second-generation Eumetsat fleet for use to 2012. The first of these is being developed with ESA, while Eumetsat will take full control of follow-on models.
Source: Flight International