External services
The framework of ESOC's third party activities is the 1998 Council Resolution authorising the Director General to offer ESA's Flight Operations spare capacity to commercial and institutional customers. Services offered by ESOC refer to the utilisation of Flight Operations facilities and/or personnel.
Their main objective is to add value in supporting and responding to requests from Industry, often in cooperation with National Space Agencies such as CNES, DLR or ASI. Although ESOC offers, in principle, spare capacity in providing these services, any additional facilities required for a particular service can be funded by the customer or procured via cooperative agreements.