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| | | | | | | User Support and Operations Centres
User Support and Operation Centres (USOCs) are based in national centres distributed throughout Europe. These centres are responsible for the use and implementation of European payloads onboard the ISS.
On behalf of users and under ESA management, the USOCs conduct the tasks needed to prepare and operate the facilities for experiments onboard the ISS. The USOCs act as the link between the user and the ISS, and be the focal points for the preparation and operation of ESA payloads.
Prior to the launch of payloads, the USOCs carry out various activities, such as developing procedures for the experiments, optimising and calibrating payloads and experiments, and supporting training activities for the ISS crew.
Once the payloads are in orbit, with the support of the Columbus Control Centre the USOCs operate the payloads for which they are responsible and receive data on the experiments being performed. In addition, USOCs interact with the scientists at their home bases by providing them with data on the experiments, and receiving and processing requests for scheduling experiments, and information and instructions regarding the experiments being carried out.
Although USOCs have different roles, depending on the technical and operational responsibilities assigned to them, all USOCs act as ISS information centres for national users. This entails identifying potential users and familiarising them with the many possibilities that the ISS provides for both scientific and commercial use, in order to optimise the use of the Space Station.
The ISS USOCs are:
- BIOTESC Biotechnology Space Support Centre (Switzerland)
cogoli@spacebiol.ethz.ch
- B-USOCBelgian User Support and Operations
Centre (Belgium)
www.oma.be/B.USOC
- CADMOSCentre d'Aide au Dévelopment de la
Microgravité et aux Operation Spatiales (France)
cadmos@cnes.fr
- DAMEC Danish Medical Centre of Research (Denmark)
damec@damec.dk
- DUC Dutch Utilisation Centre (Netherlands)
www.nlr.nl
- E-USOC Spanish User Support and Operations Centre. Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM)
www.eusoc.upm.es/
- ERASMUS Erasmus User Support and Operations Centre
(ESA/ESTEC)
- MARS Center Microgravity Advanced Reserach and
Support Centre (Italy)
www.marscenter.it
- MUSC Microgravity User Support Centre (Germany)
Info.Musc@dlr.de
Last update: 15 September 2009 | |
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