Whether travelling near Earth or deep in our Solar System, every spacecraft is supported by a sophisticated ground segment of computers, software, telecommunications and other resources that enable engineers to send commands and receive data from the onboard instruments. Access a new profile section here in the ESOC website.
7 February 2012 An intensive, two-day test of the third Meteosat Second Generation satellite saw ESA mission controllers in Germany connecting their computers to the satellite at a manufacturing facility in France. The test was a milestone in the lead up to launch this summer.
15 December 2011 The first laser ranging of Europe's new Galileo navigation satellites has been achieved from Concepción in Chile. Laser contact with the satellites at an altitude of 23 230 km has provided distance measurements with subcentimetre accuracy.
