Past missions/activities
In September 1967, the European Space Operations Centre was formally inaugurated in Darmstadt, Germany, to provide satellite control for the European Space Research Organisation, today known as ESA.
By May 1968, ESOC was already conducting its first operations, controlling ESRO-2B, a scientific research satellite and the first in a long series of successful missions operated from ESOC for ESRO, and later ESA. Since then, ESOC has successfully operated over 70 missions.
This section provides an overview of some of the missions that have been controlled from ESOC (or from other locations, as indicated) by ESA's Operations team. Mission names are shown together with launch year. It also includes links to former activities or retired infrastructure.
Editor's note: These articles are provided as a historical archive only. They are no longer updated and may contain broken links and outdated information or refer to activities or programmes that no longer take place. Use at your own risk, but enjoy the rich history!
Solar and planetary missions
- Venus Express 2005
- Rosetta 2004
-
Cassini-Huygens 1997
Huygens flown by ESA from ESOC; lander delivered by the international Cassini spacecraft flown by NASA -
Ulysses 1990
Flown by ESA team from the Ulysses Mission Support Area at NASA/JPL
Orbiting observatories
Earth missions
Technology demonstration missions
Human spaceflight missions
All five ATV missions were controlled by ESA's Operations team in partnership with French space agency CNES from the ATV Control Centre, Toulouse.
