ESA title
ECOS operational engineers on console at EAC
Science & Exploration

European Astronaut Centre Crew Operations Support Centre

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ESA / Science & Exploration / Human and Robotic Exploration / International Space Station

The European Astronaut Centre Crew Operations Support centre (ECOS) runs and implements European payloads on the International Space Station in the fields of space medicine, space training and crew systems.

Even though ECOS performs operations tasks like other USOCs, ECOS is not part of the European USOC network. This allows ECOS to work with more flexibility regarding its operational planning.

ECOS console at EAC
ECOS console at EAC

The main tasks of this operations centre are the flight procedures development and the preparation, integration and execution of different research activities, technology demonstrations and system activities. In addition, ECOS takes care of the Mission Operation Implementation Concept (MOIC) and the collection of in-flight data. To perform all these activities, ECOS receives the inputs of developers and scientists.

The ECOS team is very interdisciplinary and changes depending on the increment and payloads operated.