ESRIN - Its Development and Role 

R. Franciosi 

Created in 1965 as the European Space Research Institute, ESRIN has succeeded over the last 30 years in maintaining its own unique identity, despite the constant growth of and changes in its primary activities. Situated in the picturesque surroundings of the Castelli Romani, southeast of Rome, ESRIN has evolved, particularly over the last ten years, into a truly multidisciplinary centre. Although ESRIN's main role is still firmly linked to the Earth Observation Programme, especially since the launches of the ERS-1 and ERS-2 satellites and with management responsibility for the new Envisat ground segment, the Italian establishment is also in charge of the Agency's corporate informatics applications and associated infrastructures. ESA's new Vega small-launcher project has also chosen ESRIN as its base.