Andrew Yee[_1_]
April 17th 08, 08:16 PM
European Space Agency
Press Release No. 22-2008
Paris, France 14 April 2008
Contract signed for ESA's Sentinel-3 earth observation satellite
The European Space Agency and Thales Alenia Space today signed a Euro 305
million [USD 485 million] contract to provide the first Sentinel-3 earth
observation satellite, devoted to oceanography and land-vegetation
monitoring, as part of the European GMES programme. As prime contractor,
Thales Alenia Space is responsible for the satellite's design, development
and integration.
The contract was signed today in Paris by Volker Liebig, ESA Director of
Earth Observation, and Pascale Sourisse, President and CEO of Thales Alenia
Space, in the presence of Jean-Jacques Dordain, ESA Director General,
officials from the European Commission, the French Ministry of Research and
Higher Education and Dominique Bussereau, French Secretary of State for
Transport at the Ecology, Energy, Sustainable Development & Land Management
Ministry.
Underlining the value of this mission for Europe, Volker Liebig commented:
"This satellite is an important element of GMES and will enable Europe to
observe important ocean parameters."
Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) aims at delivering
environment and security monitoring services and is being led by the
European Commission. It is Europe's response to the ever-increasing demands
of effective environmental policies and is at the same time the European
contribution to the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS).
ESA is responsible for the implementation of the GMES Space Component, a
package of earth observation missions involving ESA, EU/ESA Member States
and other partners. Central elements of this Space Component are the five
families of Sentinel missions.
Sentinel-3 will provide crucial data for information services to the
European Union and its Member States as part of GMES. The services to be fed
data cover areas such as climate change, sustainable development,
environmental policies, European civil protection, development aid,
humanitarian aid and the European Common Foreign & Security Policy.
The Sentinel-3 mission will produce a consistent, long-term set of
remotely-sensed marine and land data for (operational) ocean state analysis,
forecasting and service provision. A comprehensive measurement system
facilitating global ocean and land observation is required in order to
provide data for advanced numerical forecasting models.
Sentinel-3 will determine parameters such as sea surface topography,
sea/land surface temperature, ocean colour and land colour with high-end
accuracy and reliability. For this purpose, it carries an advanced radar
altimeter and a multi-channel optical imaging instrument.
To achieve near-global coverage and meet all scientific requirements,
Sentinel-3 will be placed in a high-inclination, sun-synchronous polar
orbit. Near-realtime data processing and delivery will allow operational
services to continuously profit from the mission.
ESA carried out the Sentinel-3 definition phase in 2005/6, drawing on an
industrial consortium led by Thales Alenia Space. The implementation phase
started in autumn 2007 and the launch of the first Sentinel-3 satellite is
planned for 2012.
For further information:
Mr Bruno Berruti
GMES Sentinel-3 Project Manager
Earth Observation Directorate
Tel: +31.71.565.4936
[NOTE: Images and weblinks supporting this release are available at
http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMYZS3XQEF_index_1.html ]
Press Release No. 22-2008
Paris, France 14 April 2008
Contract signed for ESA's Sentinel-3 earth observation satellite
The European Space Agency and Thales Alenia Space today signed a Euro 305
million [USD 485 million] contract to provide the first Sentinel-3 earth
observation satellite, devoted to oceanography and land-vegetation
monitoring, as part of the European GMES programme. As prime contractor,
Thales Alenia Space is responsible for the satellite's design, development
and integration.
The contract was signed today in Paris by Volker Liebig, ESA Director of
Earth Observation, and Pascale Sourisse, President and CEO of Thales Alenia
Space, in the presence of Jean-Jacques Dordain, ESA Director General,
officials from the European Commission, the French Ministry of Research and
Higher Education and Dominique Bussereau, French Secretary of State for
Transport at the Ecology, Energy, Sustainable Development & Land Management
Ministry.
Underlining the value of this mission for Europe, Volker Liebig commented:
"This satellite is an important element of GMES and will enable Europe to
observe important ocean parameters."
Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) aims at delivering
environment and security monitoring services and is being led by the
European Commission. It is Europe's response to the ever-increasing demands
of effective environmental policies and is at the same time the European
contribution to the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS).
ESA is responsible for the implementation of the GMES Space Component, a
package of earth observation missions involving ESA, EU/ESA Member States
and other partners. Central elements of this Space Component are the five
families of Sentinel missions.
Sentinel-3 will provide crucial data for information services to the
European Union and its Member States as part of GMES. The services to be fed
data cover areas such as climate change, sustainable development,
environmental policies, European civil protection, development aid,
humanitarian aid and the European Common Foreign & Security Policy.
The Sentinel-3 mission will produce a consistent, long-term set of
remotely-sensed marine and land data for (operational) ocean state analysis,
forecasting and service provision. A comprehensive measurement system
facilitating global ocean and land observation is required in order to
provide data for advanced numerical forecasting models.
Sentinel-3 will determine parameters such as sea surface topography,
sea/land surface temperature, ocean colour and land colour with high-end
accuracy and reliability. For this purpose, it carries an advanced radar
altimeter and a multi-channel optical imaging instrument.
To achieve near-global coverage and meet all scientific requirements,
Sentinel-3 will be placed in a high-inclination, sun-synchronous polar
orbit. Near-realtime data processing and delivery will allow operational
services to continuously profit from the mission.
ESA carried out the Sentinel-3 definition phase in 2005/6, drawing on an
industrial consortium led by Thales Alenia Space. The implementation phase
started in autumn 2007 and the launch of the first Sentinel-3 satellite is
planned for 2012.
For further information:
Mr Bruno Berruti
GMES Sentinel-3 Project Manager
Earth Observation Directorate
Tel: +31.71.565.4936
[NOTE: Images and weblinks supporting this release are available at
http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMYZS3XQEF_index_1.html ]