Brussels, 29/02/2008 (Agence Europe) - Jean-Jacques Dordain, Director General of the European Space Agency (ESA), and Heinz Zourek, European Commission Director General for Enterprise and Industry, signed an agreement in Brussels on Thursday 28 February. The agreement establishes the allocation of an EC budget of €624 million to ESA as a contribution to the implementation of the GMES Space Component (GSC). This will be provided in two stages: €419 million for Segment 1 and €205 million for Segment 2 of the GSC programme. Segment 2 will be submitted for subscription by ESA's member states at the ministerial-level Council meeting in November 2008, an ESA press release states.
The ESA is tasked with implementing the specific GMES space component. Its role is to implement the dedicated GMES Space Component, which involves developing the Sentinel satellite series and its ground segment, coordinating data access to the Sentinels and to other missions mainly from ESA member states that contribute to fulfilling GMES service requirements. Sentinel 1 is an all-weather, day-and-night radar imaging satellite mission for land and ocean services. Sentinel 2 is a high-resolution optical imaging mission for land services. Sentinel 3 is for a global ocean and land monitoring mission which includes an altimetry instrument package. The agreement signed on Thursday, as well as the financial contributions from ESA member states, will enable ESA to develop and launch the first three Sentinel satellites (Sentinels 1, 2 and 3), to set up the related ground segment for the reception, processing and dissemination to users of the satellite data (from the Sentinels and other satellites) and to undertake the development of further elements to come.
“This marks a further step in the growing partnership process that sees ESA and the EC develop joint programmes for the benefit of all citizens in Europe. Within the framework agreement that links the European Community and ESA, and in accordance with the European Space Policy adopted in May 2007, ESA will develop and deliver the space infrastructure (the Sentinels) which will respond to the requirements defined by the EC concerning the GMES services dedicated to environment and security, two of the main concerns of our fellow citizens”, said Jean-Jacques Dordain. ESA member states have already raised funds (in two stages: 2005 and 2007) of up to €758 million for Segment 1 of the programme, ESA points out. (O.J.)