Mission Science Division
Encyclopedia
The Mission Science Division is a group of scientists, research fellows and young graduates working at the European Space Agency (ESA) within the Science, Applications and Future Technologies Department of the Directorate of Earth Observation Programmes. The Division is located at ESA's European Space Research and Technology Centre
in Noordwijk
, South Holland
, The Netherlands.
In support of the preparations for each ESA Earth Observation mission, the Division initiates and conducts supporting scientific studies (in house and external), and organises, coordinates and executes related Campaigns for the purpose of acquiring airborne, balloon borne, or in-situ data.
BIOMASS, CoReH2O and PREMIER are currently undergoing feasibility study (Phase A).
The following two candidate Opportunity missions have been selected for feasibility study (Phase A/B1):
The next Call for proposals for candidate Earth Explorer missions is planned after the next ESA Ministerial Council.
Sentinel Missions as part of the Space Component of the joint EC/ESA Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) initiative
European Space Research and Technology Centre
The European Space Research and Technology Centre is the European Space Agency's main technology development and test centre for spacecraft and space technology. It is situated in Noordwijk, South Holland, in the western Netherlands....
in Noordwijk
Noordwijk
Noordwijk is a town and municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The municipality covers an area of 51.53 km² and had a population of 24,707 in May 2006....
, South Holland
South Holland
South Holland is a province situated on the North Sea in the western part of the Netherlands. The provincial capital is The Hague and its largest city is Rotterdam.South Holland is one of the most densely populated and industrialised areas in the world...
, The Netherlands.
Introduction
The Mission Science Division (MSD) is part of the Science, Applications and Future Technologies Department, within the Earth Observation Programmes Directorate. The Division is responsible for ensuring the application of scientific and other user community requirements in all phases of the development of Earth Observation missions, from precursor studies through to initial in-orbit satellite operations, and for ensuring coherence throughout with the objectives expressed in the mission requirements documents, including the management of mission-specific advisory structures (where required).In support of the preparations for each ESA Earth Observation mission, the Division initiates and conducts supporting scientific studies (in house and external), and organises, coordinates and executes related Campaigns for the purpose of acquiring airborne, balloon borne, or in-situ data.
Mission Science Division Management
The Mission Science Division management team are:- M. Drinkwater (Head of Mission Science Division)
- P. Ingmann (Head of Atmospheric Section)
- R. Haagmans (Head of Earth Surfaces and Interior Section)
- M. Davidson (Head of Campaigns Section)
Research Satellites
The Mission Science Division currently works on six approved ESA Earth explorers and a seventh mission to be chosen from three candidate Core Earth explorer mission concepts (future missions), namely:Earth Explorer Core missions
- GOCEGoceGoce is an opera composed by Kiril Makedonski in tribute to Gotse Delchev. The work was commissioned to be the very first opera performed by the Macedonian National Opera Company. It premiered on May 24, 1954 and it is the first opera to be written in the Macedonian language....
(*GOCE launched successfully on 17 March, 2009). - ADM-AeolusADM-AeolusADM-Aeolus, or, in full, Atmospheric Dynamics Mission Aeolus, is an ESA satellite that is due for launch in 2013.ADM-Aeolus will be the first equipment capable of performing global wind-component-profile observation and will provide much-needed information to improve weather forecasting.The Aeolus...
- EarthCAREEarthCAREEARTHCARE is a planned space mission by the European and Japanese space agencies. In May 2008 ESA signed a contract worth €263 million with EADS subsidiary Astrium. As the prime contractor, Astrium is responsible for the satellite’s design, development and integration...
Earth Explorer Opportunity missions
- CryoSat-2 (*CryoSat-2 launched successfully on 8 April, 2010)
- SMOS - Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity satelliteSoil Moisture and Ocean Salinity satelliteThe Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity Satellite is a part of ESA's Living Planet Programme intended to provide new insights into Earth's water cycle and climate...
(*SMOS launched successfully on 2 November, 2009) - Swarm
Candidate Future Earth Explorer missions
The following six candidate Core missions have undergone pre-feasibility studies (Phase 0):- A-SCOPE (Advanced Space Carbon and Climate Observation of Planet Earth)
- BIOMASS
- CoReH2O (Cold Regions Hydrology High-resolution Observatory)
- FLEX (FLuorescence EXplorer)
- PREMIER (PRocess Exploration through Measurements of Infrared and millimetre-wave Emitted Radiation)
- TRAQ (TRopospheric composition and Air Quality)
BIOMASS, CoReH2O and PREMIER are currently undergoing feasibility study (Phase A).
The following two candidate Opportunity missions have been selected for feasibility study (Phase A/B1):
The next Call for proposals for candidate Earth Explorer missions is planned after the next ESA Ministerial Council.
Operational Satellites
The Division also currently supports the development of three approved GMESGMES
Global Monitoring for Environment and Security is a joint initiative of the European Commission and European Space Agency, which aims at achieving an autonomous and operational Earth observation capacity....
Sentinel Missions as part of the Space Component of the joint EC/ESA Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) initiative
Approved GMES missions
- Sentinel 1Sentinel 1Sentinel 1 is a future space mission from ESA of GMES program.The payload of Sentinel 1 is a Synthetic Aperture Radar in C-band which provides continuous imagery ....
- Sentinel 2Sentinel 2Sentinel 2 is a future space mission from ESA, the second in GMES program.It will provide multispectral earth observation data providing data continuity of Landsat and SPOT-type missions....
- Sentinel 3Sentinel 3Sentinel 3 is a future space mission from ESA, the third in the GMES program.It will provide medium resolution optical and radar altimetry Earth observation data...
- Sentinel 4 (on Meteosat Third Generation-S)
- Sentinel 5 precursor
- Sentinel 5 (on MetOp-Second Generation- Metop-SG)