VEGA at EUMETSAT

The European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT) is an inter-governmental organisation that contributes to a global meteorological satellite observing system, co-ordinated with other Space-faring nations. Based in Darmstadt, Germany, EUMETSAT's primary objectives is to be establish, maintain and exploit European systems of operational meteorological satellites, delivering weather and climate-related satellite data, images and products 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

VEGA has been supporting EUMETSAT since it was founded in 1986. Teams of VEGA staff supported EUMETSAT in the design and implementation of its current geostationary satellite based Meteosat Second Generation (MSG) and its polar orbiting system, EUMETSAT Polar System (EPS). We are now supporting operation of both systems. Looking to the future, we are supporting the definition of the follow-on programmes, Meteosat Third Generation (MTG) and Post-EPS.

We provide a wide range of expertise to EUMETSAT, including system engineering, procurement support, operations preparation and routine operations, and verification and validation consulting. Our involvement includes:

Meteosat Transition Programme (MTP)

The Meteosat Transition Programme is a follow-on from the original Meteosat programme using satellites of the same design as in the original Meteosat programme for Meteorological data collection. These Meteosat “first generation” satellites have been operating successfully since 1977, providing almost continuous meteorological images together with other services to the National Meteorological Services of EUMETSAT and ESA Member States. Meteosat products have also been used by operational and research users throughout Europe, Africa, North and South America, the Middle East and even in the Arctic and Antarctic areas.

The transition programme was defined to bridge the gap between the end of the first generation (marked by the expiry of the Meteosat Operational Programme – MOP agreement with ESA on 01/12/1995) and the launch of the first Meteosat Second Generation satellite in August 2002. The transition programme featured the development of a new ground segment for operation of the MOP and MTP spacecraft.

VEGA's technical expertise and domain understanding was essential in ensuring that the procurement of the ground segment and subsequent hand-over of the satellite control to the new ground segment was performed successfully. We provided consultants covering all aspects of the ground segment (the ground segment system definition and interface definition, the analysis and definition of facilities requirements, ground segment verification & validation), as well as ground segment facilities integration, and of course, operations.

The ground segment has now been operational for almost ten years, and we continue to provide operations engineering consulting to this programme for the smooth running of continued ongoing spacecraft operations for data acquisition and processing.

Meteosat Second Generation (MSG) Programme

In 1990, the EUMETSAT Council made the decision to initiate a programme to build a second generation of the Meteosat System. As part of the MSG programme, EUMETSAT developed a new Ground Segment. The development was divided into several facilities, with the development of each facility being awarded to a different industrial contractor. Thus, it can be considered for the MSG ground segment development, that EUMETSAT is “prime” and is responsible for the integration of the various facilities delivered by the contractors into the complete ground segment.

VEGA made the decision to continue to work as the “customer's friend”, and has provided a significant number of consultants to support:

Managing the facility procurements
Systems engineering
Verification and validation
Operations and system preparation activities

The VEGA involvement in facility procurement has been spread over several sites. The scope of this has included the development of the technical requirements for the facilities – the baseline against which the contractor developed a facility, the evaluation of the contractor proposals in meeting the requirements, the tracking of facility development to ensure compliance with requirements and the subsequent verification of the delivered system against the requirements.

VEGA supported the procurement of the MSG system with a mix of system architects, engineers, management consultants, and operations engineers, with an average of 10 or more years of experience in the Space industry. Their tasks range from technical expert on a facility procurement, or ground segment verification and validation engineering, through to system engineering at programme level. Although the facilities have now been delivered, this support continues in ensuring that these facilities work correctly within the frame of the complete ground segment.

Equally important to the success of this programme, is the team of operations engineers. VEGA provided a team of highly experienced consultants to perform the operations preparation activities, including, database population, procedure development, simulator validation, and ground segment and satellite validation. These engineers are now supporting the day-to-day operations and commissioning of the satellite and its payload.

We are supporting all aspects of the MSG operations team at EUMETSAT, including:

System operations
Satellite operations
Imaging operations
Meteorological operations
Ground segment operations
Simulations

VEGA provided a team to EUMETSAT that ensured the success of this programme. The launch of the first satellite occurred end August 2002. We continue to provide support to the commissioning phase, in terms of operations and systems engineering and ground segment verification & validation/maintenance.

During the procurement phase, it was identified that the delay in availability of the satellite simulator could put the programme timeline in jeopardy. Through ESOC, VEGA provided a test tool to simulate the majority of the satellite functions (including a limited behavioural model), which has since become the baseline test tool for satellite operations verification and ground segment integration.

EUMETSAT Polar System (EPS)

The EPS programme is being procured concurrently to MSG. The satellite is being procured through ESA, while the ground segment is being procured as a "turn key" system directly by EUMETSAT.

The procurement process of the ground segment was initiated by EUMETSAT with parallel competitive Phase A and B studies awarded to contractors, to define the scope and operations concepts of the new ground segment – including the facility level requirements and detailed interfaces to this system. VEGA was actively involved in each of these studies, with responsibility for:

Operations concept and operational issues.
Man Machine Interfaces (MMI)
Satellite and ground segment control issues

The output from these studies was used by EUMETSAT to define a set of requirements for the new ground segment. The contract for the entire ground segment procurement has been awarded. VEGA is continuing to work as the “customer's friend” to ensure the success of the ground segment procurement by involvement with Eumetsat in tracking the development of ground segment facilities by the prime and subcontractors and advising EUMETSAT on progress and potential problems. In addition we are providing several experienced engineers as technical experts to Eumetsat in the area of payload data processing. We are also supporting the operations preparation activities.

At the end of 2002, VEGA was awarded all three contracts (in open competition) to provide operations preparations support for the EPS satellite mission and its payloads. The teams of operations consultants cover payload (and interface) procedure preparation, database set-up, and mission planning support. The operations preparation will cover the complete cycle from satellite documentation analysis through to verification and validation of the end procedures.

For further information please visit the EUMETSAT Website.