GMV passed the factory acceptance test (FAT) of version 3 of Sentinel-1’s mission planning facility (MPF) under a contract awarded to GMV back in 2011. After successfully passing this important test, GMV has now started on the development phase of the MPF version to be used by ESA for supporting the launch of S1A, the first of the two Sentinel-1 satellites. S1A is scheduled for launch in October 2013.

The Sentinel program, which forms part of the Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) program, is made up by five families of satellites: Sentinel-1, designed to guarantee the continuity of the radar data of the ERS and Envisat satellites; Sentinel-2 and Sentinel-3 dedicated to sea and land-surface monitoring; Sentinel 4 and 5 dedicated to meteorology and climatology missions based on atmospheric monitoring.

As well as Sentinel 1’s MPF, GMV is also responsible for the mission planning system of Sentinel 3. This leverages GMV’s outstanding position as mission-planning-system supplier for Europe’s earth observation missions.