GMV has been selected by EUMETSAT as supplier of the Sentinel-3 mission planning system. Sentinel-3 is a mission forming part of the ESA GMES initiative, which aims to develop a series of satellites called Sentinels designed to meet EU’s earth-observation needs. The Sentinel-3 mission in particular comprises two satellites providing operational-oceanography and global earth-observation applications.

The Sentinel-3 mission planning system will be based on the analogous system for the EUMETSAT Polar System (EPS), comprising the operations for the Metop A satellite and support for NOAA N18 operations. This system was also developed by GMV for EUMETSAT and has recently chalked up 5 years of operation with outstanding success in meeting mission objectives. Another mission milestone will come next year with the launch and support of the Metop B satellite. Both systems follow the flexplan philosophy; flexplan is GMV’s inhouse mission planning solution.

With this award GMV has now won 2 of the 3 Sentinel missions (the Sentinel-1 mission planning system was awarded to GMV last year); this fact places GMV in the European elite of mission planning system suppliers for earth observation missions.