As a centre of excellence for mission operations since 1967, ESA’s ‘mission control’ delivers expertise and experience in a unique mix that serves the scientific and engineering goals of ESA, and enables economically vital European programmes like Copernicus and Galileo.
ESOC is home to highly specialised teams who control and navigate spacecraft, manage ESA’s worldwide tracking station network, and build the ground systems that enable satellites to conduct their missions. Spacecraft flown from ESOC are studying our planet and helping us understand climate change through realtime Earth data, and are exploring our Sun and Solar System or peering deep into the mysteries of time and space.
The centre is unique and unparalleled in its ability to control sophisticated probes, and to design, develop and build everything needed on ground to successfully fly satellites in space.
Our world is about systems, communication and exploration; our passion is for humanity’s voyages into the Universe.
Inside the main control room at ESA’s operation centre as the Rosetta spacecraft sends its last signal from Comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko, confirming the end of the spacecraft’s 12.5 year journey in space.