Ground Segment

Over the past two years, a number of significant difficulties have been encountered in the development of the Science Operations Centre (SOC), including underestimates of the necessary work, (in large part due to the complexity of the instrument operations), co-ordination difficulties between ESA and the PI teams; and management and project control problems. During 1993, a series of detailed reviews were carried out and the problems are now on the way to being solved.

The solutions adopted include: setting up teams dedicated to each instrument, with each team consisting of both PI- and ESA-supplied manpower and being in existence from now to the end of in- orbit operations; simplifications in operating procedures; establishment of detailed work plans covering ESA and PI work and strengthening both the management and project/schedule control. The top-level plan of action was agreed between ESA and the PI teams at the end of January 1994 and was approved, with a substantial funding increase, by the Science Programme Committee last February.

Activities relating to spacecraft control, i.e. development of the Spacecraft Control Centre, are proceeding well and on schedule without significant problems.