Vitrociset

EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY – Supply of goods and services

Vitrociset provides engineering counselling services in the fields of robotics, science and telecommunications at the factories of ESTEC (Holland) and ESOC (Germany). It has implemented the design of communication links between the European interplanetary probes (Rosetta, Smart, Mars Express and Venus Express) and the ground-based deep space terminals of the ESA and the NASA, and performed checks on the electromagnetic compatibility of the probe and ground-station transmission systems. On behalf of the European Space Agency, it has modernised the worldwide network of terrestrial terminals by providing engineering, installation, integration and testing services.

In satellite navigation, equally under the aegis and the coordination of the European Space Agency, Vitrociset is now implementing the deployment of the Egnos and Galileo systems infrastructure.
EGNOS, the precursor European system of Galileo, has the function of increasing the precision of the GPS system. The system provides an additional signal to that of the GPSs for the purpose of error correction – which is obtained by integrating results from more than 40 stations. Vitrociset was involved in such tasks as site identification and characterisation, installation and testing operations, the complex support logistics and the final validation of system-wide operation. The group is currently responsible for the deployment of a similar facility for Galileo.

Vitrociset has designed and currently manages logistic support systems for the EGNOS programme and was assigned the design of the Galileo programme.
It further provides worldwide services for the operation and maintenance of control centres and of launch sites: More specifically, Vitrociset was awarded the turnkey management of the space centres of Redu – Belgium (on behalf of the ESA)  and  of the TT&C station of Diane in Kourou (French Guyana).

It currently participates in M&O operations at the ESA Satellite Operations Centre in Darmstadt (ESOC) and at the ground segment of the ESA’s Envisat and ERS satellites in Frascati (ESRIN). For the user segment of European Earth Observation satellites, Vitrociset improved system availability with a 15% decrease of logistic costs annually through the introduction of logistic integrated support.

On behalf of the European Space Agency, Vitrociset participated in the development and maintenance of the satellite network for the dissemination of earth observation products to user and scientific communities in quasi real time (Europe, South America and Africa). The system automatically receives products to be disseminated in accordance with a timeline produced based on received orders. These are forwarded on to the final destination either from the ESRIN site in Frascati or from the site in Kiruna, Sweden, by using a DVB system (based on a standard similar to that used for TV broadcasting).
In the past, the company was responsible for the Trapani Milo launch site for stratospheric balloons (on behalf of the ASI), in which context it defined and implemented launch campaigns.

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