Esoc Faces Competition From Public, Private Sectors

摘要

The European Space Agency's Esoc space operations center here is in the unusual position of having to compete with other government agencies, and occasionally with the private sector, for the business of operating satellites. Esoc Director Gaele Winters said the organization is fully aware that it will not survive in its current form unless it can win business based on quality and price, even when the business is generated by other European Space Agency (ESA) missions. Esoc currently employs about 750 people, including 400 outside contractors, and operates on an annual budget of 220 million euros ($264 million). Its specialty is guiding satellites from their launch into their final orbital positions — a period known as the LEOPs, or launch and early operations phase.