The European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT) will hold an information day for European industry on the procurement process for a key data access element of the EU’s Copernicus environment monitoring program at their Darmstadt headquarters on June 1st.

Artistic rendition of the Sentinel-3 satellite, part of the Copernicus initiative, on orbit.

The European Commission has agreed that EUMETSAT, together with the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring (CAMS) and Climate Change Monitoring (C3S) Services operated by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) and with the Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service (CMEMS), operated by Mercator Océan, should develop one instance of the Copernicus Data and Information Access Services (DIAS) platforms. The platform would be one of the functional elements of the Copernicus Integrated Ground Segment, funded by the EU.

The EU has entrusted EUMETSAT to exploit four of the Sentinel satellite missions that are part of the Copernicus space component dedicated to monitoring the atmosphere, oceans and climate. The Copernicus program provides free, full and open access to environmental data and DIAS will be central to these efforts.

EUMETSAT Copernicus Program and Service Manager Dany Provost stated that the aim of the information day is to provide information to European industry about how EUMETSAT, the ECMWF and Mercator Océan will procure their DIAS and to explain its development and its implementation logic.  Presented will be the planned approach to procurements, including the tentative schedule for the release of invitations to tender after their approval by the EC. There will also be ample time for questions and feedback. This feedback will used to optimise the procurement approach in order for the best use of European industrial capabilities.