A team of teams like never before: rehearsing a unique launch at ESA mission control
ESA is preparing to launch two satellites, FLEX and Sentinel-3C, simultaneously from Kourou, requiring parallel mission teams to coordinate closely during launch and early operations.
On 15 September, ESA will launch two spacecraft—FLEX, a photosynthesis mission, and Sentinel-3C, a Copernicus satellite—aboard the same rocket from Europe’s spaceport in Kourou. At ESA’s European Space Operations Centre (ESOC), two independent teams will operate the satellites in parallel, coordinating closely during launch and early orbit phases. Preparations involve spacecraft operations engineers, flight dynamics specialists, ground operators, software experts, and project teams, all supported by control rooms and ground stations. This marks the first time two separate teams will manage missions flying in closely related orbits simultaneously.
ESA has launched dual missions before, such as Herschel and Planck in 2009, but those were managed by a single combined team. Franco Marchese, ESA’s Flight Operations Director for Sentinel-3C’s launch phase, notes that the current challenge lies in two parallel teams operating independently while coordinating for shared orbital considerations. ESOC is one of the few centres globally capable of handling such a dual-mission launch, where teams must prepare for intersecting operational needs and shared resources.
Each mission team—FLEX and Sentinel-3C—has its own flight control, ground operations, flight dynamics, and project teams, though some support functions are shared. Pablo Asenjo Garcia, Ground Operations Manager for Sentinel-3C, highlights that while teams remain separate, joint activities like shared processes and documentation enhance collaboration. Simulation exercises allow teams to train together, validate procedures, and identify synergies, fostering a unified operational community despite independent mission goals.
Simulation campaigns are critical for preparing teams to respond to both routine and unexpected scenarios, including spacecraft anomalies and ground segment failures. Emilie Brannan, a Simulation Officer, emphasizes the human aspect of simulations, where teams practice communication and decision-making under pressure. Joint exercises focus on dual-mission scenarios, such as simultaneous resource demands or orbital adjustments, ensuring teams can coordinate effectively when real-time challenges arise.