SciSys supports European “Water Satellite”
(Chippenham, United Kingdom, 2nd Nov 2009) . SciSys software team celebrate launch of Europe’s Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity satellite mission
Today the European Space Agency (ESA) successfully launched its Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) mission from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in northern Russia. SMOS is designed to observe soil moisture over the Earth’s land masses and salinity over the oceans and the data acquired from the mission will lead to better weather and extreme-event forecasting, and contribute to seasonal-climate forecasting.
The launch, which took place in the early hours of the morning of the 2nd Nov (UK time) was watched with anticipation at SciSys’ offices in the UK where they have been responsible for the design and implementation of the satellite’s main instrument control and data handling software. They are also responsible for the simulator that will be used to support instrument commissioning.
Commenting on the launch, SciSys Project Manager Mark Hann said “All our space missions are important to us but this one is particularly special since it is our first deployment of instrument software using the C software language and the RTEMS operating system. Combining this with a close working relationship with our customer EADS CASA, we met the challenge on time and to the budget specified at the project start and that is always pleasing”.
The SMOS programme continues a successful involvement of SciSys in all of ESA’s on-going Earth Explorer Core Missions. SciSys is developing software systems for ADM-Aeolus for atmospheric dynamics (2011), and EarthCARE to investigate the Earth’s radiative balance (2013). Two Earth Explorer Opportunity Missions will also include software developed by SciSys. These are Cryosat 2 to measure ice sheet thickness (2010) and Swarm to survey the evolution of the magnetic field (2011).
About SciSys:
The SciSys Group is a leading developer of ICT services, e-Business and advanced technology solutions which operate in a broad spectrum of market sectors including space, utilities, defence, government, communication, business services, media and broadcast and transport. Within these markets, the SciSys group has been involved in significant developments in key technologies that have changed the way people do their jobs. SciSys’ clients are predominantly blue chip and public sector organizations. Customers include the Environment Agency, MOD, Thames Water, Astrium, the European Space Agency, the BBC and Deutschewelle. The group has offices in Chippenham, Bristol and Reading in the UK and in Bochum, Darmstadt and Oberpfaffenhofen in Germany.
In the UK the group conducts its business through SciSys UK Ltd, in Germany through the wholly owned subsidiary VCS AG which was acquired by SciSys in September 2007.
Additional information about SciSys is available at: http://www.scisys.co.uk/
For more information, please contact:
Chris Lee, SciSys Ltd. Tel: +44 (0)1179 165165 Email: Chris.Lee@scisys.co.uk
