European Space Operations Centre

European Space Operations Centre

ESOC Main Control Room in Darmstadt
Abbreviation	ESOC
Formation	8 September 1967
Type	IGO
Purpose	Spacecraft ground control
Headquarters	Paris, France
Location	Darmstadt, Germany
Coordinates	49°52′16″N 8°37′22″E / 49.87111°N 8.62278°E / 49.87111; 8.62278
Head of Establishment	Rolf Densing
Parent organization	European Space Agency
Staff	>800
Website	www.esa.int/esoc
Remarks	ESOC is one of nine establishments operated by ESA[1]

The European Space Operations Centre (ESOC) serves as the main mission control centre for the European Space Agency (ESA) and is located in Darmstadt, Germany. ESOC's primary function is the operation of uncrewed spacecraft on behalf of ESA and the launch and early orbit phases (LEOP) of ESA and third-party missions.^[2] The Centre is also responsible for a range of operations-related activities within ESA and in cooperation with ESA's industry and international partners, including ground systems engineering, software development, flight dynamics and navigation, development of mission control tools and techniques and space debris studies.^[3]

ESOC's current major activities comprise operating planetary and solar missions, such as Mars Express and the Trace Gas Orbiter, astronomy & fundamental physics missions, such as Gaia and XMM Newton, and Earth observation missions such as CryoSat2 and Swarm.

ESOC is responsible for developing, operating and maintaining ESA's ESTRACK network of ground stations. Teams at the Centre are also involved in research and development related to advanced mission control concepts and Space Situational Awareness, and standardisation activities related to frequency management; mission operations; tracking, telemetry and telecommanding; and space debris.^[4]