Commission staff working document -Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES): Progress Report on the GMES Space Component Accompanying document to the Communication from the Commission to th eEuropean Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the RegionsGlobal Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES): Challenges and Next Steps for the Space Component {COM(2009) 589 final} {SEC(2009) 1440} {SEC(2009) 1441}
Date: 2009-10-28
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU programme, access to information, environmental monitoring, fact-finding mission, financing, impact study, information processing, international cooperation, public safety, satellite communications, space research

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COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 

Brussels, 28.10.2009 
SEC(2009) 1439 

COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT 

Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES): 
Progress Report on the GMES Space Component 

Accompanying document to the 

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN 
PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL 
COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS 

Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES):  
Challenges and Next Steps for the Space Component 

{COM(2009) 589 final} 
{SEC(2009) 1440} 
{SEC(2009) 1441} 

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COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT 

Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES): 
Progress Report on the GMES Space Component 

1. 

INTRODUCTION 

As a European Space Policy flagship, GMES intends to establish and maintain an operational 
space Earth observation programme which will foster the links with in situ infrastructure and 
favour  the  emergence  of  services  for  a  range  of  domains  starting  with  land  monitoring, 
emergency  response,  atmospheric  composition  monitoring,  operational  oceanography  and 
followed by security and climate monitoring. 

To  date,  significant  resources  have  been  allocated  both  through  ESA  and  the  EU  budget 
through the 7th Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development (2007-
2013)  to  develop  GMES.  Current  combined  investments,  implemented  through  the  ESA 
1 (72%) by the 
GMES Space Component Programme, amount to 624 M€ (28%) and 1621 M€
EU  budget  and  ESA  Participating  States  contributions  respectively.  This  investment  will 
ensure the development of the Sentinels and will also ensure data access schemes to a number 
of relevant public or private missions.  
The  2008  GMES  Communication2  has  set  the  scene  for  the  architecture,  governance  and 
financing  aspects  of  GMES  including  its  Space  Component.  In  its  conclusions,  the  EU 
Competitiveness  Council  reaffirmed  the  need  for  the  estimating  costs  and  defining  a 
sustainable funding and governance approach.  

In parallel, at the ESA Council at Ministerial level in November 2008, Member States have 
demonstrated their active support for the further development of GMES and in particular its 
Space Component. 
In  2009,  the  Commission  adopted  a  proposal  for  a  GMES  Regulation3  and  the  6th  Space 
Council4 reaffirmed the need for the EU to establish a budget strategy within the framework 
of the next EU Multiannual Financial Framework.  

This  report  follows  those  institutional  milestones  and  provides  additional  technical, 
programmatic and financial elements for the GMES Space Component. 

2. 

THE USE OF EARTH OBSERVATION 

Space-based  Earth  observation  systems  have  a  unique  potential  to  provide  a  wealth  of 
information about a wide range of physical parameters over continental surfaces, oceans and 
the  Earth's  atmosphere.  Such  information  is  highly  relevant  to  environmental,  climate  and 
security monitoring and is increasingly required to be delivered with a short re-visit time and 
uniform spatial distribution world-wide. 

Observing  from  space  is  the  only  realistic  means  for  gathering  frequent  information  about 
remote  locations,  including  under  adverse  meteorological  conditions,  thus  guaranteeing 
timeliness of information. In addition, as the same sensors and methodology are used at global 

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4 

Figures are shown in 2008 economic conditions. 
COM(2008)748 of 12.11.2008 
COM(2009)223 of 20.05.2009 
6th Space Council orientations of 29.05.2009 

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scale, comparisons can be made between different countries or regions anywhere in the world. 
thus 
Moreover,  spaceborne  observations  provide 
complementing ground truth data which are acquired on a sample basis (in-situ observations). 

large  coverage  or  global  views 

Today, Earth observation data are primarily used by the public sector. Examples include: civil 
protection  authorities  and  their  networks  (e.g.  forest  fires,  floods);  international  emergency 
operators,  security  and  defence  actors,  agriculture  ministries  (e.g.  agri-environmental 
measures,  checks);  environment  ministries  (e.g.  water,  soil,  forests,  air  quality,  pollution, 
ozone  hole,  UV  monitoring);  urban  planning;  cartography  and  cadastre  agencies;  transport 
ministries  (e.g.  vessel  monitoring,  oil  spill  monitoring,  ship  routing,  sea-ice  monitoring); 
meteorological services (e.g. for weather forecasts and protection of life and properties) and 
oceanographic 
colour/chlorophyll 
concentration, sea level height). 

temperature,  ocean 

sea-surface 

institutes 

(e.g. 

While  it  is  important  to  ensure  sustainable  observing  systems  for  these  needs  and  looking 
ahead towards the future, we cannot ignore the pressing need for readily available information 
anytime,  anywhere.  Spaceborne  Earth  observation  is,  in  turn,  close  to  meeting  its  most 
promising application thanks to the advent of mass geo-coded portals enabling any user with 
Internet access to view the whole globe. Further developments are bound to have an impact 
on the use of Earth observation. 

Technical and programmatic options should, therefore, be examined with a view to increasing 
the  frequency  of  observations  worldwide.  Coupled  with  a  full  and  open  access  data  policy, 
such an approach is expected to bring Earth observation closer to the downstream sector and 
open a new era for the development of mass market Earth observation applications. 

3. 

STATE-OF-PLAY 

Beyond  scientific  missions,  European  operational  systems  for  spaceborne  Earth  observation 
have  seen  some  rapid  progress  in  the  last  decades.  On  the  one  hand,  an  intergovernmental 
process  for  operational  meteorology  is  in  place  through  EUMETSAT,  leading  to  long-term 
programmatic  and  financial  commitments  on  satellite  series.  On  the  other  hand,  some 
Member States have established imaging capacities targeting their defence and security needs. 
Between  those  two  strands  and  following  a  gap  analysis,  the  GMES  Space  Component  is 
being  developed.  It  comprises  six  Sentinel  missions  respectively  targeting  different 
observations.  Each  Sentinel  mission  will  be  implemented  through  a  short  series  of  identical 
satellites  -  typically  four  -  covering  a  period  of  15-20  years  of  continuous  observations. 
Thereafter, new generations of satellites will be developed. 

The Sentinel missions can be grouped in two major categories: 

•  Systematic observations of wide areas. 

This category includes systems that monitor biogeophysical parameters over wide areas, often 
globally,  on  a  routine  and  sustained  basis,  mainly  addressing  requirements  for  atmospheric 
composition  monitoring,  oceanography  including  altimetry,  global  land  monitoring,  and 
climate monitoring. Sentinels 3, 4, 5 and Jason-CS fall into this category. 

•  Imaging of targeted areas. 

This category includes high to very-high resolution radar and multispectral imaging missions 
often  based  on  satellite  tasking  mainly  addressing  requirements  for  land  monitoring, 
emergency response and security. Sentinels 1 and 2 fall into this category. 

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4. 

4.1. 

OBSERVATION CONTINUITY FOR GMES SERVICES BEYOND 2011 

Systematic  Observations  for  Operational  Oceanography  and  Atmospheric 
Monitoring  

For  this  category,  there  is  a  need  to  reinforce  emerging  user  communities  starting  with 
atmospheric composition monitoring and operational oceanography, so that they can engage 
into preparing shared infrastructure. Moreover, there is a need to gradually reinforce synergies 
between  the  requirements  of  these  emerging  user  communities  with  those  of  operational 
meteorology. 

Member  States  have  already  expressed  their  interest  in  exploring  synergies  between 
operational  meteorology,  oceanography  and  atmospheric  composition  monitoring.  For  the 
future,  it  seems  appropriate  to  gradually  build  stronger  links  with  the  space  segment  of 
operational  meteorology.  In  the  short  term,  some  instruments  (Sentinels  4  and  5)  for 
atmospheric composition will be hosted on board meteorological satellites of EUMETSAT. It 
is expected that systematic coordination will be implemented for future missions. 

The  GMES  oceanographic  and  atmospheric  services  are  designed  to  exploit  the  data  flow 
provided  by  Sentinels  3,  4  and  5,  to  be  complemented  by  data  from  EUMETSAT 
meteorological  missions.  Until  the  Sentinels  are  launched,  pre-operational  services  will  rely 
on data from ESA science missions (e.g. Envisat). 

The  EU  will  rely  on  EUMETSAT  to  operate  Sentinels  3 (marine part),  4 and 5  missions in 
order  to  ensure  the  necessary  flow  of  data  in  the  GMES  oceanographic  and  atmospheric 
services. 

In  the  current  scheme,  space  observation  requirements  for  operational  oceanography  and 
atmospheric composition monitoring have been identified through an ad hoc user consultation 
process. 

The EU needs to establish a formal process for consolidating space observation requirements 
and validating the response offered by the space infrastructure. Such a process already exists 
for operational meteorology.  

The EU and ESA will hold a dialogue with EUMETSAT and its Member States in order to 
examine  the  institutional  mechanisms  for  relying  on  EUMETSAT  to  implement  a  similar 
process,  for  and  behalf  of  the  EU,  for  GMES  oceanographic  and  atmospheric  monitoring 
space observations. Dedicated bodies could be created within the framework of EUMETSAT, 
bringing  together  national  representatives  of  the  relevant  user  communities.  These  bodies 
could  be  mandated 
to  perform  all  necessary  preparatory  analysis  and  provide 
recommendations for decisions by the GMES governance bodies managed by the EU. 

High-precision altimetry can be a first building block in that respect. Indeed, it is important to 
ensure the involvement of a user community mandated to represent national authorities in the 
field of operational oceanography while analysing options for international cooperation5. 
In parallel, as mentioned in the 2008 Commission Communication6, similar options should be 
explored  for  the  coordination  of  GMES  oceanographic  and  atmospheric  composition 
monitoring services, for and on behalf of the EU, by the European Centre for Medium-range 
Weather Forecasting (ECMWF). In this highly specialised scientific and technical field there 

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To  date  high  precision  altimetry  observations  have  been  guaranteed  through  a  co-operation  scheme 
between France, NASA and more recently EUMETSAT and NOAA. 
COM(2008)745 of 12.11.2008 

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are  no  other  organisations  which  can  perform  these  tasks.  In  order  to  accompany  the  user 
uptake  it  is  important  to  consolidate  the  emerging  European  capacity  initiated  under  FP7. 
Service continuity towards the user community should be ensured following the expiry of the 
FP7  collaborative  projects  currently  in  place.  Such  an  approach  is  expected  to  establish  a 
long-term institutional scheme for GMES service operators in these thematic areas. 

Building on their successful cooperation model in the field of operational meteorology, it is 
proposed  that  ESA  and  EUMETSAT  should  interact  as  follows  for  the  definition  and 
implementation of future infrastructure related to oceanography and atmospheric composition 
monitoring, for and on behalf of the EU: 

•  EUMETSAT should consolidate GMES user requirements for space observations, exploit 

space infrastructure and interface with the relevant user communities. 

•  ESA  should  manage  the  development  of  infrastructure  corresponding  to  consolidated 

needs. 

4.2. 

Observations for Land Monitoring, Emergency Response and Security 

For imaging systems, spaceborne Earth observation is not yet a sustained information source 
for operational use that can stimulate the uptake by the downstream sector mainly due to lack 
of structured user communities ready to engage into funding of shared infrastructure; the need 
to  improve  synergies  between  civil  and  defence  space  programmes;  lack  of  frequent 
observations; and complex and costly access conditions. 

With  respect  to  satellite  imaging  systems,  GMES  only  addresses  systems  of  civil  use 
including civil aspects of dual-use systems. Defence imaging systems are not within the scope 
of the foreseeable development of GMES. 
The EU will rely on ESA, ad interim, for the operations of part of the Sentinel infrastructure7. 
Options for the identification of another entity will depend on the future approach for high to 
very-high  resolution  imagery  and  may  include:  extending  the  mandate  of  existing  public 
European  organisations;  using  national  public  and  private  capacities;  or  establishing  a  new 
European entity. 

The  EU  needs  to  establish  an  adequate  process  for  consolidating  space  observation 
requirements  in  these  domains.  However,  in  the  absence  of  a  European  organisation 
equivalent to EUMETSAT, options should be explored for the user consultation process and 
its associated bodies involving national representatives. 

With  a  view  to  preparing  a  robust  European  capacity  for  land  monitoring  and  emergency 
response and security based on high-and very-high resolution imagery as a means to improve 
the  offer  and  stimulate  the  demand  for  such  data,  the  EU,  with  the  support  of  ESA,  should 
develop  with  Member  States  a  joint  approach  on  how  to  combine  national  and  European 
capacities.  Options  should  be  examined  in  that  respect.  The  long-term  approach  for 
infrastructure  in  support  of  land  monitoring,  emergency  response  and  security  services  will 
depend on the outcome of the consensus reached with national infrastructure owners for high 
to very-high resolution missions. The Commission and ESA will hold dialogues with Member 
States owning infrastructure, in order to achieve a shared understanding about the future terms 
of cooperation. 

As commercial data providers in Europe are important partners in satisfying the data needs of 
GMES Services, there will be parallel discussions with these providers to have an exchange 

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Currently, these are Sentinels 1, 2 and the land part of Sentinel 3. 

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on  the  advance  planning  for  the  development  of  Earth  Observation  missions  and  data 
provision. 

5. 

PROGRAMMATIC AND FINANCIAL ASPECTS 

The  GMES  Space  Component  comprises  6  series  of  Earth  observation  Sentinel  missions. 
Some 12 missions split into six constellations are currently under development. 
The  Sentinel  series  comprise  constellations  of  several  units8.  This  is  the  answer  to  the  user 
requirements  for  the  implementation  of  GMES  services,  which  expressed  the  need  for 
observation  continuity  and  seamless  access  to  data,  redundancy  in  the  context  of  an 
operational system and increased frequency of observations. 

In  addition  the  GMES  Space  Component  programme  relies  on  some  40  missions  owned  by 
Member  States,  ESA,  EUMETSAT  and  other  third  parties  to  meet  the  needs  for  GMES 
services.  These  missions  are  listed  in  the  ESA  GMES  Space  Component  Programme 
Declaration  and  they  are  referred  to  as  contributing  missions.  Data  access  schemes  are  in 
place to assure the availability of their data for GMES services. 

The  GMES  Space  Component  is  currently  at  its  development  phase.  Current  combined 
investments,  implemented  through  the  7th  Framework  Programme  for  Research  and 
Technological Development (2007-2013) and the ESA GMES Space Component Programme, 
9  (72%)  from  the  EU  budget  and  ESA  Participating 
amount  to  624  M€  (28%)  and  1621  M€
States contributions respectively. 
The Council has taken note of the ESA Long-term Scenario10 document as the basis for the 
estimations of the GMES Space Component evolution and costs. According to this analysis, 
the  financial  effort  would  represent  in  total  some  €4  billion 
for  the  period  2014-2020 
including  estimated  annual  costs  of  €430  m illion  for  the  operational  activities  and  €170 
million for R&D. 

The costs of the operational programme include for each of the six Sentinel series, the space 
segment, ground segment, launchers and operations costs. A data access provision is made to 
ensure access to GMES contributing missions. For all elements, an R&D effort is estimated to 
prepare  for  system  evolution  to  develop  new  Sentinel  missions  and  the  new  generation  of 
satellites for agreed Sentinel series. 

The cost breakdown for these elements is presented in the table below. 

GMES Space Component 

2014-2020 (M€) 

Annual costs 
2014-2020 (M€) 

Space Segment (including 
launchers) 

Ground Segment and 
Operations 

Data access 

1420 

1130 

450 

8 

9 
10 

Known  as  the  A  and  B  units  flying  simultaneously,  whose  operations  will  cover  the  2013-2020 
timeframe, followed by the C and D units as foreseen in the ESA Long-term Scenario (ESA/C(2009)36) 
Figures are shown in 2008 economic conditions. 
ESA/C(2009)36 

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Total - operational 
programme

3000 

Total - R&D 1230 

TOTAL 4230 

430 

170 

600 

Table 1. GMES Space Component Cost Breakdown (c.e.c) 

As a comparison, it should be noted that space infrastructure investments made by Member 
States for operational meteorology through EUMETSAT and ESA are in the order of 400M€ 
annually. 

A  number  of  short-term  programmatic  and  financial  aspects  need  to  be  addressed  by  2011 
including: 

•  the operations for the Sentinel 1, 2 and 3 A units due for launch in the 2012-2013 period; 

•  the  launch  and  operations  of  the  Sentinel  1,  2  and  3  B  units  which  could  be  ready  for 

launch in the 2014-2015 period; 

•  the development of the Sentinel 5 and Jason-CS missions; and 

•  the procurement of the recurrent C units for Sentinels 1, 2 and 3. 

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