# SYSTEM EXPLOITATION

# ORGANIZATION

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### ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE

The exploitation of the Spot System is managed by two entities: CNES and Spot Image.

CNES is directly responsible for:

- the in-orbit control of the satellite and the execution of the acquisition plan by the satellite;
- the reception of the images transmitted to the Toulouse station

Spot Image is in charge of preprocessing the image telemetry and making the products.
It is also responsible for the commercial exploitation of Spot data. Set up specifically for this purpose in 1982, the company's main missions are the worldwide promotion, marketing and distribution of Spot imagery.

Spot system - Operations flow chart

### SATELLITE MISSION CONTROL CENTRE

Operated by the CNES, the SPOT satellite mission control
system is responsible for in-orbit control of the SPOT satellites. Its main tasks are the following:
-to maintain the satellites in good working order by exploiting
the housekeeping telemetry;
-to maintain the satellites on the required orbit and within
operational specifications by performing periodical manoeuvres;
-to take all necessary actions regarding the fonctioning
of the satellites by sending telecommands;
-to upload the daily imaging work plan of the satellites
which has been prepared by Spot Image and the Direct Receiving Stations.
The control of the satellites is performed through the CNES tracking, telemetry and command (TT&C) stations network working in 2 GHz (S-band). The main station used for this purpose is located at Issus-Aussagel near Toulouse. 2 GHz stations in Kiruna (Sweden) and Pretoria (South Africa) are also used when needed.

Acquisition of scenes and 'data strips' is controlled by the onboard computer

### SPOT IMAGE PROGRAMMING CENTRE (CPR)

The daily imaging work plan of the satellites are prepared by Spot Image programming centre.

This entity processes the imaging requests from the clients or from the distributors. It performs feasability studies, taking into account possible conflicts and the specific climatic conditions of the aera to be viewed;

on a daily basis, the programming centre generates the imaging work plan of the satellites for the coming 24 hours: this process takes into account the client's imaging requests, those of the Direct Receiving Stations for direct transmission to their antenna, the technical constraints of the satellites (on-board recorder capacity etc...) as well as a 24 hours worlwide cloud coverage forecast provides by the French meteorological office (Meteo France).