PRESS RELEASE Date Released:
Monday, December 14, 2009
Source: GMV Space Systems
GMV Develops Mission Control for Continued Search for Earthlike Planets
COROT Space Mission Extended Through 2012 After Discovering Seven Planets
Rockville, Md - GMV (www.gmv.com), a leading independent supplier of satellite ground systems headquartered in Spain with offices in Rockville, Md., will continue to provide mission control of Convection Rotation and planetary Transits (COROT), a space mission extended through 2012. Led by the French Space Agency (CNES), European Space Agency (ESA), and other international sponsors, COROT's main purpose is to scout for rocky exoplanets located outside our solar system, especially those of similar size to earth that orbit nearby stars.
GMV is responsible for the design, development and maintenance of the COROT Mission Control (CMC), which prepares and plans scientific activities and also receives and processes the scientific data generated on the mission.
"GMV is proud to represent Spain's contribution to this important mission," said Theresa Beech, GMV Managing Director and Vice President. "We continue to work on upgrades for the new CMC versions to meet ongoing mission needs."
The COROT satellite was launched on December 27, 2006 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan and the mission has been extended to 2012. Since the launch, the mission has discovered seven rocky planets, including some bigger than the earth.
COROT is compromised of a 27-cm diameter telescope and four CCD detectors. The probe studies the brightness of stars, looking for the slight dimming that occurs every time an orbiting planet travels in front of its star. COROT also studies stellar seismology, detecting luminosity variations caused by tremors in the stars' surfaces. This technique allows it to calculate a star's precise mass, age and chemical composition, helping to make comparisons with the sun thanks to the data collected by the SOHO (Solar and Heliospheric Observatory) mission.
About GMV:
GMV is one of the leading suppliers of satellite ground systems in the world, and is the global leader in satellite flight dynamics for all types of satellite missions (LEO, MEO, GEO, HEEO and interplanetary). GMV has been providing satellite ground systems to satellite manufacturers, commercial operators, integrators, and Space Institutions around the world for over 24 years. There are currently more than 125 satellites being operated from six continents and 25 countries with GMV's operational software. GMV's U.S. headquarters are in Rockville, Md. and its European headquarters are in Madrid, Spain. More information about GMV and its products can be found at www.gmv.com.
