ESA Convention []
(p.40) The compromise finally reached towards the end of 1974 pertained only to ground stations for satellites in geostationary orbit. The way in which it carved up the pie was indicative of the ongoing determination of Member States to protect their national activities when technological leadership was concerned no matter how much they might sing the praises of rationalisation. We reproduce the resolution in extenso:
- The processing of telemetry data and control of operations for all ESRO satellites would normally be effected by the ESOC facilities at Darmstadt;
- The Odenwald ground station would be used for acquiring S-band data from the scientific satellite GEOS and for the links with Meteosat (with the exception of the back-up VHF links);
- The ground station at Villafranca del Castillo near Madrid would be used for the acquisition of the data, and the control of the experiments on the scientific IUE satellite, as well as for telemetry reception and transmission of the commands needed for controlling the Marots and Aerosat satellites (excepting the back-up VHF links);
- The control and test station of the OTS telecommunications satellite would be located at the Telespazio facilities at Fucino. It would be moved to Redu if satisfactory contractual arrangements with the firm could not be reached;
- Redu would continue to be responsible for VHF links in the European area. It would also provide the main support for COS-B operations, be the primary station for the telecommand of the GEOS satellite, and support the VHF operations for GEOS, Meteosat, OTS Marots and Aerosat.