Serco awarded ESA contract to lead on DESP implementation
Above:
Digital twin of the earth from both sides.
Courtesy Serco
The DestinE initiative aims to create a digital model of the Earth that will be used to monitor the effects of natural and human activity on our planet, anticipate extreme events and adapt policies to climate-related challenges.
Serco will lead the consortium in charge of implementing the DestinE Core Service Platform (DESP): an open, flexible, and secure cloud-based computing system that will provide evidence-based decision-making tools, applications and services.
Along with its partners – Thales Alenia Space, CGI, Deimos, Exprivia, MEEO and Alia Space - Serco will setup and operate a digital platform enabling the development and exploitation of applications and services leveraging DestinE data. The data will mainly come from Copernicus satellite data and other sources provided by ESA, EUMETSAT and the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF).
The cloud infrastructure will rely on a strong partnership with OVHcloud, leader of European cloud services, offering scalable and secure solutions, while ensuring data sovereignty, European data privacy and security.
Guido Vingione, Business Development Director for space in Europe, said: "We are delighted to have been selected by ESA to develop and operate the Core Service Platform for the Destination Earth initiative. This new contract is a major milestone for Serco in Europe and only reinforce our company's commitment to support the exploitation of the DestinE programme, delivering the highest standards of service and innovation. We look forward to working with ESA to make DESP a success”.
Serco has over 40 years’ experience in supporting the space sector and has supported more than 50 customers’ space missions.
