Collecte Localisation Satellites SA (CLS)
CLS, established in 1986, is a subsidiary of the French Space Agency (CNES) and the French Research Institute for Exploration of the Sea (IFREMER), for operating satellite based systems, either for data collection, location or earth observations (cf. Argos, Doris, satellite altimetry, SAR). Through its Satellite Oceanography and Radar Division (over 70 oceanographers and remote sensing specialists), CLS is active in the field of operational oceanography and in particular the development of the Copernicus Marine Core Service.
On behalf of EUMETSAT, CNES and ESA, CLS is responsible for the operations, validation and quality control (routine and scientific long term) of satellite altimetry products; CLS is responsible of the Sea Level TAC of MyOcean. CLS has been involved in the Sentinel-3 mission for several years now. In particular, CLS has contributed to the identification of requirements and assumptions for Surface Topography Payload Data Ground and Service Segments, in the frame of the Sentinel-3 phase A definition study. CLS is also a member of the core team led by Thales Alenia Space – France, awarded by ESA for Sentinel-3 B2/C/D/E1 program. In this project, CLS is responsible for the definition, development and procurement of the end-to-end Surface Topography Mission (STM) Simulators for the two Sentinel-3 satellites (S3-A and S3-B). CLS led a consortium to define and develop the L2 prototype processor (for SRAL and MWR) in the frame of an ESRIN/CNES contract. CLS is one partner of the MyOcean FP7 project (implementing the Copernicus Marine Service), in charge of the Sea level Thematic Assembly Center, the Central Engineering and the Central Information systems.
Contact person:
P. Thibaut
Link: http://www.cls.fr/