ESA's Columbus Control Center (Col-CC), located in Oberpfaffenhofen, near Munich, Germany, is preparing to transform into a lunar mission control center.
The European Space Agency, the German Space Agency DLR and the Free State of Bavaria have signed a letter of intent To collaborate on the development of Col-CC's lunar mission control capabilities. This initiative represents a critical step toward supporting space operations targeting a lunar space station, the lunar surface, and beyond.
So far, Col-CC played a central role in managing European Columbus Laboratory operations on the International Space Station (ISS). However, its development will now enable operational support for European contributions to the Gateway lunar space station, paving the way for future human missions to the Moon and Mars.
Known by its nickname “Munich”, Col-CC is one of five control centers in the world responsible for supervising activities on the International Space Station. For two decades, it has been instrumental in European activities on the International Space Station, supporting ESA astronauts and scientific research within the Columbus Module.
Col-CC's work is not limited to operations on the International Space Station only. During the Artemis I mission, it played a critical role in transmitting flight data from the European Service Module (ESM). From the Orion crew vehicle to the ESA operations team in the Netherlands.
As Europe expands its presence in space, the experience accumulated at the Columbus Control Center will be essential to expanding operations from low Earth orbit to destinations beyond our planet, including the Moon and, ultimately, Mars.
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