[Satellite Today 01-30-09] An amendment to the GMES (Global Monitoring Environment and Security) agreement authorizes the completion of the five initial satellites for the program, the European Space Agency (ESA) announced Jan. 29.
    The amendment to Segment 2 of the GMES Space Component Program, paves the way to ordering the second units of the Sentinel 1, 2, 3 satellites as well as the atmospheric chemistry missions Sentinel-4 and -5 precursor. Segment 2, which will span 2009 through 2018, was approved by the ESA member states during a November Ministerial Council meeting. The amendment adds 205 million euros ($269.8 million) to segment 2 of the program, bringing the total commitment of ESA participating states to 831.4 million euros.
    The GMES program as one Europe’s major space programs and has been established to fulfill the growing need amongst European policy-makers to access accurate and timely information services to better manage the environment, understand and mitigate the effects of climate change and ensure civil security.