[10-01-07 – Satellite Today] The  European Space Agency approved the transition to Phase 2 of the Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES), ESA announced Sept. 28.

The approval of 500 million euros ($707 million) for the project will allow ESA, which is responsible for the management and coordination of the GMES space component, to make progress on development of the first three spacecraft in the Sentinel satellite series as well as the necessary ground segment, ESA said.

In June, Thales Alenia Space received a contract worth 229 million euros ($323.9 million) to manufacture the first of the GMES spacecraft.

The launch of the Sentinal spacecraft is scheduled for 2011 and 2012.