February 9, 2017

Events Archive

2014 Events

02/11/2014: Conference at CNES Toulouse Space Center on the objectives of the IASI-NG mission.

A conference was organized by CNES at its Toulouse space centre in partnership with scientists from the IASI-NG Meninge Mission Advisory group on the use of IASI-NG data for weather forecasting, monitoring of the atmosphere and tracking of climate change.
This event open to CNES staff and industry partners focussed on communicating mission and programme objectives.
The conference was completed by a presentation by Airbus Defence and Space (ex-Astrium) of instrument concept and a visit on the premises of Airbus Defence and Space of the mock-up of the interferometer mechanism developed during phase A.

Persons participating to the conference


31/01/2014: CNES and United Kingdom Space Agency (UKSA) sign bilateral framework cooperation arrangement concerning IASI-NG.

Friday 31 January, CNES and the United Kingdom Space Agency (UKSA) signed a bilateral framework arrangement set to give new momentum to cooperation between France and the United Kingdom in space. The arrangement was signed at the Anglo-French summit between French President François Hollande and UK Prime Minister David Cameron.
The bilateral framework arrangement signed by CNES President Jean-Yves Le Gall's and UKSA Chief Executive David Parker focuses especially on the following points:

    • Identification of areas for cooperation - Earth observation, telecommunications (especially commercial telecoms applications), space weather and space R&T - and future joint missions
    • An initial list of operational projects, mainly the SWOT and IASI-NG Earth-observation missions

    2013 Events

    12/2013: Signature by CNES, SSO and ESA of an implementation plan for Switzerland's contribution to the development of the IASI-NG Programme.

    CNES President Jean-Yves Le Gall met Daniel Neuenschwander, Head of the Swiss Space Office (SSO) and Jean Jacques Dordain, Director General of the European Space Agency (ESA), to step up cooperation in Earth observation on 18 December.
    The meeting gave the opportunity to strengthen the already constructive partnership ties between the two nations, through the signature by CNES, SSO and the ESA of an implementation plan for Switzerland's contribution to development of the IASI-NG instrument. IASI-NG will collect atmospheric measurements to improve weather forecasting and monitor gas concentrations and their impact on the environment and climate.



    11/2013: Start of Instrument Phase B activities.

    Instrument Phase B activities started with the Kick-Off meeting held at Astrium's facilities in Toulouse on 14 November.
    This meeting served to present the teams from Astrium and CNES and to set out the organization of technical exchanges and the coming meetings and key points. Phase B will last approximately one year and should be concluded by end 2014 by the Preliminary Design Review of the instrument.
    The meeting took place in a very positive spirit in the presence of representatives of Eumetsat and the European Space Agency. IASI-NG is an atmospheric sounder in the infrared intended tofly on the MetOp-SG weather satellites, developed under the responsibility of the ESA for the Eumetsat Polar System Second Generation.

    Pahse B kick-off meeting


    10/2013: CNES President Jean-Yves Le Gall meets Alain Ratier, Director-General of EUMETSAT on 22 October.

    The meeting provided the perfect opportunity to review past successes and outline future cooperation between the two agencies. This cooperation is especially noteworthy in infrared sounding and altimetry instruments, as shown by the recent signature of the contract to develop the new-generation infrared atmospheric sounding instrument (IASI-NG) for the three MetOp-SG satellites of the EUMETSAT Polar System Second Generation (EPS-SG).


    10/2013: CNES and Astrium sign IASI-NG contract in the presence of Geneviève Fioraso, Minister for Higher Education and Research.

    Friday 18 October, CNES and Astrium signed the contract to develop the IASI New Generation atmospheric sounder (IASI-NG) and build three flight models. These three IASI-NG flight models will be developed and built under a partnership agreement between CNES and EUMETSAT who are co-funding this project worth more than €230 million. Delivery of the instruments is scheduled for 2018, 2019 and 2020, with first launch no earlier than 2021.
    IASI-NG is an infrared atmospheric sounding instrument designed to fly on the three MetOp-SG satellites of EUMETSAT's Polar System Second Generation (EPS-SG) being developed under by integrated European Space Agency (ESA) and EUMETSAT team.

    Cnes - Astrium contract signature


    06/2012-04/2013: Selection of the IASI-NG instrument Prime.

    CNES issued the Invitation to Tender for development of the  IASI-NG instrument mid-2012. After a phase of evaluation and negotiation, the process was concluded in April 2013 by the selection by CNES of Astrium to develop the IASI New Generation atmospheric sounder (IASI-NG) and build the flight models with associated data processing.

    2012 Events

    End 2012: ESA Ministrerial Conference with impact on the decision about MetOp-SG and instruments to be developed by ESA.


    03/2012-04/2012: IASI-NG instrument end of Phase A Review and MetOp-SG satellite end of Phase A Review.

    2011 Events

    End 2011: CNES gives notice to Eumetsat to supply 3 IASI-NG Flight Models.

    2009 Events

    End 2009: IASI-NG Phase A Kick-off.