The objective of TerraSAR-X is the setup of an operational space borne X-Band SAR system in order to produce remote sensing products for commercial and scientific use. The TerraSAR-X project is conducted under the aegis of the DLR Space Flight Management and comprises a space and a ground segment.

TerraSAR-X is a high-resolution radar-satellite of a new generation to be launched in 2006. It will be Germanys first earth observation space project based on a public-private partnership with financial contribution from industry. Beside scientific utilization the project will open a large potential for the commercial exploitation of remote sensing data. These facts and the highly integrated ground-segment with significant contributions from three DLR institutes constitute the unique characteristic of this novel project. The Mission Operations System (MOS) itself serves and operates the direct interface to the satellite not only during the mission lifetime but already in its AIT-phase by means of a compact but comprehensive Monitoring and Control System, invoking a number of new core-elements, tools, processes and concepts not only in the technical but also operational and management fields-see ref. [1]. Furthermore one of the major tasks within the MOS is the development, validation and operation of the Mission Planning System (MPS) which is designed to screen and evaluate, to plan, optimize and finally to realize a magnitude of data-take requests by making optimum use of resources while satisfying the scientific and commercial user community-all this on a timescale aiming to set new benchmarks. Up-and downlinkencryption and on-ground key management, stringent manoeuvre requirements to keep the spacecraft on its nominal reference-orbit during the entire lifetime and the necessity to employ a new Monitoring-and Control system (MCS) for this demanding mission complete the project specific challenges. In parallel to these demands posed by the mission and system requirements a large number of technical and operational interfaces with the Instrument Operations and Calibration Segment (IOCS-responsible for radar instrument operation and calibration) and with the Payload Ground Segment (PGS-responsible for payload data reception, processing, archiving and distribution) leaves the MOS in complex interaction within the ground-segment, which itself interfaces with the commercial marketing company and its customers. On the background of all this, the paper will address benefits and synergies but also challenges and sensitive areas from the MOS point of view, attempting special analysis on and trying to convey lessons-learned and provide an outlook for follow-on missions.

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Initially the paper compares the standard approach for preparation and conduct of satellite mission operations with the innovative concept successfully employed at the German Space Operations Center (GSOC) during the last four years -the Integrated Concept (IC). The main pitfalls and characteristics of the conventional approach are highlighted, followed by identification of its significant differences to the IC and also a brief description of the present missions successfully operated by GSOC or under preparation -all based on the novel concept.The main section of the paper is divided into two major parts, dealing with the characteristics of the IC and its widespread benefits on different levels and areas in both preparation and conduct of satellite missions operations.The first part identifies the applications of the IC within the MOS (Mission Operation System) from an internal point of view. Here the IC facilitates qualification and validation of "heritage-elements" as well as the MOS integration-, test-and validation process. The pooling of resources and even schedule inbetween different missions is outlined and exemplified, including crucial tasks like interoperability and cross-support -important key elements within the multi-mission environment at GSOC.Interestingly enough, even the implementation of new core systems or major interfaces into the multimission MOS does profit from the integrated approach.Part two addresses the beneficial synergies created by the IC when applied to "external" partnerships and co-operations with customer, scientific or commercial user, payload provider and most important with the spacecraft manufacturer. The often urged and highly recommended controller involvement in satellite-design and -AIT (assembly, integration and test) may result in a variety of common tests, processes, procedures, documents, databases, products and even milestones if actively and consequently pursued. A key element in this context was the procurement, delivery and operation of the so-called "Central Checkout System" (CCS) to the S/C-manufacturer by GSOC -the significance of which will be presented in the paper. Successful execution of joint system tests and simulation and training campaigns as well as common development and validation of flight procedures and display formats for telemetry data are only a few examples in this context. In the training-and simulation phase -project phase D3 -and of course during the Launch and Early Orbit Phase (LEOP) and commissioning of the mission this concept inevitably culminated in the constitution of an integrated operations-team which consisted of technical and management experts from manufacturer of spacecraft and payload, customer and the operations engineers under management and final responsibility by GSOC, however with key functions distributed among the partners according to the expertise available.

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