Key milestones

February to June 2019 (provisional): CHEOPS to be orbited by a Soyuz launcher from the Guiana Space Centre (CSG) in Kourou.

April 2018: Instruments assembled on the spacecraft bus in Spain. Start of tests at several sites in Europe before shipping to Kourou.

December 2017: CHEOPS’ scientific instruments assembled in Bern. Start of software calibration and testing.

End 2015: Selection of contractor to supply flight model of the spacecraft bus.

19 February 2014: Mission adopted by ESA’s Science Programme Committee (SPC).

June-July 2013: ECE-CASA (Spain) and SSTL (United Kingdom) selected for spacecraft bus studies and early phase 1.

March 2013: Call for tenders for two phases: competitive study and definition phase for supply of spacecraft bus, followed by satellite development phase.

19 October 2012: CHEOPS selected by ESA as the first S-class (small) mission for its Cosmic Vision 2015-2025 programme. Start of design and construction of instruments (telescope, photometer and associated electronics).