Key milestones
17 December 2019 : 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).