The Gaia flag, previously flying in Kourou, has changed hands. After the In-Orbit Commissioning Review (IOCR) on 18 July 2014, the ESA Gaia project team at ESTEC handed it over to Wil O'Mullane, the new Gaia Mission Manager. From now on Wil and the Science Operations Centre team at ESAC, Madrid, take responsibility for the flag and the mission. The health of the spacecraft and the daily operations are under the responsibility of the Mission Operations Centre in Darmstadt, Germany. The IOCR marked the transition from commissioning to the nominal science operations phase. |