[3] The spacecraft of approximately 190 kg (420 lb) mass and a size of 76 × 74 × 74 cm (30 × 29 × 29 in) was designed to be launched as a secondary or auxiliary payload into Geostationary transfer orbit (GTO) in 2014/2015.
Payloads that were considered for the orbiter included:[3] The table below provides an overview of the planned spacecraft platform and the ground segment.
Since November 2009, SSTL coordinated and supervised the work of the students, providing system-level and specialist technical support.
Regular workshops at ESTEC and ESOC as well as internships at SSTL were organized to support the student teams in their ESMO related activities and provide training / knowledge transfer.
ESMO was to have been the fourth mission within ESA's Education Satellite Programme following SSETI Express, YES2 and the European Student Earth Orbiter (ESEO).