The implementation of a collaborative ground segment with ESA member states is based on three main steps:

1. Definition of process and collection of collaboration proposals.
   1. Requirements collection: release of questionnaire to ESA member states.
   2. Enables ESA to make a preliminary assessment of the planned initiatives.
2. Proposal feasibility analysis.
   1. Execution of simulation scenarios, identification of potential conflicts.
   2. Proposal refinement with a collaborative partner.
3. Formalisation of collaboration.
   1. Documenting the technical operational interfaces.
   2. Integrating, verifying and validating the derived implementation.
   3. Signing a formal agreement (exchange of letters based on PBEO framework paper).

The interface to EU (non-ESA) member states and international cooperation partners is led by the EU in close coordination with ESA for technical aspects. In these cases, for technical matters, a similar process (as with ESA member states) is planned.

1. Collection of collaboration proposals and requirements.
2. Proposal technical feasibility analysis.
3. Implementation of collaborative interfaces.
4. International agreement to be formalised via EU/ESA jointly.

The collaborative ground segment activity types are similar to those with ESA member states with special focus on:

• access to Sentinel data
• set up of mirror sites for redistribution of Sentinel core data
• complementary external support validation activities.