Pleïades is the CNES (French national space agency) programme designed as the follow-on to its highly successful Spot series of low Earth orbit (LEO) multi-mission observation satellites, which has operated an uninterrupted service since 1986 and whose platform is currently also in use for nearly all European LEO Earth observation programmes (notably ERS, Envisat, MetOp and Helios). The high-resolution Pleïades global constellation will be based on smaller, cheaper and more agile satellites, and is being developed as the optical component of the dual Orfeo programme, with the Italian Cosmo-Skymed system providing the radar component; key programme drivers are a focus on technological innovation, increased dual-use capability and closer European co-operation. The first Pleïades launch (a pair satellites for sub-metric-resolution observation) is planned for 2010 with the second a year later.
Astrium is prime contractor for the Pleïades satellite bus, including all functions dedicated to satellite control and monitoring as well as payload data handling and transmission, and is responsible for software development and satellite validation.
