Press releases - Remote sensing
- TerraSAR-X marks two successful years in orbit
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Shortly after TerraSAR-X’s launch from the Russian Space Centre in Baikonur, DLR were able to present the first images from the satellite in just four days. Subsequently, commissioning of the satellite and the radar instrument were completed as planned, with the satellite becoming fully operational in early 2008. Since then, the mission has been characterised by a smooth operation and production process, generating a variety of unique imaging products, which have been used for both scientific and commercial purposes.
The launch of the TanDEM-X radar satellite, which is almost identical in construction, is scheduled for October 2009. Orbiting in a close formation with TerraSAR-X, at distances of between a few kilometres to just 200 metres, the two satellites will be able to capture data of unprecedented accuracy. This will ultimately lead to a global digital elevation model of all land masses on the Earth's surface.
Successful two-year results with excellent geolocation accuracySince the launch of the TerraSAR-X satellite, the Mission Control Centre of DLR has successfully planned, commanded and executed approximately 35,000 radar images of the Earth's surface and processed them into about 50,000 high-quality products for scientific and commercial users. The existing results impressively demonstrate the high quality of the TerraSAR-X products which, in many areas, even exceed the requirements. What has been of particularly impressive is the outstanding geolocation accuracy of better than 0.5 metres. This allows fully automatic, pixel-accurate superposition of two images of a scene acquired at different times. Further features are the high radiometric accuracy and the excellent radar instrument stability.
Various scientific and commercial applications due to radar technologyTerraSAR-X products can be used for numerous scientific and commercial applications. The main focus is on land applications, such as agriculture and forestry, land use/vegetation, observation of rural areas and cartography. Ice research and maritime applications have also benefited from the radar data. Three examples for the variety of applications are shown in the following.
Fast help from space in the case of natural disasters
Following natural disasters, TerraSAR-X data has been repeatedly used by international authorities for on-site crisis management support. This includes the mapping of flood areas and damage assessment after earthquakes. In early November 2007, heavy rainfall lasting for weeks led to devastating floods in the Mexican states of Tabasco and Chiapas, displacing about one million people and approximately half of Tabasco's overall population. About 80% of the state of Tabasco's surface, i.e. an overall area of approximately 25,000 square kilometres, was temporarily flooded. The DLR centre for satellite-based crisis Information (ZKI) supported the Mexican civil protection authority (CENAPRED) with satellite image maps of the floods. Capable of operating in cloudy conditions or at night time, TerraSAR-X is able to deliver high resolution imagery with a resolution of up to one metre.
Early detection of changes and climate influences in the Antarctica
With the help of the TerraSAR-X satellite, scientists have observed the loss of a huge ice bridge on the Antarctic Wilkins Ice Shelf. There, the first icebergs broke away on 20 April 2009 and the TerraSAR-X images show this development. These icebergs are breaking away at the failure zones which have gradually formed over the past 15 years. The high resolution of the TerraSAR-X satellite images enables the observation of deformations in the Wilkins Ice Shelf, down to a range of approximately 100 metres. This information enables the glaciologists to describe distortion more precisely with the help of models. Newly formed cracks are very narrow during their initial stages and are therefore not visible on images taken at a lower resolution, such as those supplied by the older generation of satellites. To reconstruct the chronological sequence of events, the kind of high-resolution images supplied by TerraSAR-X are necessary.
Weather-independent and cross-border traffic information via satellite - for traffic forecasting and better route suggestionsDLR has begun several months of tests into the feasibility of obtaining traffic information via satellite. TerraSAR-X is going to monitor selected motorway sections in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and California. The aim of this project is to develop a procedure for large-scale traffic data capture, independent of ground systems, which will permit the relay of data to various traffic information providers. In contrast to measurement procedures currently used, which are mostly stationary procedures, information gleaned by satellite can yield up-to-the-minute information, even from roads without sensors, whatever the weather, regardless of borders. The technology is not limited to discovering areas of high traffic density. It can also be used to calculate the average speed of motorway traffic, so that the exact journey time between junctions can be established. With the help of such information, traffic information service providers will be able to make better route suggestions – even in fog, heavy rain and darkness – thanks to the latest radar technology. However, the recognition of vehicle number plates is not possible with this technology.
The two add-on payloads also in successful operation
The secondary payloads of TerraSAR-X, i.e. the TESAT-built Laser Communication Terminal (LCT) and the Tracking, Occultation and Ranging (TOR) experiment provided by the geo-research centre (GFZ) are working perfectly. The LCT is a DLR financed technology demonstrator used for in-orbit verification of rapid optical data transfer in space. With the help of LCT, a reproducible data exchange between the two low-flying satellites, i.e. TerraSAR-X and NFIRE, could be obtained for the first time at a transmission rate of 5.5 gigabits per second.
Unique success story of the German radar satellite TerraSAR-X
Based on the experience gained in the first two years of operation, the TerraSAR-X mission can be considered to be an outstanding success story receiving recognition and appreciation from the US space agency NASA and other national space organisations, as well as the European Space Agency (ESA). For the coming years of operation, many more exciting results can be expected which will provide further scientific and commercial highlights.
Second TanDEM-X radar satellite scheduled for launch in October – providing third-dimension data
TanDEM-X (TerraSAR-X add-on for Digital Elevation Measurement), the second almost identical German radar satellite, has already been completed and is being extensively tested in Munich at Astrium and IABG. Its launch from the Russian Baikonur Space Centre is scheduled for October. By orbiting in close formation, the two satellites are to capture data of unprecedented accuracy for a global digital elevation model of all land masses of the Earth's surface.
About TerraSAR-XTerraSAR-X is the first German satellite that has been manufactured under what is known as a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) between the German Aerospace Centre (Deutsches Zentrum fuer Luft- und Raumfahrt; DLR) and Astrium GmbH in Friedrichshafen. The satellite travels around the Earth in a polar orbit and records unique, high-quality X-band radar data about the entire planet using its active antenna. TerraSAR-X works regardless of weather conditions, cloud cover or absence of daylight, and is able to provide radar data with a resolution of down to one metre per pixel
DLR is responsible for using TerraSAR-X data for scientific purposes. It is also responsible for planning and implementing the mission as well as controlling the satellite. Astrium built the satellite and shares the costs of developing and using it. Infoterra GmbH, a subsidiary company founded specifically for this purpose by Astrium, is responsible for marketing the data commercially.
About TanDEM-XThe TanDEM-X project is being implemented by a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) between the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and Astrium GmbH.
The primary goal of the TanDEM-X (TerraSAR-X add-on for Digital Elevation Measurement) mission is to generate a global digital elevation model. To achieve this, two satellites – TanDEM-X and TerraSAR-X, a satellite of almost identical construction which has been in orbit since 2007 – will form the first configurable SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) interferometer in space with a separation of only a few hundred metres. A powerful ground segment which is closely interfaced with that of TerraSAR-X completes the TanDEM-X system. The satellites will fly in formation and operate in parallel for three years to cover the entire surface of the Earth.
DLR is responsible for the scientific exploitation of the TanDEM-X data as well as for planning and implementing the mission, controlling the two satellites and generating the digital elevation model. Astrium built the satellite and shares in the cost of its development and exploitation. As with TerraSAR-X, the responsibility for marketing the TanDEM-X data commercially lies in the hands of Infoterra GmbH, a subsidiary of Astrium.
About Astrium
Astrium, a wholly owned subsidiary of EADS, is dedicated to providing civil and defence space systems and services. In 2008, Astrium had a turnover of €4.3 billion and 15,000 employees in France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Spain and the Netherlands. Its three main areas of activity are Astrium Space Transportation for launchers and orbital infrastructure, Astrium Satellites for spacecraft and ground segment and Astrium Services for the development and delivery of satellite services.
EADS is a global leader in aerospace, defence and related services. In 2008, EADS generated revenues of €43.3 billion and employed a workforce of more than 118, 000.
About DLRDLR is Germany's national research centre for aeronautics and space. Its extensive research and development work in aeronautics, space, transportation and energy is integrated into national and international cooperative ventures. As Germany's Space Agency, the German federal government has given DLR responsibility for the forward planning and implementation of the German space programme as well as international representation of Germany's interests.
Approximately 6000 people work for DLR; the centre has 29 institutes and facilities at 13 locations in Germany: Berlin, Bonn, Braunschweig, Bremen, Cologne (headquarters), Goettingen, Hamburg, Lampoldshausen, Neustrelitz, Oberpfaffenhofen, Stuttgart, Trauen and Weilheim. DLR also has offices in Brussels, Paris and Washington, D.C.
Press contacts:
Daniel Mosely (Astrium UK) Tel.: +44 (0)1 438 77 8180
Matthieu Duvelleroy (Astrium FR) Tel.: +33 (0) 1 77 75 80 32
Ralph Heinrich (Astrium GER) Tel. : +49 (0) 89 607 33971
Francisco Lechón (Astrium SP) Tel.: +34 91 586 37 41
www. astrium.eads.net
Eduard Mueller (German Aerospace Centre, DLR) Tel.: +49 (0)2203 601 2805
www.dlr.de
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- TerraSAR-X radar satellite already delivering outstanding images for numerous scientific applications – A success story
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Berlin, 9 August 2007: Although TerraSAR-X, the first German radar satellite for Earth observation, has been in orbit for less than two months and is not yet fully operational, it is already delivering outstanding images for numerous applications. The satellite, the product of a successful Public–Private Partnership (PPP), can be hailed as a German success story. *"TerraSAR-X proves that Germany's research community and industry can achieve great things when they pool their expertise,"* said Professor Johann-Dietrich Wörner, chairman of the German Aerospace Center (DLR).
Professor Wörner expressed his enthusiasm for the images that have already been drawn from the radar's data: "TerraSAR-X documents Germany's leadership in the field of remote sensing. Our data will not only provide the international research community with an important source of information, but they will also help to further develop commercial Earth observation applications. In addition, TerraSAR-X will enhance Germany's major role in the European GMES (Global Monitoring for Environment and Security) Earth observation programme."
At a press conference at Germany's Federal Press Office in Berlin, DLR and Infoterra GmbH, a subsidiary of PPP industry partner Astrium GmbH, presented the German satellite's entire range of capabilities for the first time. Radar images taken over the course of a ‘voyage around the world’ illustrate the unique data's wide array of applications, among them coastal and water protection activities, monitoring rain forest logging, and measuring the speed of winds, clouds or moving objects on the Earth's surface. The images also clearly illustrate the new technology's high resolution capabilities, an area in which German industry and research are global leaders.
Success story begins just four days after launch
The German radar satellite TerraSAR-X was launched from the cosmodrome at Baikonur, Kazakhstan, on 15 June 2007. It has since been orbiting the Earth at an altitude of approximately 514 kilometres. A mere four days after the launch, the German Remote Sensing Data Center (DFD) in Neustrelitz first recorded data from the satellite. The data was then quickly transformed into initial images at the DLR's Remote Sensing Technology Institute (IMF) in Oberpfaffenhofen. "Having initial images just four days after the launch of a satellite is a world record. It has never been done before with such a complex system," explained Professor Richard Barmler, director of the IMF.
DLR scientists are already very satisfied with the satellite's performance, even though the commissioning phase is still underway and set to last until the end of the year. Until then, the satellite will undergo further tests and its onboard instruments will be calibrated. "Eight weeks after the launch, the German radar satellite is almost fully functional. Over 2,500 data sets are already available with which we can continue to analyse the instrument and the ground infrastructure. The engineers and scientists have done an outstanding job," said Professor Barmler.
TerraSAR-X also on the right commercial path
Besides the scientific goals that DLR has set and pushed forward, a prime objective of the TerraSAR-X mission is to exploit data for commercial purposes. Marketing TerraSAR-X data worldwide for the development of geo-information products ensures the sustainability of the German satellite’s mission. Its successor, TerraSAR-X-2, will be financed with Infoterra GmbH profits.
In Friedrichshafen, too, there is also great satisfaction with the promising initial data that the satellite has delivered. "TerraSAR-X's performance has been impressive," said Infoterra’s CEO Jörg Herrmann. "With the data available to us so far, we have been able to conduct analyses that have generated valuable results," he proudly explained. "The technical conditions for our commercial activity could not be better, and the marketing we have done over recent years is now bearing fruit. Customers have expressed a high level of interest. At the moment, we have more than 2,500 orders from over 40 countries for our initial data."
TerraSAR-X already delivering elevation models – even better models expected from 2009 with TanDEM-X
In addition to initial radar data sets, digital elevation maps based on two TerraSAR-X images are already available. However, due to the time intervals between recordings, this highly precise method of measurement can currently only be applied to arid areas and deserts. The situation will change once TerraSAR-X's sister satellite, TanDEM-X, is up and running. It is expected to be launched in 2009, after which the two satellites will orbit the Earth together. Their systems are almost identical, and each of them will record images from slightly different angles. As a result, stereo information on the same areas will be available, enabling the development of high-precision elevation models.
Radar data to generate a better understanding of complex environmental processes
One of the main purposes of analysing the new information that the satellite provides is to gain a better understanding of our environment. "TerraSAR-X data will help scientists answer the big questions. In particular, we hope to gain insights in the area of environmental management for the world's mega-cities. We also expect TerraSAR-X to provide us with valuable, rapid disaster-management support," stated Professor Stefan Dech, director of the DLR's Remote Sensing Data Center (DFD) in Oberpfaffenhofen.
TerraSAR-X is the first German satellite to be developed and operated on the basis of a Public–Private Partnership. It is the product of cooperation between DLR and Astrium GmbH (Friedrichshafen). DLR is responsible for the scientific utilisation of TerraSAR-X data, and is also for mission design and execution. Astrium provided financing for the development, manufacture and operation of the satellite. Infoterra GmbH, the Astrium subsidiary founded solely for the purpose of this project, is responsible for marketing the data.
About Astrium:
Astrium, a wholly owned subsidiary of EADS, specialises in civil and military space systems and space-based services. In 2006, Astrium achieved revenues of €3.2 billion and employed approximately 11,000 people in France, Germany, Spain, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. The company’s core business is divided into three areas: the two business units Astrium Space Transportation (for launch vehicles and space infrastructures) and Astrium Satellites (for satellites and ground segments), and the wholly owned subsidiary Astrium Services for the development and delivery of satellite-based services.
EADS is one of the world’s leading suppliers of aerospace and defence systems and all associated services. In 2006, the company’s revenues amounted to around €39.4 billion, with a workforce of more than 116,000 employees.
About Infoterra:
Infoterra GmbH, Germany, was founded in 2001 for commercial exploitation of the TerraSAR-X data. The company is responsible not only for the commercial distribution of the data, but also for the development and marketing of derived geo-information products and services.
Infoterra GmbH employs 40 people in Friedrichshafen, Germany, and is part of the Infoterra Group, which comprises companies in France, Germany and the United Kingdom with over 300 employees and a turnover of more than €50 million.
About DLR:
DLR is the Federal Republic of Germany’s national aerospace research centre. Its extensive research and development activities in the aerospace, transportation and energy sectors are embedded in national and international cooperation ventures. In addition to its own in-house research, DLR, acting as the space agency of the federal government, is responsible for planning and implementing Germany's astronautical activities as well as for representing the country's interests at the international level. Furthermore, DLR is the apex organisation for Germany's largest project management agency.
DLR employs a staff of about 5,100 at its 27 institutes and facilities at eight locations (Köln-Porz, Berlin-Adlershof, Bonn-Oberkassel, Braunschweig, Göttingen, Lampoldshausen, Oberpfaffenhofen and Stuttgart). It maintains branch offices at Brussels, Paris and Washington, DC.
Picture gallery: http://www.dlr.de/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-4313
Press contacts:
Eduard Müller
DLR - German Aerospace Center
Tel.: +49 2203 601 2805
Tel (mobile): +49 173 5307026
Fax: +49 2203 601 3249
E-mail: eduard.mueller@dlr.de
Mareike Doepke
Infoterra GmbH
Tel: +49 7545 8 3924
Fax: +49 75454 8 1337
E-mail: mareike.doepke@infoterra-global.com
Mathias Pikelj
Astrium GmbH
Tel: +49 7545 8 9123
Fax: +49 7545 8 5589
E-mail: mathias.pikelj@astrium.eads.net
- TerraSAR-X exceeds all expectations
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- German radar satellite transmits first data in record time
- Ground station receives first images only five days after launch
- About Astrium
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- About Infoterra
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- About DLR
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- Press contacts
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- TerraSAR-X at a glance
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- TerraSAR-X radar satellite successfully launched
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- Operational Earth observation of unrivalled quality and flexibility
- First German satellite in Public-Private Partnership
Baikonour / Friedrichshafen, 15 June 2007 - The German radar satellite TerraSAR-X has been launched successfully. A Dnepr launcher carried the satellite into space from Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, at 04:14 h GMT (08:14 h local time). Fifteen minutes after lift-off the spacecraft separated from the third stage of the launcher. At 04:29 the first signals from TerraSAR-X were received via the Malindi Ground Station (Kenya).
Orbiting the Earth at an altitude of approximately 514 kilometres, the satellite will use a radar beam to scan the planet’s surface – regardless of weather conditions, cloud cover or daylight – and deliver fast and reliable data for a wide range of applications, producing a completely new range of options for commercial, public and scientific users. TerraSAR-X is the first national remote sensing satellite to be realised within the scope of a Public Private Partnership (PPP): Astrium developed and built the spacecraft under contract to the German Aerospace Center DLR, and also made a significant capital contribution of its own. The scientific use of the TerraSAR-X data is under the responsibility of DLR, as well as the mission planning and operation of the satellite, whilst Infoterra GmbH, a subsidiary of Astrium, specifically established for this purpose, will be responsible for the commercial exploitation of the satellite data.
"With TerraSAR-X Astrium and Infoterra are going to turn over a new leaf in the area of Earth observation," said Reinhold Lutz, Managing Director of Astrium in Germany. "The Satellite will deliver radar data with currently unrivalled quality and flexibility. These data will provide the basis for tailor-made geo-information solutions offered by our subsidiary Infoterra to customers all over the world," added Mr Lutz.
The satellite's outstanding technical feature is its active Synthetic Aperture Radar. 'Active' in this case means that the beam can be angled within a slewing range of 20 to 60 degrees by selectively superimposing multiple individual radar beams. This method expands the area that can be imaged by the instrument. "Whereas we can record a maximum of two images during an overflight from Munich to Berlin using a passive radar, it is now possible to take up to 20," explains Uwe Minne, Astrium´s Director of Earth observation and Head of the Friedrichshafen site. Also contributing to the wide diversity of potential applications is the ability to choose three different levels of resolution (16m, 3 m and 1 m) and image size.
TerraSAR-X opens up a broad range of applications. The system’s ability to operate regardless of cloud cover, for instance, makes it possible to rapidly generate up-to-date maps of large areas, in particular extensive forest and mountain regions. Many countries are also interested in quantifying forested resources and forest biomass. TerraSAR-X data could also be used as a German contribution to the Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) initiative, a European action plan that combines data from terrestrial, maritime and space-based measuring systems. One of the application fields for TerraSAR-X data is reconnaissance. Intelligence services, reconnaissance aircraft and relief organisations benefit from systems that not only offer very high resolution but also provide a reliable, timely data acquisition. TerraSAR-X´s weather-independent, near real-time data acquisition capabilities offer these customers unprecedented opportunities to use satellite data in time-critical situations.
TerraSAR-X is expected to have a working life of five years. Also on the agenda is the construction of a partner satellite called TanDEM-X, which will orbit the Earth alongside TerraSAR-X as of 2009. The pair will create a digital elevation model of the entire planet with a degree of resolution never before attained.
Astrium, a wholly owned subsidiary of EADS, specialises in civil and military space systems and space-based services. In 2006, Astrium achieved revenues of €3.2 billion and employed approximately 12,000 people in France, Germany, Spain, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. The company’s core business is divided into three areas: the two business units Astrium Space Transportation (for launch vehicles and space infrastructures) and Astrium Satellites (for satellites and ground segments), and the wholly owned subsidiary Astrium Services for the development and delivery of satellite-based services.
EADS is one of the world’s leading suppliers of aerospace and defence systems and all associated services. In 2006, the company’s revenues amounted to around €39.4 billion, with a workforce of more than 116,000 employees.
Press contacts:
Remi Roland, ASTRIUM +33 (0)1 77 75 80 37
Mathias Pikelj, ASTRIUM (GER) +49 (0)7545 8 91 23
Jeremy Close, ASTRIUM (UK) +44 (0)1438 773872
Note to editors: Broadcast-quality video footage and sound-bites can be downloaded from:
- TerraSAR-X to be launched on 15. June from Baikonur
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- The German radar satellite will provide Earth observation data in unparalleled quality
Friedrichshafen/Bonn, 1. June 2007 – The German radar satellite TerraSAR-X is to be launched on 15. June at 04:14 (CEST) from the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The launch of the satellite has been postponed a number of times due to technical problems with the Russian Dnjepr launch vehicle. However, teams of engineers from Europe’s leading space company Astrium and the German Aerospace Center DLR are now in Kazakhstan, preparing the 1.3-metric-ton satellite for lift-off.
TerraSAR-X is the first German satellite to be realised within the scope of a public-private partnership (PPP) between DLR and Astrium: Europe’s leading satellite specialist, Astrium, is sharing the costs of the development, construction and deployment of the satellite. The scientific use of the TerraSAR-X data is the responsibility of DLR, as is the mission planning and operation of the satellite, whilst Infoterra GmbH, a subsidiary of Astrium specifically established for this purpose, will be responsible for the commercial exploitation of the satellite data.
With its active antenna, the satellite will record new high-quality X-band radar images of the entire planet whilst circling Earth in a polar orbit at an altitude of 514 kilometres. TerraSAR-X will carry out its task for five years, independently of weather conditions, cloud cover or daylight, and will be able to provide radar images with a resolution as high as one metre.
Note to the editors: Video-Footage and Sound-bites in broadcast quality you can download from http://www.medianewsnet.net
About Astrium:
Astrium, a wholly owned subsidiary of EADS, is dedicated to providing civil and defence space systems and services. In 2006, Astrium had a turnover of €3.2 billion and 11,000 employees in France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Spain and the Netherlands. Its three main areas of activity are: the business units Astrium Space Transportation for launchers and orbital infrastructure, and Astrium Satellites for spacecraft and ground segment, and its wholly owned subsidiary Astrium Services for the development and delivery of satellite services.
EADS is a global leader in aerospace, defence and related services. In 2006, EADS generated revenues of €39.4 billion and employed a workforce of more than 116, 000.
About Infoterra
Infoterra GmbH, Germany, was founded in 2007 for the commercial exploitation of the TerraSAR-X data. The company is responsible not only for the commercial distribution of the data, but for the development and marketing of derived geo-information products and services as well.
Infoterra GmbH employs a workforce of 30 in Friedrichshafen, Germany, and is part of the Infoterra Group, which comprises companies in France, Germany and the United Kingdom with over 300 employees and a turnover of more than 50 Mio Euro.
About DLR:
DLR is the national aerospace research center of the Federal Republic of Germany. Its extensive research and development activities in the aerospace, transportation and energy sectors are embedded in national and international cooperation ventures. In addition to its own in-house research, the DLR, acting as the Space Agency of the Federal Government, is responsible for planning and implementing Germany's astronautical activities as well as for representing the country's interests on the international plane. Furthermore, DLR is the apex organization for Germany's largest project management agency.
DLR employs a staff of about 5,100 at its 27 institutes and facilities distributed over eight locations, namely Köln-Porz, Berlin-Adlershof, Bonn-Oberkassel, Braunschweig, Göttingen, Lampoldshausen, Oberpfaffenhofen and Stuttgart. It maintains branch offices at Brussels, Paris, and Washington, DC.
Media Contacts:
Astrium, Mathias Pikelj +49 (0) 7545 8 9123
Infoterra, Mareike Doepke +49 (0) 7545 8 3924
DLR, Dr. Niklas Reinke, + 49 (0) 228 447 394
- Astrium-built METOP satellite for EUMETSAT successfully deployed in orbit
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Darmstadt, 23 October, 2006 – Following its launch on 19 October 2006 by a STARSEM Soyuz rocket, EUMETSAT’s MetOp satellite has reached polar orbit. Astrium’s satellites business unit is prime contractor for the satellite.
Astrium and ESA teams at ESA’s European Space Operations Centre in Darmstadt, Germany, have proceeded to the check-out of the spacecraft and confirm that all systems are operating nominally. A series of operations have been successfully completed since the launch.
The solar array has been deployed and oriented to face the sun, before the satellite platform entered its nominal attitude control mode. Payload operations, including the deployment of five antennas, took place over two days. MetOp operations were consequently transferred on Sunday 22 to the EUMETSAT team in Darmstadt, which is now in charge of the payload instruments switch-on and of the system validation, before starting the operational phase.
Astrium Satellites, a business unit of Astrium, is Europe’s leading satellite system specialist. Its activities cover complete civil and military telecommunications and Earth observation systems, science and navigation programmes, and all spacecraft avionics and equipment.
Astrium, a wholly owned subsidiary of EADS, is dedicated to providing civil and defence space systems. In 2005, Astrium had a turnover of €2.7 billion and 11,000 employees in France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Spain and the Netherlands.
EADS is a global leader in aerospace, defence and related services. In 2005, EADS generated revenues of €34.2 billion and employed a workforce of more than 113,000.
Press contacts:
Rémi Roland, EADS SPACE +33 (0) 1 42 24 27 34
Frédéric-Pierre Isoz, EADS SPACE +33 (0) 1 42 24 28 77
Jeremy Close, EADS SPACE (UK) +44 (0) 1438 77 38 72
www.space.eads.net
- AstroSAR-Lite
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- Pioneering low-cost Earth observation satellite
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The AstroSAR-Lite satellite, pioneered by Astrium, provides an innovative, agile, affordable space Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) system focused to provide unprecedented revisit and coverage with high resolution for the regional user in the tropics and sub-tropics. AstroSAR-Lite is optimised to maritime, environmental, security and disaster monitoring applications.
The baseline satellite operates in various modes to obtain images ranging from 10 km x 1,000 km at three-metre resolution, up to 100 km x 1,000 km at 20–30 metre resolutions over the ‘footprints’ of each of several regional users.
Thanks to its radical design, AstroSAR-Lite can be accommodated on very small launch vehicles. AstroSAR-Lite is built around Astrium's Snapdragon configuration for SAR satellites which provides a platform that can carry a large planar phased array antenna, twice the stowed satellite length.
Mechanical steering of the whole satellite provides major beam pointing of ±45°, enabling access to both left and right sides, augmenting and simplifying the electronic beam steering thus minimising cost of the expensive TR modules that are typical of other active phased array systems.
Under a new initiative, AstroSAR-Lite customers have the option to join the AstroSAR Lite Club – a shared constellation – effectively securing the use of several satellites for the price of one.
AstroSAR-Lite builds on a wide heritage of Astrium SAR satellites and instruments, such as TerraSAR-X, launched in 2007, or an X-band radar instrument proven and flown over the last three years on an airborne demonstrator (providing submetric quad polar imagery). Active SAR antenna systems as well as instrument electronics are modular in frequency and have been space qualified for RadarSat-2.
- 15 Years ERS-1 – Environmental Research with EADS SPACE
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- Satellite launch on 17 July 1991 marked the beginning of Europe’s radar-based Earth observation from space
- Space technology devoted to environment and security
- EADS SPACE engineers prepare launch of the MetOp weather satellite
14 July 2006 – Meteorologists, climate researchers and weathermen are keeping a close eye on Baikonur as final preparations are made for the launch of the polar-orbiting weather satellite MetOp. Developed and built for the European Space Agency, ESA, under the leadership of Europe's leading space company EADS SPACE, MetOp is scheduled for launch on 17 July. As well as the date for the launch, July 17 is also an important anniversary - because on 17 July 1991, Europe achieved a successful debut in the field of radar-based Earth and environmental observation with the launch of the ERS-1 satellite.
Fifteen years ago, on 17 July 1991, Europe's first radar satellite set out on its scientific exploration of the Earth. ERS-1 (European Remote-Sensing Satellite) was designed for the European Space Agency, ESA, to have a service life of three years, however, it ultimately operated three times as long. It was not until March 2001, that the satellite was switched off on account of a technical failure. ERS-1 has paved the way for environmental research from space. Its successor, ERS-2, which was launched in 1995, has continued this role to date. EADS SPACE was the prime contractor for both missions and supplied both the platform and some key instruments.
"This mission represented the beginning of space technology for us," says Fred Tanner, who was responsible for the ERS-1 software development, and today coordinates all company projects with ESA at the Friedrichshafen site. Building on this experience, numerous other environmental and weather satellites such as Envisat, a flagship mission for climatic research, and MetOp, Europe's first polar-orbiting satellite, have been developed under the leadership of EADS SPACE. These reaffirm EADS SPACE’s position as the most important industrial partner for the European Space Agency. EADS SPACE has the expertise and track record for the construction of future satellites within ESA's "Living Planet” research programme.
ERS-1 – one and a half million images from the Earth
From the start, ERS-1 represented a success story. By the end of its service life it had orbited the Earth 45,000 times and had transmitted 1.5 million images to Earth. The demand for radar images annually increased by up to 30 per cent and in total, the ESA data centre received approximately 15,000 orders from all over the world., The user community is incredibly diverse, ranging from groups of researchers and small high-tech companies to large enterprises and public authorities such as meteorological offices.
At the heart of ERS-1, which circled the Earth on a polar orbit at an altitude of 785 kilometres, was a radar, operating at a wavelength of 5.7 centimetres (corresponding to a frequency of 5.3 GHz in the so-called C-band). During each orbit, the beam scanned a 4,000 kilometre long and 100 kilometre wide strip of the Earth's surface. This made it possible to create images with a resolution of 30 metres.
At that time, the prime contract for the construction of the two key elements, i.e. the high-performance end amplifier and the antenna, was awarded to EADS SPACE in Friedrichshafen. At the same time, EADS SPACE UK was awarded the construction of the Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR). The French arm of EADS SPACE provided the platform, which was also used for the SPOT satellite and with modifications for Envisat. The Wind Scatterometer Antenna (WSA) and the Radar Altimeter were built by todays EADS SPACE in Madrid.
The fields of application were just as broad as the user community, with three headlines from the 1990s illustrating this: “On El Niño’s trail – ERS-1 measures the temperature of the ocean current.” “Satellite eyes focused on environmental polluters – ERS-1 detects ships discharging oil on the sea.” “Looking through the ice with radar eyes – ERS-1 investigates the relief of the ocean ground under the arctic ice cover.” Furthermore, wind direction and velocity above the oceans could be measured, and so-called "monster waves" could be detected.
The tandem ERS-1 and 2
The launch of ERS-2 established even more applicational possibilities. On the one hand, the satellite was equipped with the ozone measurement device GOME (Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment). This continuously monitors the ozone content in the stratosphere and in particular, changes to the hole in the ozone layer above the South Pole.
On the other hand, both radar satellites could be operated simultaneously for a couple of years. The new technology of radar interferometry could be tested during ERS-1 and 2's so-called ‘tandem-mission’. Using this technology, the same area is imaged at least twice by both satellites, but at different points in time. The image overlay produces an interferogram. This can be used to create digital terrain models with a height resolution of a few metres. Above all, however, it allows the detection of changes on the surface area, which occurred between the imaging sequences, with an accuracy of a few centimetres.
With this technology, for example, it was possible for the first time to determine the flow behaviour of difficult-to-access glaciers. Additionally, it was possible to measure ground subsidence caused by mining. The clients consisted of mining companies, which, on the basis of these measuring data, wanted to find out how to avoid ground displacement or building damage in mining. Tandem enabled geophysicists to precisely measure the extent to which the ground was displaced during earthquakes in Landers, California, or in Greece and Turkey. The measuring data are invaluable in approaching the hitherto unsolved problem of earthquake forecasting.
EADS SPACE is Europe’s leading satellite system specialist. Its satellites activities cover complete civil and military telecommunications and Earth observation systems, science and navigation programmes, and all spacecraft avionics and equipment. In 2005 EADS SPACE had a turnover of €2.7 billion and 11,000 employees in France, Germany, the United Kingdom and Spain.
EADS is a global leader in aerospace, defence and related services. In 2005, EADS generated revenues of €34.2 billion and employed a workforce of more than 113,000.
Contacts for the Media:
EADS SPACE, Rémi ROLAND +33 (0) 1 42 24 27 34
EADS SPACE, Frédéric-Pierre ISOZ +33 (0) 1 42 24 28 77
EADS SPACE (UK), Jeremy CLOSE +44 (0) 1438 77 3872
EADS SPACE (GER), Mathias PIKELJ +49 (0) 7545 8 91 23
- Le rôle du spatial pour l’Europe dans les opérations de sécurité
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- EADS Astrium to supply Algeria’s ALSAT-2 optical observation system
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- Main features of the ALSAT-2A and ALSAT-2B satellites
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- Flight 169 - Ariane 5 GS: Satellites INSAT 4A, MSG 2
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Flight 169 is the 3rd flight ARIANE A5GS, the 25th flight of an ARIANE 5 launch vehicle and the 5th Ariane launch of the year 2005.
This will be the 21st commercial mission of an ARIANE 5 launch vehicle and as such is managed by Arianespace. The launch vehicle 525 is the third in the series of A5GS, it is derived from launch vehicle A5G, the basic version of the launcher, and integrates certain more recent elements conceived for versions A5EC/A or A5ES, principally the Solid Propellant Boosters EAP, a Vehicle Equipment Bay on composite structure and a Storable Propellant Stage EPS, with 300 kg additional propellant.
Launch vehicle Ariane 525 is the 21st production vehicle, manufactured, integrated, and operated under the responsibility of Arianespace. In a dual-payload launch configuration with SYLDA 5 E adaptor (stretched by 300 mm), under a medium payload fairing, it’s carrying the telecommunications satellite INSAT 4A in the upper position, and MSG 2 in the lower position.
- Flight 169 - Launch kit (pdf)
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V169-AR5GS_Ins4A_MSG2-ANG.pdf
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Size
1.9 MB
(application/pdf)
- Flight 169 - Launch kit (pdf)
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Flight169-AR5GS_Ins4A_MSG2-E.pdf
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Size
1.9 MB
(application/pdf)
- CryoSat – The 'icy' mission starts to heat up
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- Airbus A380 spotted from space
- 180.000 hectares de cultures pilotés depuis l’espace avec le Programme FARMSTAR
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- TerraSAR-X
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- The highly capable Synthetic Aperture Radar satellite
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Launched in June 2007, Astrium’s new one-tonne radar satellite TerraSAR-X provides Earth observation data of unprecedented quality, with a resolution of up to one metre, for scientific and increasingly diversified commercial applications.
- Media Corner
- Theos
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- The Thai Earth Observation System
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The THEOS contract with the Thai Ministry of Science and Technology's Space Agency (GISTDA) includes the production and launch of one optical observation satellite, as well as the development of the ground segment necessary to operate and control the satellite directly from Thailand. This is accompanied by state-of-the-art facilities for image archiving and processing. The THEOS satellite is based on Astrium's new generation of high-performance AstroSat optical Earth observation satellites and benefits from the company's extensive experience in this field which started with the SPOT and MetOp satellites.
As part of the THEOS contract, Thai engineers joined the Astrium development team and attended intensive space programme training. The company firmly believes that this cooperation contract paves the way for further development of GISTDA and space activities in Thailand.
The THEOS payload features both high resolution in panchromatic mode (2m) and wide field of view in multi-spectral mode and has been tailored to Thailand's specific needs with a worldwide imaging capability. THEOS was launched in 2008 on a sun synchronous orbit at an altitude of around 820 km.
THEOS is fully owned and operated by GISTDA and provides Thailand with worldwide geo-referenced image products and image processing capabilities for applications in cartography, land use, agricultural monitoring, forestry management, coastal zone monitoring and flood risk management. THEOS provides access to any part of Thailand in less than two days.
- Rocsat-2
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- Remote sensing for Taiwan’s space agency
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Rocsat-2 is the second high-resolution Earth observation satellite for the Taiwanese National Space Program Office (NSPO) whose mission is regional remote sensing – to collect data to be used for natural disaster evaluation, agricultural applications, urban planning strategy, environmental monitoring and ocean surveillance. In addition, the satellite’s payload will include an auroral observation instrument. Rocsat-2 was launched on 20 May 2004.
Astrium was prime contractor for the space segment of the Rocsat-2 programme, and supplied both the platform (the first application of the company’s Leostar bus) and the on-board remote-sensing instrument RSI (the first all-silicon carbide instrument). Rocsat-2 was Astrium’s first Earth observation commercial export contract.
- MSG
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- Weather forecasting for the new millennium
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Meteosat Second Generation (MSG), a joint project between the European Space Agency and Eumetsat, the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites, is the upgrade replacement for the existing Meteosat satellite system that has delivered continuous, reliable meteorological image data since 1977. MSG consists of a ground segment and three satellites, the first of which was launched in summer 2002 and the second in December 2005.
Astrium has responsibility for major subsystems in this programme, including power supply, attitude and orbit control and the propulsion system, and also for the development of the SEVIRI instrument (Spinning Enhanced Visible and InfraRed Imager), an advanced follow-on of the seven radiometers built by Astrium for the first generation of Meteosat satellites. Detecting 12 spectral ranges as opposed to the three of the first-generation radiometers, it has a resolution factor three times higher than that previously available, and provides a complete image of the Earth every 15 minutes – twice as fast as the previous satellites. In 2004, Meteosat users declared the SEVIRI instrument the benchmark in the field of geostationary imaging.
By enabling fast, accurate weather forecasting MSG is making a significant contribution to greater worldwide safety; its frequently transmitted, comprehensive data help meteorologists to rapidly identify dangerous weather phenomena. Violent windstorms, which can have devastating results, are just one example – this new generation MSG is able to detect very small but very intense depressions, indications of the earliest stages of windstorm development, and hence allow more time to put in place efficient response measures.
- MetOp
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- A step forward to understanding the world’s weather
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MetOp is the next contribution to European weather satellite systems. A European Space Agency-Eumetsat joint project, MetOp is designed provide data for medium-term weather forecasts and long-term climate and environmental research.
MetOp-A, the first member of a new family of three European 4.5-tonne satellites designed to monitor the atmosphere from Low Earth Orbit, was launched from Kazakhstan on 19 October 2006. The next two MetOp satellites will be launched at five-year intervals. In total, the programme will be operational for at least 14 years, each satellite having an expected lifetime of five years.
Weather data will is dumped once per orbit, after which it is processed and then disseminated to users. Thus global coverage can be achieved every one to three days. Direct broadcast of data is also possible.
The satellites’ design is based on a version of the Envisat satellite’s Polar Platform, built by Astrium. In addition to its role as prime contractor for the MetOp satellites, Astrium is responsible for the entire integrated payload module and for two of the main instruments.
The new satellites will constitute the space segment of the Eumetsat Polar System (EPS), which is designed to study the atmosphere in great detail from a sun-synchronous orbit. They will complement the European Meteosat satellites, which are successfully operating in geostationary orbit, and will form part of an integrated system together with the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in order to improve weather forecasting and climate monitoring on a global scale.
- GRACE
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- ‘Twins’ for climate research
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The main task of geo-research and climate research today is to understand the Earth as an integral system. The two GRACE (Gravity Recovery And Climate Experiment) satellites were developed to further advance research in this field. A system of two identical satellites, GRACE is a joint NASA-German Aerospace Centre (DLR) project, and the second mission under NASA’s Earth System Science Pathfinder programme.
The two Astrium-built satellites, each weighing just 480 kg, were launched on 17 March 2002 by a Rockot launcher for a five-year mission. They are orbiting in tandem, flying at about 220 km apart, but the exact distance between them is altered by the influence of the Earth’s gravity. A microwave connection between the two satellites enables this fluctuating distance between them to be constantly determined to within a few thousandths of a millimetre, thereby ‘mapping’ the Earth’s gravitational field with unprecedented accuracy. It has been possible to detect minor gravitational changes, which result from revolving magma in the interior of the earth or from melting glaciers or shifting ocean currents, for the first time.
The GRACE satellites are the follow-on to the Champ mission, which was launched in 2000. They are based on Astrium’s Flexbus concept, enabling the satellites to be built very quickly at extremely low cost.
- Japanese Geo-Information Provider PASCO becomes TerraSAR-X Partner
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