ELISA (ELectronic Intelligence SAtellites) is a system demonstrator under development for the French Ministry of Defence procurement agency DGA and the French space agency CNES. The aim is to pave the way for an operational programme to map and characterise radar emissions around the world.
The ELISA system consists of four micro-satellites based on the Myriade product line and an associated ground segment. The 130 kg-class satellites will be ready for launch at the end of 2009, and will operate from a sun-synchronous orbit. The in-orbit exploitation phase will last three years.
Co-prime contractor for the programme, Astrium represents the industrial consortium and is responsible for overall system co-ordination, development of the space segment, including elements of the payloads, and launch of the satellites.
The other co-prime is Thales Alenia Space, for mission co-ordination, a contribution to the system architecture, and payload and ground user segment development.
