Satellite sales soar
The European Space Agency (ESA) has ordered the first Sentinel Earth Observation satellite dedicated to the Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) program from Thales Alenia Space.
The €229m agreement was signed this week at the International Paris Air Show, and contracts Thales Alenia Space to design, develop and integrate a satellite that will carry a C-band Synthetic Aperture Radar, known as SAR.
Based on a PRIMA platform, developed by Thales Alenia Space for the Italian Space Agency, the satellite will weigh 2,280kg and will look at the Earth in strips of up to 700km with a ground resolution between five and 25m.
The Sentinel-1 satellite will be used in Earth observation missions co-funded by ESA and the European Commission, and is scheduled to be launched in 2011.
Separately, Saudi Arabian satellite operator Arabsat has awarded a contract to a partnership of Astrium and Thales Alenia Space to build its fifth generation satellites.
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