Space blog - DEIMOS

Spanish disaster monitoring on track

nospam@example.com (Robin Wolstenholme) — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 18:02:50 +0000

DEIMOS

The Spanish Disaster Monitoring Constellation (DMC) programme was started in August 2006 to provide an enhanced micro-satellite carrying a multi-spectral Earth observation payload under contract from the Spanish company, Deimos Imaging SL for use in commercial and environmental imaging applications. The project also includes a groundstation and data processing applications to be sited in northern Spain.

The design, manufacturing and integration of the spacecraft has been completed and is now into the environmental test phase, thermal vacuum and vibration testing has been successfully completed and SSTL are analysing the results.

The Groundstation and 5.5m Antenna have been integrated in the UK and are in the process of being packed and transported, for installation and commissioning in Spain.

The next major milestone is the Flight Readiness Review in July 2008, to be followed by a launch campaign preparing the spacecraft for a launch in Q4, 2008

Next generation DMC satellites for 2008 launch

nospam@example.com (Robin Wolstenholme) — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 14:39:02 +0100

SSTL is to launch two new enhanced Disaster Monitoring Constellation (DMC) satellites in the fourth quarter of 2008. Deimos-1, which was built for Deimos SL (Spain) and SSTL’s UK-DMC2 will be launched onboard a Dnepr rocket from the new Kosmotras launch site in southern Ural.

DEIMOS-1 will provide higher resolution imagery

Both Demios-1 and UK-DMC2 will carry an enhanced version of the DMC wide area imaging system, providing 600km wide swaths of the Earth in three spectral bands at a ground resolution of 22-metres. This is an advance on the current 32-metre DMC imager, which has been successfully providing imagery for over five years in the current constellation of five spacecraft. Additionally, the new spacecraft have over ten times the capacity for information provision. These significant enhancements reflect SSTL’s evolutionary approach to development that provides state of the art performance with minimal risk. The improved resolution and capacity enable the system to better meet European Global Monitoring for Environment and Security program needs, particularly in the areas of forestry and fire.

UK-DMC2 has been funded and developed by SSTL to continue the success of DMC International Imaging (DMCii), which commercially exploits the data and help ensure continuity of the unique service provided by the constellation of DMC satellites for disaster relief and humanitarian aid.

The launch contract has been signed with ISC Kosmotras, with Commercial Space Technologies (CST) acting as the interface between SSTL and the launch agency.

Deimos Imaging (DMI) is part of the Deimos Space Group, and is based in the Boecillo Technology Park, Madrid. DMI is led by the Spanish astronaut Pedro Duque and aims at offering products based on satellite-captured information for use in Earth observation applications. One of the most notable aspects of DMI is the vertical integration of the production chain, which includes its own capture capability through the Deimos-1 satellite, as well as a remote sensing laboratory boasting a high R&D&I capacity.

Ex astronaut Pedro Duque signs DEIMOS deal

nospam@example.com (Robin Wolstenholme) — Fri, 27 Oct 2006 09:56:33 +0100

SSTL were host to ex-ESA astronaut Pedro Duque this month. Pedro worked at ESA (European Space Agency) for 20 years, the last 14 of which were spent as an Astronaut Pedro has visited space twice - on the US shuttle in 1998 and on a Soyuz launched mission to the International Space Station in 2003 as part of the ESA?s Cervantes Mission.

Now, Pedro is the CEO of the new company "Deimos Imaging SL", a subsidiary of Deimos Space SL. Pedro was visiting SSTL so that his company could finalise a contract for an Earth imaging satellite named DEIMOS.

Click the thumbnail to enlarge - (from left to right) James Penson, Adrian Black, Alfonso Barreiro - Deimos Imaging, Petro Duque - Deimos Imaging, Miguel Bello Mora - Deimos Space, Abel Calle Montes - Univerisdad de Vallavolid, Paul Stephens (DMCii), Jenny Lorenzi.

This satellite will be built by SSTL to be ready for launch early in 2008 and will form part of the Disaster Monitoring Constellation (DMC). The satellite will provide imagery for commercial applications, for government use and for rapid-response following disasters.

This contract with SSTL will provide Deimos with an enhanced version of the DMC wide area imaging system. The new system will image 600km wide swaths of the Earth in three spectral bands at a ground resolution of 22 metres, rather than using the standard 32m DMC imager. The contract also covers the provision of the ground system to allow operation of the satellite from Valladolid, Spain and it establishes SSTL as the launch agent for procurement of launch services.

This contract is Deimos' first step into satellite ownership. Since it was formed in 2001, Deimos has grown rapidly to become one of Europe's leading Space consultancies with over 200 staff. Mr Durque commented, "we went to Surrey because they could offer us excellent value with a proven product."

Mr Duque also acknowledged the unique operation of the DMC, "by procuring one satellite, we could benefit from being a part of a larger constellation which is already operational. This means that we can receive data from space before our satellite is launched and, once launched, obtain imagery of Spain far faster than we could with a single satellite. Our business case relies on this."