Next generation DMC satellites for 2008 launch

Tuesday, October 9. 2007
Launch updates

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.

Posted by Robin Wolstenholme in DEIMOS, Launch updates at 14:39 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0)
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Aliens at mission control Guildford

Monday, July 16. 2007
In the news

Can you spot the Alien? Image courtesy of TopSat Consortium
As part of Open University's "James May's 20th Century" television program, the Top Gear presenter visited Mission Control in Guildford. In the program James took a journey through the 20th century by "trying out for himself some of the most surprising and influential technological advances of the past hundred years".

James asked SSTL if he could 'borrow' a satellite to take a photograph of the Earth. Well, an area the size of a tennis court to be precise. A BBC production team, with the help of SSTL staff, spread white sheets on land adjacent to the small satellite manufacturer's headquarters in Guildford, carefully designed to represent a "Space Invader" alien when viewed from above. SSTL's operations team then programmed a series of images which did indeed capture the alien.

The satellite tasked for the image was TopSat. Weighing just 90kg, TopSat was designed and built by SSTL for UK-customer, QinetiQ. The 2.5m imaging system was designed and built by Rutherford Appleton Laboratory. The satellite, which was launched in October 2005, orbits 700km above the Earth and was designed as a technology demonstrator Earth observation mission for the UK Ministry of Defence.

Posted by Robin Wolstenholme in In the news, TopSat at 10:09 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0)
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NigeriaSat-2 PDR gets thumbs up

Thursday, June 28. 2007

SSTL have successfully completed the Preliminary Design Review (PDR) for NigeriaSat-2. The 300kg satellite will provide Nigeria with valuable geographically referenced high-resolution satellite imaging for applications in mapping, water resources management, agricultural land use, population estimation, health hazard monitoring and disaster mitigation and management, and will enable Nigeria to join the second generation Disaster Monitoring Constellation (DMC).

The PDR marks a significant milestone for the project and reflects the confidence of Nigeria's National Space Research And Development Agency (NASDRA) that the design proposed by SSTL will achieve their mission objectives.

Click to enlarge
The next step for NigeriaSat-2 is the Critical Design Review (or CDR). In the interim, SSTL will finalise the design of the NigeriaSat-2 spacecraft and ground segment and plans for the full satellite manufacture will be implemented. This is an exciting period for the small satellite manufacturer, because NigeriaSat-2 will use a new, more agile satellite platform (pictured left).

The PDR included the kick-off for the NX spacecraft, which the Nigerian engineers being trained at SSTL and the University Of Surrey will build alongside NigeriaSat-2 under the supervision of SSTL engineers as part of their Know-How Transfer and Training (KHTT) scheme. The Nigerian engineers presented the work undertaken during their training at SSTL and are preparing for the next stage, Mission Design Review, which will take place in August.

Customer representatives from the National Space Research & Development Agency (NASRDA), along with their technical advisors, Telesat of Canada, attended seven days of meetings at SSTL's headquarters in Guildford as part of the PDR.

NigeriaSat-2 is scheduled for launch in 2009.

Posted by Robin Wolstenholme in NIGERIASAT-2 at 11:52 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0)
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