Flight Model of the SMOS payload, built by EADS Astrium in Spain, ready for final testing at ESA
* Flight model to be launched at the beginning of 2008 will measure Soil Moisture and the Ocean Salinity (SMOS)
* EADS Astrium in Spain is prime contractor for the development of the payload, taking the lead for space companies from Spain and 10 other European countries.
* The SMOS programme is ESA’s most technologically and industrially complex programme ever in Spain
The EADS Astrium built payload for SMOS, The MIRAS (Microwave Imaging Radiometer using Aperture Synthesis) instrument is set to leave Spain following final integration and handover to ESA. The payload will undergo exhaustive testing at ESTEC, the ESA test centre, expected last for most of 2007 before launch due early in 2008.
Madrid, 16 January 2007
The handover was led by Maurici Lucena, Director General of CDTI (Centro para el Desarrollo Tecnológico Industrial which holds the Spanish delegation to ESA); Francisco Fernández-Sáinz, President of EADS CASA; Mercedes Sierra, Director of Aeronautics, Space and Industrial Returns of CDTI; and by Pedro Méndez, Director of EADS CASA ESPACIO.
Also present, were the SMOS Project Manager of ESA and representatives of several institutes including: el INTA, Ciencias del Mar, Instituto Nacional de Meteorología and the Universidad Politécnica de Cataluña. Collaborating Spanish companies, either on the space or ground segments, such as: Mier, GMV, Rymsa, Sener, Crisa, Deimos, Tecnológica, Indra, Iberespacio and INSA, were also represented.
Technological Challenge
SMOS is an Earth observation satellite that will enhance our knowledge about the water cycle on Earth, which in turn will enable better understanding of climatic change in order to protect the environment more efficiently. SMOS forms part of ESA’s “Living Planet” programme.Soil moisture and ocean salinity will be measured with the MIRAS radiometer. These two parameters are of special interest to scientists as they assist in perfecting atmospheric, oceanic and hydrological prediction models. Salinity for example plays an important role in the circulation of the oceans which provoke climatic phenomena such as El Niño or La Niña, causing flooding or droughts. Water content in soil, through evaporation or filtration, affects plant growth. Moreover, the retention of water in soil is crucial to weather and climate because soil moisture is a key variable controlling the exchange of water and heat energy between land and atmosphere. This water cycle has a direct impact on the planet’s fresh water reserves.
The SMOS payload will carry out its mission from an altitude of 763 km. The total weight of the satellite is 350 kg and the span of its open arms is 8 metres. MIRAS has been a real technological challenge since it employs innovative measurement techniques, never tested before in space. To date it has not been possible to measure these parameters from space across the globe. The MIRAS instrument is an interferometric radiometer with aperture synthesis able to detect electromagnetic radiation on Earth within a specific frequency band through its 72 receptors, all measuring radiation simultaneously. Radiometers of this design have the advantage of providing high resolution images through an antenna 10 times smaller than conventional radiometers. This technological breakthrough allows the building of smaller and lighter satellites. The correlation of the receptor signals produce a 50x50 km image pixel with different incidence angles, which are processed to obtain the desired parameters.
Decisive Spanish Step
Almost 10 years ago, EADS Astrium Spain, produced a technical specification of the instrument, in line with the specified scientific requirements from the French CESBIO and the Spanish Instituto de Ciencias del Mar. The technological developments carried out by MIER Comunicaciones were key elements in the Spanish proposal. Two years later, in 1999, MIRAS was pre-selected by the ESA Group of Experts, from a total of 30 other European proposals. This led to a four year period of development phases and demonstrator models.
Finally in June of 2004, EADS Astrium signed the contract for the manufacture of the instrument. As prime contractor, it has been leading the project ahead of the majority of Spain’s space companies, as well as companies from other European companies. They all have contributed to the production of this unprecedented remote sensing instrument.
Support from the Spanish administration has been a key factor in the realisation of this programme, considered to be the most technologically and industrially complex for ESA in Spain. The programme has facilitated the development and installation of the Data Reception and Exploitation Scientific Centre in Spain.
The programme has contributed to the development of a more competitive space sector in Spain, capable of leading system activities and gaining international recognition. The experience gained through this programme is of paramount importance for the realisation of Spain’s next space adventure, the Spanish Earth observation satellite called, SEOSAT.
EADS Astrium, a wholly owned subsidiary of EADS, is dedicated to providing civil and defence space systems. In 2005, EADS Astrium had a turnover of €2.7 billion and 11,000 employees in France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Spain and the Netherlands. It has two main business units: Astrium Space Transportation, for launchers and orbital infrastructure, and Astrium Satellites for spacecraft and ground segment. Its wholly owned subsidiary, Astrium Services, develops and delivers satellite services. 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
Rémi Roland
EADS Astrium (FR)
Tel.: +33 (0)1 77 75 80 37
Jeremy Close
EADS Astrium (UK)
Tel.: +44 (0)1438 77 38 72
Mathias Pikelj
EADS Astrium (GER)
Tel.: +49 (0)7545 8 91 23
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