ELISA 3

Spacecraft nº:

France spacecraft nº: 64

Launch data: Designation  38009 / 11076C Launch date  17 Dec 2011 - 02:03 UT Launch site  CSG, ELS Launch vehicle  Soyuz ST-A Mission  Military: Sigint, ELINT Polar LEO Earth orbit: Perigee / Apogee  677 x 692 km Eccentricity  1,06E-03 Inclination  98.21 deg Period  98.46 min

Spacecraft data: Prime manufacturer  EADS Astrium Platform  Myriade Operator  DGA Mass at launch  135 kg Dry Mass   kg Basic shape   Dimension (m)   Equipment   Solar array   Stabilization   Propulsion   DC power   Design lifetime  Still active

Description:

• ELISA (ELectronic Intelligence by SAtellite) is a demonstration project sponsored by the French defence procurements agency (DGA). It will prepare the ground for the future operational programme ROEM (Elint) for mapping the positions of radar and other transmitters throughout the world and determining their technical characteristics.
• In-orbit elint demonstration project. Will identify ground-based radars and other telecommunications sources; to be replaced by operational ELINT system by end of decade.

Mission details:

• The second Soyuz launch from French Guiana was a Soyuz ST-A, the Soyuz-2-1a model with the old-style engine in the third stage. The upper stage was Fregat No. 1021. Main payload was the 970 kg Pleiades 1a.
• Four 120 kg electronic intelligence satellites for the DGA (French military procurement agency) and SSOT (Fasat-Charlie), an imaging satellite for the Chilean Air Force, were also carried. The Elisa payloads were attached to the ASAP-S dispenser, which was ejected to reveal the SSOT satellite underneath.