Pléiades-HR 1

Spacecraft nº:

France spacecraft nº: 66

Launch data: Designation  38012 / 11076F Launch date  17 Dec 2011 - 02:03 UT Launch site  CSG, ELS Launch vehicle  Soyuz ST-A Mission  Government: Earth observing, Imaging Sun-Synchronous LEO Earth orbit: Perigee / Apogee  598 x 611 km Eccentricity  9,32E-04 Inclination  97.99 deg Period  96.98 min

Spacecraft data:

Description:

• Pléiades is the CNES (French national space agency) program designed as the follow-on to its highly successful Spot series of low Earth orbit multi-mission observation satellites, which has operated an uninterrupted service since 1986.
• The Pléiades HR satellites are the high-resolution optical imaging component of the French-Italian Orfeo system, for which Italy is supplying the COSMO-Skymed radar component.
• Led by CNES, the French space agency, Pleiades 1 will collect high-resolution optical imagery for military and civilian users. The Pleiades system is also partially funded by Belgium, Sweden, Spain and Austria. It will complement France's Helios government spy satellites and the Spot series of commercial imaging craft. Designed for a five-year mission, the agile Pleiades satellites each carry a Korsch telescope built by Thales Alenia Space with a primary mirror 2.1 feet (0.6 m) in diameter. Its CCD detectors are 40 times more sensitive to light than those in standard consumer digital cameras, according to CNES.
• Optical component of the ORFEO system developed in cooperation with Italy -- Very high resolution panchromatic and multispectral Earth observation satellite.

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 high resolution imaging satellite, operated by CNES for the French Ministry of Defense. Orbit of Pleiades is 676 x 692 km x 98.2 deg.
• 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.