Misplaced Pages

#438561

55-596: The first satellite, Sentinel-1A, launched on 3 April 2014, and Sentinel-1B was launched on 25 April 2016. Both satellites lifted off from the Guiana Space Centre in Kourou , French Guiana , and each on a Soyuz rocket. Sentinel-1C and 1D are in development. An equipment failure on Sentinel-1B in December 2021 accelerated work on Sentinel-1C, originally planned to launch in December 2023. The satellites have

110-404: A Sun-synchronous , near-polar (98.18° inclination) orbit. Their orbits have a 12-day repeat cycle and complete 175 orbits per cycle (having a 98.6 minute orbital period). The satellites operate at 693 km (431 mi) altitude, with 3-axis altitude stabilization. The European Space Agency and European Commission's policies makes Sentinel-1's data easily accessible. Various users can acquire

165-515: A defective satellite . The project is entitled "DEOS" (German orbital servicing mission), and consists of two satellites, a 'client' and a 'servicer'. The client acts as the satellite requiring maintenance or disposal. The servicer carries out the necessary work on the client. The two spacecraft will be launched together into low Earth orbit of 550 kilometres (340 mi). As of 2012 , the mission "will be ready for launch in 2018." In 2010 Astrium signed with JSC NC Kazakhstan Gharysh Sapary (KGS),

220-691: A turnover of €5.8 billion and 18,000 employees in France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Spain and the Netherlands. Astrium was a member of Institute of Space, its Applications and Technologies . In late 2013 Astrium was merged with Cassidian , the defence division of EADS, as well as Airbus Military to form Airbus Defence and Space . EADS itself was rebranded Airbus Group , with three divisions: Airbus Commercial Aircraft , Airbus Defence and Space , and Airbus Helicopters . During 2006–2013,

275-521: A central frequency at 5.405 GHz. This instrument has a spatial resolution down to 5 m (16 ft) and a swath of up to 410 km (250 mi). The data collected in C-SAR was made to be continuous after the termination of a previous mission (Envisat mission). The DSHA has an active data storage capacity of about 1,443  Gbit (168 GiB ), receiving data streams from SAR-SES over two independent links gathering SAR_H and SAR_V polarization, with

330-473: A former penal colony including the infamous Devil's Island . Now a tourist site, the islands are under the launching trajectory for geosynchronous orbit and have to be evacuated during launches. As of 2017 , Kourou counts amongst the spaceports with the highest percentage of successful launches, both successive and overall. Here is a chronology of all orbital launches from the Kourou spaceport since 1970, under

385-491: A more accurate measure of soil moisture estimates. Observations from both instruments show them to be complementary of each other as they combine data of soil moisture contents. A summary of the main applications of Sentinel-1 include: The C-SAR instrument is capable of measuring land subsidence through the creation of interferometric synthetic-aperture radar (InSAR) images. The analysis of phase changes between two or more synthetic aperture radar images taken at different times

440-544: A rocket launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station , with a latitude of 28.5°, can only be launched to an inclination of 28.5°, requiring a significant amount of propellant to change the inclination. The location of the Guiana Space Centre provides benefits for launching spacecraft into low-inclination or geostationary Earth orbits. Rockets of similar size to those used at other spaceports to place satellites into geostationary transfer orbit (GTO), such as

495-477: A variable data rate up to 640 Mbit/s on each link, and providing 520 Mbit/s X-band fixed-user data-downlink capability over two independent channels towards ground. Sentinel-1 has four operational modes and four types of data products available. All data levels are publicly available for free online within 24 hours of observation. The four operational modes offered by Sentinel-1 are: The four types of data products offered by Sentinel-1 are: There are

550-607: A wide range of applications for the data collected via the Sentinel-1 mission, including marine and land monitoring, emergency response to environmental disasters, and economic applications. A major goal of the mission was to provide C-Band SAR data. Sentinel-1 provides continuity of data from the ERS and Envisat missions, with further enhancements in terms of revisit, coverage, timeliness and reliability of service. Recently, Sentinel-1 has worked in conjunction with SMAP to help achieve

605-482: Is able to create maps of the digital elevation and measure the land surface deformation of an area. High spatial (20m) and temporal (6 days) resolutions allow Sentinel-1 to improve on current InSAR techniques and provide systematic continuity to the data. Shortly after the August 2014 South Napa earthquake , data collected by Sentinel-1A was used to develop an interferometric synthetic-aperture radar , or InSAR, image of

SECTION 10

#1732766252439

660-606: Is located 2.8 km (1.7 mi) from the ELA-3 launch zone. The mobile launch table completes the trip with an Ariane 5 in about one hour. It is then secured in place over the launch pad's flame ducts. Fire safety is ensured by a detachment of the Paris Fire Brigade , a branch of the French Army . Security around the base is ensured by French Gendarmerie forces, assisted by the 3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment of

715-573: Is located along the Route de l'Espace in the Roche Christine site at 5°15′45″N 52°47′27″W  /  5.26258°N 52.79074°W  / 5.26258; -52.79074 , between ELA-3 and ELS launch facilities. CNES was responsible for the construction of the Ariane 6 ground segments including the new launch pad. Earthworks on the 150 hectare launch site began at the end of June 2015 and

770-415: Is located approximately 500 kilometres (310 mi; 270 nmi) north of the equator at a latitude of 5°. In operation since 1968, it is a suitable location for a spaceport because of its near equatorial location and open sea to the east and north. At CSG, space launches are conducted by several European private companies and government agencies working together. The CSG land itself is managed by CNES ,

825-420: Is responsible for delivering the following services and systems: In June 2007, EADS Astrium announced it would be entering the space tourism sector. On 20 June 2007 the company unveiled a model of the space jet, a one-stage sub-orbital hybrid craft, utilising both jet and rocket engines. Carrying four passengers, the space jet would take off from regular airports using conventional jet engines. After flying to

880-760: The Ariane 5 launcher, the Columbus Module of the International Space Station , and the ATV , as well as a number of smaller projects (most notably Phoenix ). It also builds launchers for the French nuclear missile program (see also Military of France ), such as the M51 SLBM . It joined the team led by Lockheed Martin for a bid on NASA 's Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV), being in charge of

935-585: The Ariane 6 and Avio for the Vega . In 1964, Guiana was selected to become the spaceport of France, replacing France's first launch site Centre interarmées d'essais d'engins spéciaux in Hammaguir , Algeria. In 1975, France offered to share Kourou with the ESA, with ESA covering today two thirds of Guiana Space Centre's budget. Commercial launches are also bought by non-European companies. ESA pays two-thirds of

990-489: The French Foreign Legion . Before and during launch windows, CSG facility security is significantly enhanced by anti-personnel and anti-aircraft measures, the exact configurations of which are classified by the French military. All entrants to the launch complex are also subject to checks for proof of permission to enter the facility. The Guiana Space Centre (as per CNES) also contains the Îles du Salut ,

1045-634: The Proton and Ariane 5 rockets , can send similar payloads to a low Earth orbit (LEO). For example, the Proton rocket, launched from high latitudes in Russia, can only send 6,270   kg to GTO, while the Kourou-launched Ariane 5 can send more than 10,000   kg to GTO. Originally built in the 1960s under the name of Base Équatoriale du CECLES (English: ELDO Equatorial Base ),

1100-586: The safe transport of Airbus integrated spacecraft in a horizontal position when sending them worldwide to launch sites. After Evert Dudok took over from Antoine Bouvier as Head of EADS Astrium Satellites on 11 June 2007, Alain Charmeau assumed responsibility of the management of EADS Astrium Space Transportation. Astrium Services is the services division of EADS Astrium. The services division specializes in military satellite communications services and currently employs about 2,200 personnel. Astrium Services

1155-573: The Collective of 500 Brothers led protests in Kourou, which spread across the entire country, and resonated in mainland France. On 21 March 2017, the launch of an Ariane 5 rocket carrying a Brazilian satellite and a South Korean satellite was prevented due to protesters and workers on strike from the CSG blockading the centre. Further strikes and occupation of the space centre meant that the satellites were not launched until May 2017. Negotiations between

SECTION 20

#1732766252439

1210-663: The European Space Agency (ESA), with the organisation covering around 66% of the spaceport's annual budget, as well as financing new facilities. Indigenous and local activist groups argue that mainland France is only interested in French Guiana as far as the space centre is concerned, and the funding that the space centre receives is symbolic given the inequity in living standards seen between the department and mainland France. For example, despite there being high poverty levels and unemployment rates of over 20% in

1265-417: The French and European space programmes.    Success       Failure       Partial Failure       Scheduled The space sector was responsible for about 15% of French Guiana's GDP in 2014, around half of the 28% it was in 1990. This reduction is mostly due to expansion in other sectors, rather than decreasing space activity. As of 2020,

1320-509: The French government and Guianese protesters resulted in a rejection of a €1.1 billion offer made by the French, with the Guianese demanding at least €3 billion in aid. Since the protests, CNES (National Centre for Space Studies), the French government space agency that operates the spaceport, added an additional €10 million to the €40 million it had already pledged to fund economic and social programmes in French Guiana. Particularly regarding

1375-481: The French national space agency. The launch infrastructure built on the CSG land is owned by the European Space Agency . The private company Arianespace operates the launches including planning missions, handing customer relationships and overseeing the team at CSG at that integrates and prepares vehicles for launch. The rockets themselves are designed and produced by other companies, ArianeGroup for

1430-608: The Guiana launch site. The ELS project is being co-funded by Arianespace, ESA, and the European Union , with CNES being the prime contractor. The project has a projected cost of approximately €320 million, where €120 million are allocated for modernizing the Soyuz vehicle. The official opening of the launch site construction occurred on 27 February 2007. On 13 September 2010, Spaceflight Now reported that after several delays in

1485-513: The Russians will get access to the Kourou spaceport for launching their own payloads with Soyuz rockets. Russia will use the Guiana Space Centre in addition to Baikonur Cosmodrome . The Guiana location has the significant benefit of greatly increased payload capability, owing to the near equatorial position. A Soyuz rocket with a 1.7 tones to geostationary transfer orbit performance from Baikonur will increase its payload potential to 2.8 tones from

1540-509: The T/R modules, the C-band synthetic-aperture radar antenna, the advanced data management and transmission subsystems, and the on-board computer, were developed in L'Aquila and Milan. The C-SAR instrument is the responsibility of Astrium Gmbh. The ground segment prime contractor is Astrium with subcontractors Telespazio , WERUM , Advanced Computer Systems and Aresys . Final test verification of

1595-468: The United Kingdom. As of 15 October 2012, the CEO of Astrium is Eric Beranger who took over from Evert Dudok . Astrium was formed in 2000 by the merger of Matra Marconi Space (itself formed from French and British companies) with the space division of DaimlerChrysler Aerospace AG and Computadores Redes e Ingeniería SA . Henceforth Astrium was a joint venture between EADS and BAE Systems . On 16 June 2003

1650-482: The affected region. The Sentinel-1 satellites are expected to make analysis of earthquakes using InSAR techniques quicker and simpler. The prime contractor of the mission is Thales Alenia Space Italy, with whole system integration and also with production of platform Spacecraft Management Unit (SMU) and payload Data Storage and Handling Assembly (DSHA). Sentinel-1A was constructed in Rome, Italy. Other technologies such as

1705-568: The colonial history the site has been identified as carrying a heritage of colonialism and imperialism into space . Astrium Astrium was a European aerospace company and subsidiary of the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS), headquartered in Paris . It designed, developed and manufactured civil and military space systems and provided related services from 2006 to 2013. In 2012, Astrium had

Sentinel-1 - Misplaced Pages Continue

1760-502: The construction of a mobile gantry the launch pad had been finished, and the first flight of the Soyuz was expected to occur in early 2011. By October 2010, 18 launch contracts were signed. Arianespace has ordered 24 launchers from Russian industry. On 21 October 2011, two Galileo IOV-1 and IOV-2 satellites were launched using a Soyuz-ST rocket, in the "first Russian Soyuz vehicle ever launched from Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana.". On 26 February 2022, Roscosmos announced that it

1815-719: The craft's Mission Module . The team won a contract from NASA in June 2005. In 2005, EADS Astrium Space Transportation started a campaign in favour of a project called LIFE , for astronomy from the Moon surface. The company has facilities in France ( Les Mureaux near Paris and Saint-Médard-en-Jalles near Bordeaux ) and in Germany; the main facility in Germany is located in Bremen . These manufacturing facilities utilise specialist CTH03 and CTH04 high technology equipment containers which allow

1870-412: The data and use it for public, scientific, or commercial purposes for free. Sentinel-1 spacecraft are designed to carry a C-band synthetic-aperture radar (C-SAR) instrument which provides a collection of data in all-weather, day or night, as well as an SDRAM -based Data Storage and Handling Assembly (DSHA). The single C-SAR instrument with its electronics provides 1 dB radiometric accuracy with

1925-545: The decision had been made in January of that year. In September, 2012, Astrium won a €13 million mission definition and design contract from the DLR Space Administration to build a two-vehicle set of spacecraft to demonstrate several technologies necessary for on-orbit satellite servicing , including spacecraft refuelling , in order to enable satellite mission extension and also controlled disposal of

1980-469: The department, the cost of living remains high due to a dependence on mainland France for imported food and resources, yet large amounts of funding are invested in the space programme, rather than in public services for the department. The department became the site of strikes and protests throughout March and April 2017, which were held to highlight the insecurity and infrastructural issues facing French Guiana. Alongside 30 labour unions who launched strikes,

2035-542: The east reduces the potential risk of rocket stages and debris from launch failures falling on or near human settlements, which enhances safety during spaceflight activities. Furthermore, rockets typically launch towards the east to take advantage of Earth's rotation and the angular momentum it provides. The near-equatorial location of the Guiana Space Centre offers an advantage for launches to low- inclination or geostationary Earth orbits, as rockets can be launched into orbits with an inclination of as low as 6°. In contrast,

2090-530: The frame of the Skynet 5 contract for the UK Ministry of Defence became the major constituent of EADS SPACE Services. CASA Espacio became part of EADS Astrium on 1 January 2004. EADS Astrium is the sole shareholder of Infoterra Ltd . On 1 July 2006, the French division of EADS Astrium, EADS Astrium SAS, merged with other French subsidiaries of EADS Space (especially EADS Space Transportation). The name of

2145-586: The minority shareholder, BAE Systems, sold its 25% share to EADS, making EADS the sole shareholder. Astrium became EADS Astrium Satellites and in a wider restructuring became the major constituent of EADS Astrium , which also included EADS Astrium Space Transportation and EADS Astrium Services . In this restructuring the former Astrium Space Infrastructure division merged with EADS Launchers & Vehicles division to form EADS SPACE Transportation, which became later EADS Astrium Space Transportation. Also, Paradigm Secure Communications , initially created by Astrium in

2200-533: The national company charged with the development of Kazakhstan's space programme, a contract for a Satellite Assembly, Integration and Test (AIT) Centre in Astana . Under the contract Astrium will provide and install the various test equipment (mechanical, radiometric, thermal and acoustic facilities) at the new AIT Centre. Astrium will also assist KGS in the construction of the AIT Centre to ensure coordination with

2255-414: The needed altitude, the rockets would then be fired. After reaching its final altitude of 100 km, passengers would experience weightlessness for three minutes. Tickets were expected to cost up to €200,000 with flights possibly beginning in 2012. EADS estimated the development cost would approach 1 billion Euros. In March 2009 EADS Astrium confirmed that the programme had been placed on hold indefinitely;

Sentinel-1 - Misplaced Pages Continue

2310-421: The new company thus became Astrium SAS . Equivalent mergers have been achieved in 2006 in the other countries. EADS Astrium Space Transportation was formed in June 2003 from the consolidation of EADS' launch vehicles division (formerly Aérospatiale 's space division) and the space infrastructure division of Astrium (whose core was originally ERNO ). Until July 2006 it was called EADS Space Transportation and

2365-413: The pad hosted an Ariane-2 and two Ariane-3 launches. The complex consisted of two areas: the launcher preparation zone and the launch pad, separated by one kilometre, allowing a launcher to be assembled in the preparation zone while another launch from the pad. A mobile service tower at the launch pad provided a protected environment for payload installation and final preparation of the rocket. Following

2420-539: The pad located at 5°14′10″N 52°46′30″W  /  5.236°N 52.775°W  / 5.236; -52.775 was designed for the Europa-II launch vehicle . One Europa-II was launched from the site in 1971, which ended in failure due to a guidance problem, before the program was cancelled. The pad at Giunana was demolished and subsequently rebuilt as the first launch complex for Ariane as ELA ( Ensemble de Lancement Ariane ). Redesignated later as ELA-1 , it

2475-453: The retirement of the Ariane 4 in favor of the Ariane 5 , In September 2011, the pad's service tower was demolished using explosives. ELA-3 ( Ensemble de Lancement Ariane-3 ) was active between 4 June 1996 and 5 July 2023, launching the Ariane 5 . This facility is located at 5°14′20″N 52°46′05″W  /  5.239°N 52.768°W  / 5.239; -52.768 and covers an area of 21 km (8.1 sq mi). ELA4

2530-557: The satellite was completed at Thales Alenia Space's clean rooms in Rome and Cannes. Examples of images produced from Sentinel-1 data. Guiana Space Centre Download coordinates as: The Guiana Space Centre (French: Centre spatial guyanais ; CSG ), also called Europe's Spaceport , is a spaceport to the northwest of Kourou in French Guiana , a overseas region of France in South America . Kourou

2585-401: The space centre was selected based on various factors. One of the primary benefits of this spaceport is its proximity to the equator , which makes it more efficient, requiring substantially less energy, to launch spacecraft into an near-equatorial , geostationary orbit compared to launching from spaceports at higher latitudes . Additionally, the centre's location adjacent to the open sea to

2640-438: The space sector employed 4,620 people in Guiana, meaning the industry was responsible for just under 10% of salaried jobs in the overseas department, though there are estimates that as many as 9,000 people are employed directly and indirectly as a result of activities at the spaceport. The Guiana Space Centre (or CSG) is one of the spaceports in the world that receives the most traffic, and it receives large amounts of funding from

2695-440: The spaceport's annual budget and has also financed the upgrades made during the development of the Ariane launchers. On 4 April 2017, the center was occupied by 30 labour unions and indigenous peoples leaders in the midst of the 2017 social unrest in French Guiana . The center resumed operation on 24 April 2017, after an emergency relief plan of up to 2.1 billion euros was authorized by the French government. The location of

2750-478: The three main areas of activity within Astrium were: Astrium Satellites was one of the three business units of Astrium. It was specialized in the manufacturing of spacecraft used for science, Earth observation and telecommunications, as well as the equipment and subsystems used therein and related ground systems. EADS Astrium Satellites employed around 8,348 people on nine sites in France, Germany, Spain and

2805-402: Was a fully owned subsidiary of EADS Space . In July 2006 the three subsidiaries of EADS Space (EADS Space Transportation, EADS Astrium, and EADS Space Services) were reintegrated into one company, EADS Astrium, of which EADS Astrium Space Transportation became a business division. Currently 4397 employees work in the launcher segment. The Space Transportation company is the prime contractor for

SECTION 50

#1732766252439

2860-635: Was completed at the start of 2016. Four platforms were levelled to accommodate the launch pad, the liquid oxygen and hydrogen tanks and the assembly building. Civil engineering works on the flame trench and other buildings began in the summer of 2016 and ended in 2019. The new launch facility was inaugurated on 28 September 2021 with first flight of the Ariane 6 conducted on 9 July 2024. ESA has built ELS ( Ensemble de Lancement Soyouz ) at 5°18′18″N 52°50′02″W  /  5.305°N 52.834°W  / 5.305; -52.834 for launching Russian-built Soyuz-2 rockets. The first Soyuz launch from ELS

2915-488: Was postponed several times, but launched on 21 October 2011. ELS is located on the territory of Sinnamary commune, 27 km (17 mi) from Kourou harbor. It is 10 km (6.2 mi) northwest of the site used for the Ariane 5 launches. Under the terms of the Russo-European joint venture, ESA will augment its own launch vehicle fleet with Soyuz rockets – using them to launch ESA or commercial payloads – and

2970-745: Was suspending operations at ELS as a reaction to international sanctions during the Russo-Ukrainian War . According to Stephane Israël , CEO of Arianespace, "there will no longer be Soyuz launches" from the Guiana Space Center. Astrium assembles each Ariane 5 launcher in the Launcher Integration Building. The vehicle is then delivered to the Final Assembly Building for payload integration by Arianespace. The Final Assembly Building

3025-541: Was used for Ariane 1 and Ariane 2 and 3 launches until being retired in 1989. In November 2001, it was refurbished again for the Vega rocket and renamed ELV ( Ensemble de Lancement Vega ). The first launch was on 13 February 2012. The ELA-2 pad ( Ensemble de Lancement Ariane-2 ), located at 5°13′55″N 52°46′34″W  /  5.232°N 52.776°W  / 5.232; -52.776 , built in 1986, had been used for Ariane 4 launches from 1988 until 2003. Before 1988, although purpose-built for Ariane 4 ,

#438561