Topsat sends high-res images of Earth
A
Qinetiq product story
Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team
Dec 20, 2005
First high resolution images of the Earth transmitted by Topsat, the micro-satellite designed and built by a Qinetiq-led consortium of British firms, received at West Freugh ground station.
The first high resolution images of the Earth transmitted by Topsat, the micro-satellite designed and built by a Qinetiq-led consortium of British firms, have been received at Qinetiq's West Freugh ground station.
The Earth observation satellite was launched from the Plesetsk cosmodrome in northern Russia on 27 October 2005.
Topsat can provide 2.8m resolution images at a reduced cost compared with larger satellites.
Applications include mineral and petroleum exploration, forestry, flood monitoring and fighting maritime oil pollution.
The images are delivered in near-real time, so it can support disaster relief operations following landslides, earthquakes and other emergencies.
Images can also be delivered to customers in situ via Qinetiq's Rapids mobile data ground station.
Topsat was designed and built by a consortium of British companies.
Qinetiq's role included systems design and technical authority, provision of the major payload electronics units, operations management and ground segment.
Surrey Satellite Technology developed and manufactured the satellite platform and was responsible for the integration of the payload testing, arranging the launch at Cosmos, and commissioning the satellite platform in orbit.
Rutherford Appleton Laboratory designed and manufactured the camera and Infoterra is marketing Topsat data products.
The programme was jointly funded by the British National Space Centre and the UK Ministry of Defence at a mission cost below £14m.
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