Press release
13KB
june 14, 2016 - Airbus
SpaceDataHighway: first laser transmission of an image taken by the Sentinel 1A satellite
2 June 2016
The progress made in the testing of the first SpaceDataHighway satellite confirms operational start of service for July 2016
EDRS-A, the first relay satellite for the EDRS-SpaceDataHighway programme, launched on 30 January 2016, successfully transmitted the first image taken by the Sentinel 1A radar satellite. The mage, taken over La Reunion Island and its coastal area, was transmitted and received by the #airbus Defence and Space’s Mission Operation Center (MOC) in Germany in about 1 minute. The orbital testing programme being carried out by the #airbus Defence and Space engineers is running nominally and confirms that operational start of service will take
place in July 2016.
The SpaceDataHighway system will provide high-speed laser communication in space at up to 1.8 gigabits per second. This major programme, which cost nearly €500 m to develop, is the result of a public-private partnership (PPP) between the European Space Agency (ESA) and #airbus Defence and Space.
Thanks to the laser technology developed by Tesat Spacecom, an #airbus Defence and Space subsidiary, the SpaceDataHighway will be able to transfer high-volume information from Earth observation satellites, UAVs and surveillance aircraft, or even from a space station such as the ISS. Thanks to the very high communication rates possible with lasers (up to 1.8 Gbit/s) and the geostationary orbit positioning of the relay satellites, up to 50 terabytes per day can be transmitted securely in near-real-time to Earth, as opposed to the delay of several hours currently experienced.
The European Commission will be the first customer of the SpaceDataHighway system The Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 satellites of Copernicus, the European Earth observation programme, are equipped with laser communication terminals that will significantly accelerate the delivery of time-critical data and large volumes of data to Earth monitoring centres. In case of crisis or natural disaster management, up-to-date information is crucial for the authorities to prepare the most appropriate emergency response.
“SpaceDataHighway is no longer science fiction. It will revolutionise satellite communications, and help to keep the European space industry at the forefront of technology and innovative services,” said Evert Dudok, Head of the Communications, Intelligence & Security (CIS) business line at #airbus Defence and Space.
Magali Vaissiere, ESA Director of Telecommunications and Integrated Applications, said at the Berlin Airshow today: “With today’s first link, EDRS is close to becoming operational, providing services to the Copernicus Sentinel Satellites for the European Commission.
As lead contractor of the SpaceDataHighway PPP, #airbus Defence and Space co-finances, designs, manufactures and operates the system as well as commercialising it. The German national aeronautics and space research centre (DLR) is also participating in financing the
system and also in the development and operation of the ground segment. Eleven European countries are also involved in the consortium.
Positioned at 9° East, this first communication node of the SpaceDataHighway system will be able to establish laser links with orbiting observation satellites and UAVs positioned over Europe, Africa, Latin America, the Middle East and the eastern coast of North America. A
second satellite will be launched in 2017, which will extend the coverage, capacity and redundancy of the system. #airbus Defence and Space and ESA are looking for partnerships to further expand the SpaceDataHighway programme by 2020, with a third node to be positioned over the Asia-Pacific region. The Pacific Rim region, for instance, has witnessed its communication needs for airborne missions rise dramatically.
About #airbus Defence and Space
Airbus Defence and Space is a division of #airbus Group formed by combining the business activities of Cassidian, Astrium and #airbus Military. The new division is Europe’s number one defence and space enterprise, the second largest space business worldwide and among the top ten global defence enterprises. It employs more than 38,000 employees generating revenues of approximately €13 billion per year.
sdh-1st-image x516 y290
516x290, 30KB
all sentinel satellites
516x362, 52KB
Related news |
||
|
|
|
february 15, 2024
|
december 07, 2023
|
august 02, 2023
|
|
735 commercial aircraft deliveredRevenues € 65.4 billion; EBIT Adjusted € 5.8 billionEBIT (reported) € 4.6 billion; EPS (reported)... |
+++ Submissions from students, researchers and professional experts in Quantum Technologies are welcomed through April 30, 2024 ++... |
+++ BMW Group, Airbus and Quantinuum joined forces and achieved breakthrough in Quantum Science +++ Utilization of Quantum Compute... |
Download all 
You might be interested in |
||
|
|
|
february 02, 2023
|
january 12, 2023
|
november 30, 2022
|
|
Qatar Airways and #Airbus are pleased to have reached an amicable and mutually agreeable settlement in relation to their legal dis... |
● Developments in flight safety and operational efficiency● Automatic landing, incapacity and taxi assistance explored in a demons... |
Partnership to mature technologies associated with next-generation battery systems @Airbus @renaultgroup #electrification #hybridi... |
Download all 
Share
Share via mail 
Automotive
Sport
Events
Art&Culture
Design
Fashion&Beauty
Food&Hospitality
Technology
Nautica
Racing
Excellence
Corporate
OffBeat
Green
Gift
Pop
Heritage
Entertainment
Health & Wellness