Myriade Credit - ESA

Myriade was a micro-satellite product line developed jointly by EADS Astrium and the French Space Agency CNES beginning in 1998.

The Myriade program was principally designed for scientific, application and technology missions, in response to increasing demand from the scientific community for quicker, cheaper access to space, with the accent on enhanced payload capacity in terms of mass, power, pointing accuracy, telemetry and processing and orbit control propulsion. The program was also envisaged for institutional or export opportunities. The first mission flying this platform was CNES' scientific microsat Demeter, launched in June 2004, followed by the French MoD system for electro-magnetic environment analysis, Essaim.

Design Life: 3 years. Mass: 125 kg (275 lb).

• 2004 December 18 - Parasol - Launch Site: Kourou. Launch Complex: ELA3. Launch Vehicle: Ariane 5. Mass: 125 kg (275 lb). Perigee: 659 km (409 mi). Apogee: 673 km (418 mi). Inclination: 98.08 deg. Period: 97.91 min.
  Parasol carried a wide-field imaging radiometer/polarimeter called POLDER (Polarization and Directionality of the Earth’s Reflectances), designed in partnership with the LOA atmospheric optics laboratory in Lille (CNRS-USTL). POLDER was designed to improve the knowledge of the radiative and microphysical properties of clouds and aerosols by measuring the directionality and polarization of light reflected by the Earth-atmosphere system.

• 2004 December 18 - Essaim 4 - Launch Site: Kourou. Launch Complex: ELA3. Launch Vehicle: Ariane 5. Mass: 120 kg (260 lb). Perigee: 651 km (404 mi). Apogee: 670 km (410 mi). Inclination: 98.10 deg. Period: 98.00 min.
  

• 2004 December 18 - Essaim 3 - Launch Site: Kourou. Launch Complex: ELA3. Launch Vehicle: Ariane 5. Mass: 120 kg (260 lb). Perigee: 654 km (406 mi). Apogee: 667 km (414 mi). Inclination: 98.10 deg. Period: 98.00 min.
  

• 2004 December 18 - Essaim 2 - Launch Site: Kourou. Launch Complex: ELA3. Launch Vehicle: Ariane 5. Mass: 120 kg (260 lb). Perigee: 657 km (408 mi). Apogee: 664 km (412 mi). Inclination: 98.10 deg. Period: 98.00 min.
  

• 2004 December 18 - Essaim 1 - Launch Site: Kourou. Launch Complex: ELA3. Launch Vehicle: Ariane 5. Mass: 120 kg (260 lb). Perigee: 663 km (411 mi). Apogee: 673 km (418 mi). Inclination: 98.08 deg. Period: 97.96 min.
  The Essaim demonstrator was a system of several micro-satellites (Essaim means 'swarm' in French) for 'analysis of the electro-magnetic environment of the Earth's surface' (electronic intelligence). DGA, the French Ministry of Defence's procurement agency, developed the project. The system also comprised a ground control segment and a ground station for data processing. It was called a 'demonstrator' since the mission's objective was to assess the operational capability of such a system, paving the way for the next generation. The Essaim satellites were based on EADS Astrium's Myriade multipurpose micro-satellite. In early 2000, the DGA awarded the contract for the development, manufacturing of this turnkey system of micro-satellites and associated ground segment. Under the contract, EADS Astrium was also responsible for personnel training and system operations during the three-year life duration of the programme.