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SPOT-5A-5B

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Helios 2A Credit: Manufacturer Image

AKA: Satellite Probatoire d'Observation de la Terre. Status: Operational 2002. First Launch: 2002-05-04. Last Launch: 2012-09-17. Number: 3 . Gross mass: 3,000 kg (6,600 lb). Unfuelled mass: 2,850 kg (6,280 lb).

The system provided 5 m resolution in the panchromatic band and 10 m resolution in the multispectral bands.

SPOT 5A and 5B were the next generation of this series. Additional program support came from Belgium and Sweden. Image products from SPOT were handled by a commercial entity, SPOT-Image Corp. The spacecraft was 3-axis stabilized, with a 150 Mbps downlink rate. The payload included the HRG (High Resolution Geometry) instrument for multispectral imaging of the earth's surface. Each spacecraft carried three HRGs, one looking forward, one looking down, and one looking aft.

Total SPOT budget was $ 5 billion. Original budget was $ 1150 million for 2 units; this was cut to $ 680 million for 1 unit in June 1986. Alcatel's payload contract for $ 92.6 million was signed on 2 February 1995.

Helios 2 French military surveillance satellite. French military surveillance satellite series which began service in 2004. Reconnaissance, electro-optical satellite built by Astrium for DGA, France. Launched 2004 - 2009. Used the SPOT Mk.3 bus.

Metop European earth weather satellite. MetOp was Europe's first polar-orbiting satellite dedicated to operational meteorology. Meteorology satellite built by Astrium for ESA, EUMETSAT, Europe. Launched 2006 - 2012. Used the PPF/SPOT Mk.3 bus.

Photo Gallery

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METOP-B Credit: Manufacturer Image

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SPOT 5 Credit: Manufacturer Image

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• SPOT 5 - . Mass: 3,000 kg (6,600 lb). Nation: France. Agency: CNES. Manufacturer: Friedrichshafen. Program: SPOT. Class: Earth. Type: Earth resources satellite. Spacecraft: SPOT-5A-5B. USAF Sat Cat: 27421 . COSPAR: 2002-021A. Apogee: 826 km (513 mi). Perigee: 825 km (512 mi). Inclination: 98.80 deg. Period: 101.40 min.

  Remote Sensing satellite. Last launch of Ariane 42P version. Launch delayed from April 10. The Ariane 42P, with two PAP solid boosters, flew north from Kourou. The third stage burn occurred off the east coast of North America, with engine cutoff at 0150 UTC and stage separation at 0151 UTC. Venting of the remaining third stage propellant was seen by observers in the US. SPOT Image's SPOT 5 was built by Astrium/Toulouse. The main instrument was the HRVIR imaging camera payload including a 2.5-meter resolution imager. A secondary experiment was the 5-band VEGETATION-2 instrument with 1-km resolution.

• Helios 2A - . Mass: 4,200 kg (9,200 lb). Nation: France. Agency: DGA. Manufacturer: EADS Astrium. Program: Helios. Class: Surveillance. Type: Military surveillance satellite. Spacecraft Bus: SPOT-5A-5B. Spacecraft: Helios 2. USAF Sat Cat: 28492 . COSPAR: 2004-049A. Apogee: 690 km (420 mi). Perigee: 688 km (427 mi). Inclination: 98.08 deg. Period: 98.39 min. First of two new-generation French military surveillance satellites. Last flight of Ariane 5G model. Launch delayed from December 10..

• Metop-A - . Mass: 4,093 kg (9,023 lb). Nation: Europe. Agency: RKA. Class: Earth. Type: Weather satellite. Spacecraft Bus: SPOT-5A-5B. Spacecraft: Metop. USAF Sat Cat: 29499 . COSPAR: 2006-044A. Apogee: 817 km (507 mi). Perigee: 817 km (507 mi). Inclination: 98.70 deg. Period: 101.00 min.

  European polar weather satellite equipped with high-resolution visible and infrared cameras, a microwave sounder, ozone monitors, a GPS atmospheric sounding device, a wind scatterometer, and a search and rescue package. First launch of the Soyuz 2 version of the venerable Soyuz launch vehicle. The main change in this first version of the new booster was a digital control system. Problems with this system delayed the launch repeatedly.

• Helios 2B - . Mass: 4,200 kg (9,200 lb). Nation: France. Agency: Arianespace. Program: Helios. Class: Surveillance. Type: Military surveillance satellite. Spacecraft: SPOT-5A-5B. USAF Sat Cat: 36124 . COSPAR: 2009-073A. Apogee: 680 km (420 mi). Perigee: 680 km (420 mi). Inclination: 98.00 deg. French military surveillance satellite..

• METOP-B - . Mass: 4,244 kg (9,356 lb). Nation: Europe. Class: Earth. Type: Weather satellite. Spacecraft: SPOT-5A-5B. USAF Sat Cat: 38771 . COSPAR: 2012-049A. Apogee: 811 km (503 mi). Perigee: 806 km (500 mi). Inclination: 98.70 deg. Period: 101.00 min. European weather satellite agency EUMETSAT's second METOP satellite..