Helios 1A-1B

French military surveillance satellite. Helios 1A an 1B were advanced French military surveillance satellites which were widely believed to have 1 meter resolution capability. Reconnaissance, electro-optical satellite built by ATrospatiale, Matra Marconi for DGA, France. Launched 1995 - 1999. Used the SPOT Mk.2 bus.

The Missile and Space Directorate (DME) of the French armament agency (DGA) headed the overall $2 billion Helios program. Spacecraft and payload information was not readily available due to the secret nature of the program.

The Helios program was Europe's military optical reconnaissance system consisting of both a space and a ground segment, which commenced service in 1995, jointly funded by the French, Italian and Spanish governments. The Helios I optical observation satellites, launched in July 1995 and December 1999 respectively, could acquire high resolution images of any point on the globe, with daily revisit capability.

The spacecraft was 3-axis stabilized, nadir pointing. CNES operated a Helios ground station in Toulouse, France. The imaging system used 4096 pixel and 2048 pixel linear CCDs to provide 1 - 5 meter resolution images. The CCDs were produced by Thompson CSF. Tape recorders were manufactured by Schlumberger Industries.