Following weeks of rigorous launch preparations, both NigeriaSat-2 and NigeriaSat-X satellites took off at 7:12 GMT on 17th August and are now in orbit and acquiring their first imagery. We’re looking into how it all went and what’s happening next.

Days before launch all seven satellites sharing the launch were integrated and the space head module assembled. The assembly was then rolled out to the rocket silo where Russian Strategic Missile Forces were waiting for the final silo operations. Besides the mission launch team, a group from SSTL and Nigerian delegates, including SSTL Executive Chairman, Sir Martin Sweeting and NASRDA head, Dr S.O Mohammed, were onsite in Yasny for the launch. This video shows the take off from the Yasny launch base.

The launch went according to plan, and after the separation from the launch vehicle was confirmed, ground stations in Abuja and Guildford established contact with NigeriaSat-2 and NigeriaSat-X respectively. This fantastic animation shows the launch sequence, and how the satellites are detached in the correct order for their intended orbits.

Continue reading "NigeriaSat-2 and NigeriaSat-X orbiting Earth"

You may have heard of the severe flooding taking place in the UK within the last few weeks, fortunately only as part of a simulation conducted by the Environment Agency for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Welsh Assembly. Known as ‘Exercise Watermark’, the exercise was conducted to test the arrangements and response to severe, wide-area flooding across England and Wales.

The simulation formed the perfect opportunity for a DMCii led team of space experts to observe and participate in the practical aspects of a disaster to see how data and services from space could be used to improve UK emergency response.

During a disaster, such as severe flooding, space-based services can provide disaster response teams with up-to-date satellite maps and asset tracking capabilities to improve their situational awareness. Damaged or overloaded communications infrastructure on the ground can be reinforced using satellite telecommunications. ‘Exercise Watermark’ provided the team with a unique first-hand view of how a disaster is handled on the ground. Adina Gillespie, DMCii Project Manager pointed out:

“We know the contingency community doesn’t need to understand whizzy gadgetry, so now we’re asking ourselves how can we incorporate information from space assets seamlessly into their existing disaster response procedures”.

Continue reading "Satellites improving UK emergency response"

Celebrating 10 years of success, members of the Disaster Monitoring Constellation (DMC) and representatives from 12 different countries, the European Space Agency and six UK government departments met up in London last week for the 13th DMC Consortium Meeting. The UK Space Agency, SSTL and DMC International Imaging (DMCii) jointly hosted the day – the theme ‘Vision for the next Decade of the Disaster Monitoring Constellation’.

DMCii works with the world’s space agencies and the United Nations (UN) within the International Charter: Space and Major Disasters to provide multi-spectral and panchromatic optical imagery during disasters. The constellation responds to disasters frequently and has played an important role responding to disasters such as the Asian Tsunami (2004), Hurricane Katrina (2005), and the UK floods (2007). The constellation has also very rapidly supplied imagery for the recent earthquake in New Zealand.

SSTL’s cost effective approach to satellite design lowered the price tag of Earth Observation to the point where governments and organisations throughout the world could own an independent satellite, providing cost effective sovereign remote sensing capability with shared ground segment, image processing and commercial distribution – and play an essential role in international disaster response.

Continue reading "A decade of disaster monitoring"

SSTL is a proud sponsor of the 61st International Astronautical Congress (IAC) 2010 that takes place in next week Prague (27th September – 1st October).

Founded by Sir Martin Sweeting, the British small satellite pioneer will celebrate its 25 year heritage of launching unparalleled value satellite missions and unveil new Earth observation capabilities for the first time at the exhibition. SSTL will also actively participate in the conference programme, presenting seven technical papers on diverse subjects ranging from space navigation and optical payloads to small satellite design and operation.

Visit SSTL on stand A5 to explore new Earth Observation capabilities for very high-resolution imaging, daily global imaging systems and new models for capacity leasing. Exhibits will also explain how SSTL’s EO capabilities are changing the way private companies and governments procure and utilise geospatial information to manage the world’s resources and security.

In celebration of its 25th anniversary, SSTL will put its unique heritage of cost effective value engineering on display - from its academic roots and exciting recent advances to its roadmap for future developments.

The IAC is the most established space conference in the space industry’s calendar, bringing together space experts from around the world for debate and discussion. SSTL’s Zeger de Groot will present a paper on in-orbit results from the high capacity 22m UK-DMC2 satellite and Joost Elstak will present a paper entitled “A million square kilometre satellite for Kazakhstan”. Martin Unwin and Mike Cutter will present papers on the SQR-ReSI instrument that uses GNSS signals for remote sensing and Phil Davies will present papers “Maximising re-use through a modular range of small satellite platforms” and “Rapid development of navigation payloads for Galileo Full Operational Capability”.

Visit www.sstl.co.uk/iac2010 for details.