SPIRALE A, B

SPIRALE [Astrium]

The DGA (French Government Armament Agency), Telecommunication and Information Programmes Department, has awarded EADS Astrium a contract for the design and production of a space based optical early warning system demonstrator.

EADS Astrium is the prime contractor for this 124 M Euros programme and will supply the alert and monitoring ground segment. Alcatel Space will develop the satellites whilst EADS Astrium will be responsible for satellite integration and in-orbit operations.

The demonstrator called SPIRALE (Système Préparatoire Infra-Rouge pour l'Alerte) covers the supply and operation of a complete system able to collect and analyse infrared imagery against a land background, in order to detect ballistic missiles during their boost phase, just after launch. The space segment consists of two 120 kg class micro-satellites operating on an elliptical orbit, to be launched by Ariane-5 as secondary payloads in 2008.

This is the first demonstration of its kind to be conducted in Europe. It will pave the way for a future operational, early warning optical space programme. This will form a strategic link in an anti-ballistic missile defense system and will also contribute to other operational missions, such as proliferation monitoring.

Nation:	France
Type / Application:	Early warning
Operator:	DGA
Contractors:	Alcatel Space, Astrium
Equipment:
Configuration:	Myriade
Propulsion:
Lifetime:	14 months
Mass:	117 kg
Orbit:	600 km x 36000 km

Satellite	Date	LS		Launcher	Remarks:
SPIRALE A	12.02.2009	Ko ELA-3		Ariane-5ECA	Hot Bird 10, NSS 9, SPIRALE B
SPIRALE B	12.02.2009	Ko ELA-3		Ariane-5ECA	Hot Bird 10, NSS 9, SPIRALE A