Composante Spatiale Optique
Composante Spatiale Optique ( CSO ) is the name of a French program of optical reconnaissance satellites . It is intended as a successor system for the Helios satellites . A total of three CSO satellites are to be operated.
background
Since the Helios 1A satellite was launched in 1995, France has developed a number of military reconnaissance satellites. Due to the limited lifespan of satellites, a new program was launched to replace the existing Helios 2A mission. Initially planned as a French contribution to the European Musis program, it became a purely French program after it was discontinued.
The DGA , the procurement organization of the French military, commissioned Airbus Defense and Space to build the satellites and the ground segment; Thales Alenia Space provides the optical payload.
In contrast to the Helios satellites, which use the same satellite bus as the SPOT satellites , CSO uses technology from the Pléiades satellites. CSO was planned as a system of two satellites that can be expanded to three if European partners are interested. The Switzerland would presumably on the espionage system participate.
Satellites
As of September 4, 2019
satellite | Start date ( UTC ) | Launch site | Launcher | COSPAR ID |
---|---|---|---|---|
CSO 1 | 19th December 2018 | CSG ELS | Soyuz-ST / Fregat-M | 2018-106A |
CSO 2 | 2020 (planned) | CSG ELS | Soyuz-ST / Fregat-M | |
CSO 3 | 2021 (planned) | CSG ELA-4 | Ariane 62 |
The start of CSO 1 was originally planned for 2017.
Web links
- CSO 1, 2, 3 on Gunter's Space Page
Individual evidence
- ^ French Defense Budget 2013 ( French ) Accessed July 26, 2015.
- ↑ Lancement de la réalisation des satellites CSO du program musis. Direction générale de l'armement, March 31, 2015, accessed on July 26, 2015 (French).
- ↑ Participation in France's espionage system. In: bluewin.ch . September 4, 2019, accessed September 4, 2019 .
- ↑ Update: Soyuz start in Kourou successful. In: Flight Revue. December 20, 2018, accessed September 4, 2019 .
- ↑ Planning of the French military for 2014-2019. Retrieved July 26, 2015 (French).