Arianespace.

Astrium has selected Arianespace to launch four satellites of the space segment of the Electronic Intelligence by Satellite (ELISA) demonstrator. The four ELISA satellites will be placed in heliosynchronous orbit by a Soyuz rocket to be launched from the Guiana Space Center in Kourou, French Guiana. They will be auxiliary passengers on the launch of the first Pleiades satellite in late 2009. Astrium is lead manager for the programme, working with co-contractor Thales for French MoD procurement agency DGA. Astrium is prime contractor for the demonstration programme, which comprises four satellites, each weighing about 135kg. The satellites are built on a Myriade platform designed by French space agency CNES. The proqramme is being overseen by a joint DGA-CNES project management team. ELISA satellites w II use radar transmitters to map the entire globe, with precise feature definition. They are a first step towards the future ROEM (Renseignement d'Origine ElectroMagnetique) electromagnetic reconnaissance programme. Arianespace has already placed the Cerise, Clementine and ESSAIM satellites in orbit for the DGA. This ongoing partnership enables the French Ministry of Defense to validate innovative satellite concepts using actual spacecraft in orbit.