France: Thales Alenia Space to build oceanography satellite
Thales Alenia Space has been selected by French space agency CNES (Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales) to build the Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) oceanography satellite. The French-led project will be a joint venture between Finmeccanica and Thales. Produced in collaboration with U.S. space agency NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) on behalf of the French and American space agencies, SWOT was conceived to study ocean topography and surface water on the continents. It will test new applications and incorporate technological innovations in altimetry.
Thales Alenia Space will develop a platform for the satellite, offering a controlled atmospheric re-entry of the satellite at end-of-life. The company will also handle satellite assembly, integration and testing, delivery to the launch centre, and operations for the launch campaign. Source: Il Sole 24 Ore Radiocor.
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