[SatNews] Singapore Technologies Electronics Limited (ST Electronics) has announced its plans for the launch of its first commercial satellite at the Global Space and Technology Convention (GSTC) 2014.
The company’s wholly owned subsidiary, ST Electronics (Satcom & Sensor Systems) Pte. Ltd. (STEE-SatComS), has signed a launch service agreement with Antrix Corporation Limited, India, to send their first commercial earth observation satellite, the TeLEOS-1, into a Near Equatorial Orbit, using the Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) in the fourth quarter of 2015.
TeLEOS-1 will ride on the PSLV to be launched into space at 550km above the Earth at a low inclination. The 400-kilogram satellite is equipped with an electro-optical camera capable of taking images at ground resolution of one metre. It is suited for applications such as disaster and environment monitoring, maritime safety, urban planning and homeland security. The unique Near Equatorial Orbit allows frequent revisits to areas of interest in equatorial regions at approximately 96-minute intervals, delivering high data availability and responsiveness.
The A150S satellite platform.
At GSTC 2013, ST Electronics had announced that it had started the design and development of its first commercial remote sensing satellite, TeLEOS-1. STEE-SatComS is an industry leader that offers end-to-end satellite communication and sensor solutions marketing to over 100 countries around the world today. It has proven competencies and flight heritage in the design and production of small satellites bus and is currently in the final stage of development of the TeLEOS-1.
Mr. Lee Fook Sun, President, ST Electronics, and Mr. Tom Wilson, General Manager + Vice President, ATK, upon signing their microsatellite agreement.
ST Electronics) also announced that ST Electronics has entered into an agreement with ATK (NYSE:ATK) to jointly develop, manufacture and supply microsatellites and integration services to the world market.
STEE-SatComS announced this development during the 2014 Global Space and Technology Convention in Singapore. STEE-SatComS is a manufacturer and global supplier of end-to-end satellite communication (SATCOM) solutions, while ATK is an industry leader in small satellite bus technology. The partnership positions both companies to jointly develop the A150S/SS150 microsatellite and offer this system to meet a growing worldwide demand from government and commercial space customers.
Singapore Technologies Electronics Limited (ST Electronics) also announced that ST Electronics has partnered with Satrec Initiative Co. Ltd. and SPOT Asia Pte. Ltd. for the distribution of satellite imagery from its first Earth Observation Satellite, TeLEOS-1.
The TELOS-1 satellite, photo courtesy of ST Electronics.
TeLEOS-1 is Singapore’s first commercial Earth Observation Satellite and is being locally designed and developed by ST Electronics (Satellite Systems) Pte Ltd, a joint venture company operated under STEE-SatComS. To be launched into the Near Equatorial Orbit, the TeLEOS-1 will have a high revisit rate of 12 to 16 hours as compared to Sun Synchronous Orbit (SSO) satellites with revisit rates of 24 hours or more. Imagery from the TeLEOS-1 is expected to be commercially available in the first half of 2016 after the launch of the 400-kilogram satellite in the fourth quarter of 2015. With its high satellite data availability and responsiveness over the equatorial region, imagery from the TeLEOS-1 will complement those from SSO satellites thereby enhancing the services of its two partners and benefiting their end users worldwide.
“ST Electronics’ partnership with Satrec Initiative and SPOT Asia will allow us to provide TeLEOS-1 satellite images that will complement our partners’ services with high data availability and responsiveness over the equatorial region for their customers. We look forward to working closely with our partners, leveraging their experiences and extensive reseller networks to market the TeLEOS-1 imagery worldwide," said TANG Kum Chuen, President, Communication & Sensor Systems Group, ST Electronics,
& President, ST Electronics (Satcom & Sensor Systems).
Satrec Initiative is a leading solution provider for Earth observation missions and is the worldwide marketing and sales representative of KOMPSAT-2, 3 and 5 Image data for
Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI). Spot Asia belongs to Airbus Defence and Space (integrating the former GEO-Information activities of Astrium Services) with core business into three main groups—satellite data, software and value-added services. The company has expanded its reach in the South East Asian market through a wide regional network of distributors, resellers and partners.
The ST Electronics infosite is readily accessible at http://www.stee.stengg.com/