The Airbus Group SE (Paris: AIR) THEOS-2 Earth observation satellite has been successfully launched on a Vega rocket from Kourou, Europe’s spaceport in French Guiana. The Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency of Thailand (GISTDA) selected Airbus as partner for its next-generation national geo-information system in 2018.
THEOS-2 follows the Airbus-built THEOS-1 satellite launched in 2008, which still continues to deliver imagery well beyond its 10-year operational lifetime. In the frame of THEOS-2 programme, GISTDA’s geo-information system benefits from satellite imagery collected by the Airbus constellation of optical and radar Earth observation satellites such as Pléiades and TerraSAR-X.
The contract also includes a second Earth observation satellite – THEOS-2 SmallSAT – from Airbus’ subsidiary SSTL, combined with a comprehensive capacity building programme involving Thai engineers in the development of applications, ground segment and the SmallSAT spacecraft itself. THEOS-2 SmallSAT is based on SSTL’s CARBONITE series of Earth observation spacecraft and has been delivered to Thailand.
THEOS-2 satellite in anechoic chamber – Copyright Airbus
