May Offer Significantly Less-Expensive Future Space
Missions
The first high
resolution images of the Earth transmitted by TopSat, the
micro-satellite designed and built by a consortium of British firms
led by QinetiQ, have been received at QinetiQ's West Freugh ground
station. The low cost Earth observation satellite is six weeks into
its mission following a successful October 27 launch from the
Plesetsk cosmodrome in Northern Russia.
TopSat is a major step forward in the affordability of space
missions, providing 2.8-meter resolution images at a much reduced
cost compared to larger satellites. Typically, current generation
imaging satellites with comparable performance cost over five times
more than TopSat, according to QinetiQ representatives.
"With improved performance and falling costs we are entering a
very exciting era for small satellites. We genuinely believe that
low cost ownership of space platforms is becoming a reality," said
QinetiQ's space department manager Andrew Rogoyski, speaking on
behalf of the consortium.
TopSat also has the best resolution per mass of any imaging
satellite currently available so has a wide range of applications.
These include mineral and petroleum exploration, forestry, flood
monitoring and combating maritime oil pollution.
The images produced by TopSat (example below) are delivered
in near-real time, enhancing its ability to support disaster relief
operations in the event of landslides, earthquakes and other
emergencies. Images can also be delivered to customers onscene via
QinetiQ's fully mobile data ground station, or RAPIDS.
TopSat was designed and built by a consortium of British
companies led by QinetiQ, whose role includes systems design and
technical authority, provision of the major payload electronics
units, operations management and ground segment.
"The first images received from TopSat mark the latest chapter
in a genuine British success story," said Lord Sainsbury, minister
with responsibility for the BNSC and UK space policy at the
Department of Trade and Industry. "They represent the culmination
of five years' work and are an example of what can be achieved when
four British companies work together."
The first satellite of its kind in the UK, TopSat consists of an
advanced optical camera, which is able to collect 17 x 17 km (10.5
miles) images of the earth with a black-and-white resolution of
2.86 meters (just over 9 feet) and a multispectral resolution of 5
meters 16.5 feet). This optical camera is integrated with an agile
micro-satellite platform to permit pitch compensation maneuvers,
allowing imaging of low illumination scenes.
According to QinetiQ, a future constellation of three or four
TopSat satellites could image almost any point on the Earth at
least once a day -- subject to cloud conditions -- opening up the
potential for quick response imagery which is extremely cost
effective to deliver.