Satellite Spot 3

1994/01/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Telekomunikazioak

59. Pitcher Ariane launched last September the Spot 3 optical remote sensing satellite 800 kilometers from Earth.

After a repeated delay in verifying the quality of the components, on 25 September the satellite was chosen. The eve did not seem to have weather obstacles, but often beliefs go corrupt. At the time of launching, a black cloud appeared in the sky and they had no other solution than to postpone it again.

Finally on September 26 (1 h 45 min. UT), the 240 tons of Ariane took off to the sky of the Kourou of Guyana. At 3 hours and 2 minutes of its launch the satellite Spot 3 of 1,907 kilos was released. 45 minutes later, the satellite deployed its solar panel and began operating very soon.

Its optoelectronic system allows you to “see” the strip of 117 kilometers wide. According to traditional technique, the Earth passes under the CCD cell bars and the satellite takes views. In narrow bands the resolution of the satellite is 20 meters and in panchromatic 10 centimeters.

Since 28 September the Spot 3 satellite is broadcasting exceptional images, but the Spot 4 satellite is already being prepared. The design of the Spot 5 satellite has now begun with a resolution of 5 meters.