OHB Sweden AB, a subsidiary of the space and technology group OHB SE, and Thales Alenia Space, one of Europe's leading large system integrators and prime contractor, have signed contracts for the design, manufacturing, integration, testing and delivery of a propulsion subsystem for the two ESA/EU Copernicus missions CHIME and ROSE-L.
Continuing the successful build of propulsion subsystems to ESA missions such as Solar Orbiter (launched 2020), Biomass, Euclid and PLATO, OHB Sweden has started the work to design, manufacture, integrate, test and deliver monopropellant sub-systems to two of the new missions in the ESA/EU Copernicus Sentinel Expansion program, CHIME and ROSE-L. The contracts are for two satellites for each mission, with an option for a third satellite.
The original Copernicus Sentinel program (Sentinel 1-6) carry a range of technologies, such as radar and multi-spectral imaging instruments for land, ocean and atmospheric monitoring. Data from the Copernicus Sentinels, which are developed by ESA, feed into the Copernicus Services, which help address challenges such as urbanisation, food security, rising sea levels, diminishing polar ice, natural disasters and, of course, climate change.
Looking to the future, six Sentinel Expansion missions are being developed to address EU policy and gaps in Copernicus user needs, and to expand the current capabilities of the Copernicus Space Component.
CHIME - Copernicus Hyperspectral Imaging Mission for the Environment
CHIME will carry a unique visible to shortwave infrared imaging spectrometer to provide routine hyperspectral observations to allow raw material- and sustainable agricultural management with a focus on soil properties, mineral resources and agricultural services, including food security and biodiversity. The mission will complement Copernicus Sentinel-2 observations with an imaging spectroscopy observational capability for services supporting the improved management of natural resources.
ROSE-L - Copernicus L-band Synthetic Aperture Radar
The ROSE-L (Radar Observing System for Europe – L-band) mission through a Synthetic Aperture Radar in L-band will allow monitoring of soil moisture, land cover mapping, crop type and status discrimination, forest type and cover in support of biomass estimation, food security and precision farming, maritime surveillance and natural/anthropogenic hazards. The mission will also contribute to the operational monitoring of the cryosphere and polar regions, including sea ice mapping and land ice monitoring.
Read more about the Sentinel Expansion Program here.
Christelle Bogaarts (Chime Program manager Thales Alenia Space) :
“ Thales Alenia Space is building a cooperation with OHB since years. OHB is a major partner in Copernicus program, especially on Chime where OHB Munich is responsible of the instrument and OHB Sweden in charge of the propulsion subsystem. These new Copernicus missions will pave the way to enhanced, improved and new services, representing a world first, responding to the major challenges that our planet and its citizens have to face in the near future."
Benoit Mathieu (Managing Director, OHB Sweden):
“With these new contracts, OHB Sweden demonstrates again to be a trusted propulsion subsystem supplier to Thales Alenia Space and ESA. Together with CO2M, it means that OHB Sweden is a partner on three of these Copernicus missions. We are proud to be part of this program that will enable humankind to better maintain a sustainable earth”.
