GOTEBORG, Sweden, April 16, 2002 (PRIMEZONE) -- Saab Ericsson Space has agreed on terms to become a major supplier of computer equipments for two new European Space Agency (ESA) large scientific satellites, Herschel and Planck. The order value is in the order of 16 million Euros.
The two-satellite Herschel / Planck Project is the largest scientific space mission ever undertaken in Europe. In this ambitious project, ESA aims to accomplish major savings through joint development of core hardware for both spacecraft and also by using a shared launch opportunity on an Ariane 5 launcher in February 2007. The prime contractor for the joint missions is Alcatel Space of Cannes, France. The main contractor in charge of the Service Modules in which the SES equipment will be installed is Alenia Spazio of Turin, Italy.
The Herschel mission is intended to find answers to questions on how stars and galaxies are born through the use of infrared astronomy. The Herschel satellite is approximately 7 metres high and 4.3 metres wide, with a launch mass of around 3 tonnes. It will carry three major scientific instruments and a giant 3.5 metre diameter Silicon Carbide telescope, which at the time of its launch will be the largest telescope ever in space.
The Planck mission will try to answer questions related to how the universe was formed and what size it may have and how old it is. These facts will be derived from observing radiation that emanated from the "Big Bang" 15 000 million years ago. Planck will carry two major instruments and a Microwave telescope receiver for frequencies from 25 to 1000 GigaHertz (GHz), using a 1.5 meter ultra-high precision reflector antenna.. The Planck satellite is 4 metres high and 4.2 metres wide with a launch mass of around 1.5 tonnes.
The satellites will separate after launch to operate independently in separate orbits around the L2 Lagrangian point, at a distance of 1.5 million kilometres from Earth.
Saab Ericsson Space will be a major supplier in the joint project under the recently agreed contract with Alenia Spazio of Turin. Saab Ericsson Space will design and produce computer equipment that keeps track on satellite status and via telecommand controls the satellites. Also the satellite positioning and orientation in orbit is controlled using Saab Ericsson Space computer equipment.
The highly reliable computer systems that will be produced, will be built around the European ERC-32 processors, operating at 20 MHz clock frequency.
The equipment to be built represents the latest available technology in space applications, including several Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASIC's) to reduce weight, volume and power consumption of the equipments. The Software of the systems will be a cooperative effort with the customer where Saab Ericsson Space will focus on the Operation System Software and parts controlling the company's hardware.
The undertaking will engage a team of company engineers for three years and will result in flight equipment deliveries mid 2004 and will also result in spare units to be flown on a future, still to be defined mission.
Saab Ericsson Space is an international, independent supplier of space equipment. The company's main products are computers, microwave electronics and antennas, guidance and separation systems, and thermal insulation material for use onboard satellites and launch vehicles. The company has its headquarters in Goteborg, Sweden, a division located in Linkoping, Sweden and subsidiaries in Austria, Austrian Aerospace, and the USA, Saab Ericsson Space Inc. The number of employees is 680.
The company is jointly-owned by Saab and Ericsson.
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For further information on the industrial aspects of the SES contract and the Scientific aspects of the Herschel and Planck mission: