Sapphire is the first operational space‐situational awareness (SSA) satellite of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF). On 25 February 2013 Sapphire was successfully launched into a sun synchronous orbit at ˜786 km altitude using an Indian Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle. On 22 November 2013, the CAF Sapphire Satellite completed its operational testing and certification of the system and on 30 January 2014 the Sapphire system was officially declared a contributing sensor to the U.S. Space Surveillance Network (SSN). Sapphire has entered an operational phase that is expected to last at least five years. Canada and the U.S. signed a SSA Memorandum of Understanding on 4 May 2012. Under the agreement, data from the Sapphire satellite is contributed to the U.S. SSN, enhancing the ability of both countries to detect and avoid the collision of critical space platforms with orbital debris. MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd. (MDA) is the prime contractor for the Sapphire mission. Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd. (SSTL) supplied an agile SSTL‐150 small satellite spacecraft bus, and COM DEV International supplied the optical payload.
Optical Payload of Canadian Sapphire Space Surveillance Mission
Optical Payloads for Space Missions ; 741-756
2015-12-10
15 pages
Aufsatz/Kapitel (Buch)
Elektronische Ressource
Englisch
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