Essaim (satellites)
Encyclopedia
Essaim is a French
military reconnaissance microsatellite
constellation
. Its main purpose is to collect and map signals intelligence across the world. The DGA describes it as a "vacuum cleaner for [radio] waves".
. They are demonstration models which were supposed to last three years. They fly separated by a few hundreds of kilometers. Missions are designed by the Celar (Centre d'électronique de l'armement) in Bruz
, near Rennes
and are uploaded from CNES
in Toulouse
to the constellation. Collected data follows the same path in reverse order.
, in French Guyana, by an Ariane 5
G+ rocket on December 18, 2004. The flight was shared with Helios 2A
and two other auxiliary payloads: Parasol
and Nanosat.
Individual members of the constellation are Essaim 1, Essaim 2, Essaim 3 and Essaim 4.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
military reconnaissance microsatellite
Miniaturized satellite
Miniaturized satellites or small satellites are artificial satellites of unusually low weights and small sizes, usually under . While all such satellites can be referred to as small satellites, different classifications are used to categorize them based on mass .One reason for miniaturizing...
constellation
Satellite constellation
A group of artificial satellites working in concert is known as a satellite constellation. Such a constellation can be considered to be a number of satellites with coordinated ground coverage, operating together under shared control, synchronised so that they overlap well in coverage and...
. Its main purpose is to collect and map signals intelligence across the world. The DGA describes it as a "vacuum cleaner for [radio] waves".
Description
Essaim is a constellation of four 120 kg micro satellites (including one spare) in low earth orbitLow Earth orbit
A low Earth orbit is generally defined as an orbit within the locus extending from the Earth’s surface up to an altitude of 2,000 km...
. They are demonstration models which were supposed to last three years. They fly separated by a few hundreds of kilometers. Missions are designed by the Celar (Centre d'électronique de l'armement) in Bruz
Bruz
Bruz is a commune in the Ille-et-Vilaine department of Brittany in north-western France.-Demographics:Inhabitants of Bruz are called in French Bruzois. In 2008, they were 14 587.-Breton language:...
, near Rennes
Rennes
Rennes is a city in the east of Brittany in northwestern France. Rennes is the capital of the region of Brittany, as well as the Ille-et-Vilaine department.-History:...
and are uploaded from CNES
CNES
The is the French government space agency . Established under President Charles de Gaulle in 1961, its headquarters are located in central Paris and it is under the supervision of the French Ministries of Defence and Research...
in Toulouse
Toulouse
Toulouse is a city in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern FranceIt lies on the banks of the River Garonne, 590 km away from Paris and half-way between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea...
to the constellation. Collected data follows the same path in reverse order.
Launch
The constellation was launched from KourouKourou
Kourou is a commune in French Guiana, an overseas region and department of France located in South America.Kourou is the location of the Guiana Space Centre, France and ESA's main spaceport.-Geography:...
, in French Guyana, by an Ariane 5
Ariane 5
Ariane 5 is, as a part of Ariane rocket family, an expendable launch system used to deliver payloads into geostationary transfer orbit or low Earth orbit . Ariane 5 rockets are manufactured under the authority of the European Space Agency and the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales...
G+ rocket on December 18, 2004. The flight was shared with Helios 2A
Helios 2A
The Helios 2 system includes Helios 2A and Helios 2B, both of which are european military observation satellites used by France, Belgium, Spain . Helios 2A was launched on December 18, 2004 by an Ariane 5 rocket from French Guiana. Helios 2B was launched five years later on December 18, 2009,...
and two other auxiliary payloads: Parasol
PARASOL (satellite)
PARASOL is a French-built Earth observing research satellite. It carries an instrument called POLDER which studies the radiative and microphysical properties of clouds and aerosols....
and Nanosat.
Individual members of the constellation are Essaim 1, Essaim 2, Essaim 3 and Essaim 4.