The German spacecraft manufacturer OHB System has been awarded a €816 million ($1.1 million) contract to build three satellites for the German government. The contract was signed on 2 July between OHB AG and the Federal Office of Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support of the Bundeswehr (BAAINBw) for the development and integration of the SARah satellite-based radar reconnaissance system.
The three satellite system is a follow on to the five satellite SAR-Lupe system and this will be able the new ground segment meant for the later satellites. Two of the satellites will use reflector-type radar systems while a third, to be built by Astiurm GmbH as a subcontrator, will use a phased-array radar. The main elements of the ground segment comprising the two ground stations will be built by Astrium GmbH. SARah is to be delivered and enter into full operation at the end of 2019.
