After an open competition, the UK-based small satellite manufacturing arm of EADS, Surrey Satellite Technology Limited (SSTL) has been awarded a contract to build 12 satellites for the Formosat-7/Cosmic 2 global wealther forcasting programme. The contract was awarded by Taiwan’s National Space Organisation (NSPO) on behalf of themselves and the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) who jointly run the programme.
The satellites are to be be used to collect atmospheric data at low and mid-latitudes for weather forecasting, and for the analysis of climate change. The first six of the spacecraft will be launched in 2016 if everything goes to plan. The 200kg spacecraft platforms will be constructed at SSTL’s Guildford plant in Surrey, England. The science payloads will be provided by US organisations. NPSO will be in chrage of all integration work at its facilities in Taiwan.
SSTL has extensive experience in offering Earth observation and disaster monitoring spacecraft including the DMC, Rapideye and DMC constellations.
