Page 22 - hisdeSAT annual report 2014

About Hisdesat

Earth Observation System

In 2007, the Spanish National Earth nufacturing process. It will have a
Observation Satellite Programme heliosynchronous orbit 670km
(Programa Nacional de Obser- above the ground and circle the
vación de la Tierra por satellite - Earth 14 times a day, with the ca-
PNOTS) was launched in partner- pacity to take up to 600 panchro-
ship with the Ministries of Defence matic and multi-spectral images
and of Industry, Tourism and Trade. daily, with resolutions of 2.5m and
10m, respectively. With this satellite
PNOTS comprises two satellites,
the Spanish territory will be fully
PAZ and INGENIO, currently under covered 8 times a year.
development, using
both radar (SAR) and Since its inception, the manufac-
Spain will be the optic observation te- turing process of the PAZ satellite
first European chnologies, and is des- has been generating significant
country to tined for both civil and returns within the Spanish aeros-

have a dual military use. It can cap- pace industry for the 18 companies
ture images both night
involved, allowing them to develop
observation and day, independently new capabilities which will improve
system of weather conditions. their competitiveness in the inter-
With this programme, national aerospace market. This
Spain has become the new satellite will also substantially
first European country to possess a improve the positioning of our cou-
dual use system with dual observa- ntry within the European Coperni-
tion technologies. cus programme (previously known
as GMES) for Global Monitoring of
The INGENIO (optic-technology)
Environment and Security, which is
satellite is intended primarily to the principal initiative in the field of
address the needs of civilian users. Earth observation led by the Euro-
It is run by the Ministry of Industry
pean Union and the European Spa-
and the Centre for Industrial Tech- ce Agency (ESA).
nological Development (CDTI), while
the European Space Agency (ESA) The PAZ satellite will cover the ne-
is responsible for managing the ma- eds of various users. It is able to

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