THEOS-2, TRITON & SSMS n°5

FORMOSAT-7R or TRITON is an additional satellite by NSPO added to the joint Taiwanese-US FORMOSAT 7 / COSMIC-2 constellation for collecting atmospheric data for weather prediction and for ionosphere, climate and gravity research. Its GNSS Reflectometry payload can be used to calculate the wind speed over sea surfaces.

The THEOS-2 satellites are the second generation of Thailand's GISTA earth observation system, being the successor of the first generation THEOS-1 satellite. GISTA has signed in June 2018 a contract with Airbus. As part of the contract, a comprehensive capacity-building programme will involve Thai engineers in the development of an integrated geo-information system, ground segment, and two Earth observation satellites: a very high-resolution and a small satellite system. The small satellite system from Airbus’ subsidiary SSTL will be assembled and tested in-country by Thai engineers to deliver technology transfer and involve local suppliers. This will be complemented by an extensive training scheme capitalizing on Airbus’ comprehensive geo-intelligence expertise, and will further develop Thailand’s geo-spatial industry. An optical satellite system delivering 0.5 m ground resolution imagery, THEOS-2 is based on Airbus’ innovative, flight-proven AstroBus-S satellite bus. Scheduled to be launched in 2020, it will secure the service continuity of THEOS-1, an Airbus-built satellite launched in 2008, which continues to deliver high-quality imagery four years after its expected end of life. With the AstroBus-S satellite, Thailand is joining a small circle of nations with sovereign access to very high-resolution geostrategic information.

- PROBA V-CC (12U) will fly a scaled-down version of the vegetation-monitoring instrument aboard the Earth-observing satellite PROBA-V to conduct combined experimental observations with its predecessor. - PRETTY (Passive REflecTomeTry and dosimetrY) (3U) flies a GPS/Galileo signal reflectometer and radiation monitor for Graz University of Technology of Austria. - MACSAT (6U) is an In-orbit demonstration (IoD) missionto demonstrate IoT communication over 5G for OQTech. - CSC-1 and 2 (6U) contains 7 different experimental payloads from various institutions being flown by ISISPACE/ISL. - N3SS (Nanosat 3U pour la Surveillance du Spectre) (3U) is a demonstration system for detecting and localize radio-frequency jammers on civil spectrum for the French CNES. - ESTCUBE-2 is a technology demonstration mission with multiple scientific payloads for University of Tartu of Estonia. The satellite failed to deploy and burnt up in the atmosphere. - ANSER LEADER/FOLLOWER 1/2 (Advanced Nanosatellite Systems for Earth observation Research) is a cluster of 3 Earth observing cubesats with panchromatic and hyperspectral cameras for Spain's INTA for monitoring the quality of inland (reservoirs) water over the Iberian Peninsula. The satellite failed to deploy and burnt up in the atmosphere.