- November 11, 2008
- Posted by: EARSC
- Category: EARSC News
Munich, (Kayser-Threde) – Nov11th2008, Kayser-Threde signed a contract with the German Aerospace Center (DLR) in Bonn, which entrusts the company as the system prime for the next German satellite mission: EnMAP (Environmental Mapping and Analysis Program). It represents the largest single contract ever placed at Kayser-Threde. The total amount for the manufacturing and launch of the satellite pertaining to this optical earth observation mission amounts to 90 million Euro.
“I would like to thank the German Aerospace Center and the German Ministry for Economics and Technology (Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Technologie) for the faith placed in us. We are very proud of being allowed to revolutionize the optical remote sensing with the Hyperspectral Earth observation satellite EnMAP together with our project partners” says Jürgen Breitkopf, CEO of Kayser-Threde GmbH. “Over the next years we will even be working on two Münchner Kind’l in space for the DLR: In addition to EnMAP we are realizing satellite mission TET-1 with overall responsibility.”
System Leader Kayser-Threde
As prime contractor for the realization and launch of this technically challenging satellite, Kayser-Threde is responsible for the following mission aspects:
– Space Segment including procurement of the satellite bus as well as integration and test of the entire satellite
– Development and manufacturing of the payload: a sophisticated hyperspectral instrument
– Procurement of the flight opportunity including launch support and preparation and the launch itself.
Kayser-Threde has already demonstrated high competence in optoelectronic systems with the telescopes ORFEUS (satellite borne) and SOFIA (air borne) as well as with the mirror modules for the X-ray satellite XMM-Newton.
Mission goals
The environmental satellite EnMAP is essentially designed as a scientific mission. EnMAP’s high-quality data and the resulting information shall lead – amongst others – to an improved model of global biospheric and geospheric processes.
The data will be applied in soil and land management, water monitoring, diagnostic mapping and analysis (research of raw materials, detection of brownfields) and catastrophe management.
Project partners and subcontractors
The system leader Kayser-Threde can rely on renowned and proven partners. The Deutsche GeoForschungsZentrum GFZ is scientific leader within the EnMAP project. DLR institutes in Oberpfaffenhofen are in charge of the ground segment assembly including the data analyses environment. The industrial core team includes the sister company OHB System AG which provides the satellite bus system. Kayser-Threde placed emphasis on involving German subcontrators for this national mission.
EnMAP is carried out under contract to DLR, funded by the German Ministry for Eco-nomics and Technology.
Hyperspectral System
EnMAP records ecosystem parameters with high spectral and spatial resolution and a comparatively high repetition rate. The application of multispectral sensors in optical remote sensing can only identifiy a material in a very limited way (e.g. minerals). The hyperspectral sensor EnMAP on the other hand will generate quasi continuous spectra in the visi-ble light to near infrared wavelengths. This shall enable an unprecedented classification of a material and a differentiated diagnosis.
Leading role for Germany?
Scientists and other users within the EnMAP community expect a new quality of earth monitoring data. The launch of EnMAP in 2012 holds out the prospect of a leading role for Germany within the promising field of optical remote sensing.
Source Space Race News
