UK, 28 March 2007: World’s one of the leading small satellite manufacturer Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL) has signed an order with the Federal State Unitary Enterprise – The Russian Research and Production Enterprise Pan-Russian Research Institute for Electromechanics (FSUE NPP VNIIEM) and Radioexport of Russia for the supply of satellite platform equipment and services for the KANOPUS Low Earth Orbit (LEO) Earth observation spacecraft.
The first satellite, KANOPUS-B, will be ready for launch in 2008. It will monitor the Earth’s surface and will support the monitoring of disasters, agricultural planning and the management of water and coastal resources. Under the contract SSTL will supply FSUE NPP VNIIEM with the platform avionics equipment and software, and support their spacecraft assembly and integration activities in Russia.
The multimillion pound contract marks the beginning of a longer-term relationship between the companies, with at least two further projects on the agenda. An FSUE NPP VNIIEM spokesperson commented: “It was essential for our company to select a partner with a proven track record in delivering flight-proven systems within extremely demanding schedules to ensure that we will be flight-ready in time for launch.”
SSTL Executive Chairman, Sir Martin Sweeting, commented: “FSUE NPP VNIIEM’s selection of SSTL reflects on our track record of consistently delivering successful small satellite missions, within fixed budgets and on schedule. This contract is a unique opportunity for FSUE NPP VNIIEM and SSTL to further develop its cooperation on future Russian small satellite projects”.
Commercial Space Technologies (CST), based in London and Moscow, acted as SSTL’s local representative in Russia to assist negotiations with NPP VNIIEM and Radioexport.
This success follows recent contract awards for two high capability Earth observation satellites: NigeriaSat-2 for Nigeria’s National Space Research and Development Agency and an additional DMC satellite for Spanish company Deimos.
