The European earth observation program Kopernikus, formerly GMES (Global Monitoring for Environment and Security), a joint initiative of the European Space Agency ESA and the European Union, will include key components from Jena. The contract was signed by Jena-Optronik and SELEX Galileo, of Finmeccancia. Until 2012 the Jena-based company will provide the contractual services, the order intake will be booked over the next two years.
The prime contractor for the Sentinel-3 mission, Thales Alenia Space (France), and ESA signed the contract already in April this year. The French space company assigned Selex Galileo with the development of the mission's main instrument SLSTR (Sea and Land Surface Temperature Radiometer).
Within the framework of Sentinel-3 for the observation of the oceans Jena-Optronik makes a major contribution to the SLST system. Beside the thermal and mechanical engineering of the SLSTR, the Jenoptik subsidiary is responsible for the opto-mechanical structure, several subsystems, telescope and scan systems of the Sentinel-3 family.
It is the aim of the Kopernikus initiative to make use of already existing earth observation satellites and to establish a more powerful global satellite system. Kopernikus will be continuously observing the global changes as well as identifying and developing solutions and counter measures for the dramatic environmental changes.
With the contract Jena-Optronik successfully continuous its activities in the field of earth observation instruments. Following the development, production and supply of five identical multi-spectral imagers for the commercial satellite constellation RapidEye the Jena-based company underlines its competence in the development and production of opto-electronic instruments and components for space applications. With the instrument study METimage Jena-Optronik is working on an imaging radiometer. The German Aerospace Agency DLR, Germany's National Meteorological Service (Deutscher Wetterdienst - DWD) and the Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Affairs support METimage as a German contribution for future operational weather satellites (polar platforms).
