BackForward Satellite Programme: Pléiades 

Programme details
Programme description
  • Constellation of two satellites in orbits coordinated so as to provide frequent revisit time (up to daily with both satellites in orbit).
  • Follow-on and merging of the civilian SPOT and military Helios series.
  • CNES responsible of development and operations, with national contributions from Sweden, Belgium, Spain and Austria.  Programme coordinated with the ASI COSMO-SkyMed to implement the Optical and Radar Federated Earth Observation programme (ORFEO).
  • The platforms are actively stabilised over 3 axes.
  • The design lifetime of the satellites is 5 years.
  • The satellites exploit a sunsynchronous orbit around 10:30.
  • The two-satellite programme implies mutual redundancy.  Further redundancy is provided by the co-flying SPOT-6 and SPOT-7.
  • See detailed description at http://smsc.cnes.fr/PLEIADES/index.htm .
Data circulation
  • Main image receiving stations in Kiruna and Toulouse, in association with a network of Regional Image Receiving Stations (RIRS).
  • Dual (civil and military) control centre managed by CNES in Toulose.
  • Military mission centers in France (Creil) and Spain (Torrejon).
Agencies CNES
Programme lifetime 2011 - 2022
Associated satellites and instruments

Note: red tag => no longer operational , green tag => operational , blue tag => planned