Corporate | 19 December 2006 17:23
OHB Technology AG / Miscellaneous
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German SAR-Lupe satellite safely in orbit
Bremen/ Plesetsk, December 19, 2006. The first German reconnaissance
satellite in the SAR-Lupe system has been successfully placed in orbit. The
Russian Cosmos 3M launch vehicle took off on schedule from the Russian
Plesetsk space station south of Archangelsk at 15:00:19 h Central European
Time, placing the first of a total of five radar satellites in its low
orbit at an altitude of around 500 km half an hour later as planned.
The first contact between the control center and the satellite was
established at 16:04 h Central European Time. A preliminary review of all
main functions showed that the satellite can now be put in operation.
Satellite control is currently in the hands of the German Space Agency DLR
in Oberpfaffenhofen. The ground station of the German Armed Forces in
Gelsdorf is tracking the satellite at the same time and will assume
operative responsibility for it in mid January, at which point in time it
will start collecting SAR radar images.
Background:
SAR-Lupe system
SAR-Lupe is Germany?s first satellite-based reconnaissance system. It
comprises five identical small satellites and a ground segment for managing
the satellites and receiving and processing the radar images.
As the principal contractor of the German Federal Office of Defense
Technology and Procurement (BWB), OHB-System developed the overall system
and oversaw a consortium of well-known European space technology companies.
The first German radar satellite was transported to the Russian launch pad
at the beginning of December after undergoing extensive testing at the
Ottobrunn satellite testing center. The four other satellites will be
launched in intervals of four to six months.
COSMOS 3M launch vehicle
OHB-System AG has been working very successfully with Russian space travel
company POLYOT, Omsk, since the beginning of the nineties. Developed by
POLYOT back in the sixties, the COSMOS launch vehicles have proven
themselves in over 760 launches. With a success rate of over 97%, it is one
of the world?s most reliable launch systems. The COSMOS launch vehicle is
ideal for transporting small satellites to low-orbit positions.
SAR-Lupe a part of the European Reconnaissance System
SAR-Lupe will be forming part of the European Reconnaissance System. Under
the ESGA project (German acronym for 'Europeanization of Satellite-Based
Reconnaissance'), OHB-System is creating the technical basis for allowing
France to use the German SAR-Lupe radar system. In return, Germany will be
able to access the French optical HELIOS II system.
Images can also be downloaded from the News section of our web site at
www.ohb-system.de.
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For further information please contact
OHB Technology AG
Michael Vér
Investor Relations
Karl-Ferdinand-Braun-Str. 8
28359 Bremen
Tel.: +49 (0)421 2020-727
Fax: +49 (0)421 2020-613
Internet: http://www.ohb-technology.de
E-Mail: ir@ohb-technology.de
DGAP 19.12.2006
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Language: English
Issuer: OHB Technology AG
Karl-Ferdinand-Braun-Str. 8
28359 Bremen Deutschland
Phone: +49 (0)421 2020 8
Fax: +49 (0)421 2020 613
E-mail: ir@ohb-technology.de
WWW: www.ohb-technology.de
ISIN: DE0005936124
WKN: 593612
Indices:
Listed: Geregelter Markt in Frankfurt (Prime Standard); Freiverkehr
in Berlin-Bremen, München, Hamburg, Düsseldorf, Stuttgart
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