All optical components with their mechanical flexures (Mirrors M1, M2, M3 and M4) and focal plane separator were designed, manufactured and qualified by THALES SESO.
PLEIADES is used for Defense, Civil security, Cartography, Risks & crisis management, Hydrology, renewables ressources, geology, Coastal management. PLEIADES is used for 60% of the emergency activations (ratio between PLEIADES and all worldwide observations satellites systems):
PLEIADES has an extraodinary performance linked to the dual combinaison of high image resolution and very accurate pointing/agility: Example with three pictures on Makkah Royal tower clock acquired by PLEIADES 1B every 90 secondes in a single pass to see the minutes needle moving!
PLEIADES systems is fully operational: mission is uninterrupted and availability is better than 99%. Image quality, reactivity, acquisition capacity are excellent: very good feedback by users, customers and operational teams. CNES and THALES SESO are preparing the future: TANGO is a demonstrator of mirror technology needed for Extreme High Resolution imagery.
Images and results are courtesy of CNES.
