The contract is a continuation of the feasibility study carried out by Alup. The contract for the purchase of the camera is part of a cooperation agreement signed between the Israel Space Agency and the French Space Agency (CNES) in June 2005
The contract for the development and supply of the camera was signed in a solemn ceremony held on October 27 at the Aluf offices in Rehovot, with the participation of a delegation from the French Space Agency headed by Pierre Moskwa, director of the space center in Toulouse, the management of Aluf and senior representatives from the Israel Space Agency.
The delivery of the space camera will take place in about two and a half years, and the space agency plans to launch the satellite about eight months later.
The camera, designed and manufactured by Alup, is a scientific camera used for the study of terrestrial surfaces, and especially for monitoring the fertility and carbon balance of ecosystems and crops, as well as for managing water supply for irrigated crops. The camera is based on the unique concept of the Alup company, which includes advanced and innovative superspectral detectors, with 12 channels in the areas of the visible spectrum and the closest to infrared, which produce images with a resolution of about 5.3 meters.
This is the first collaboration between the Israeli Space Agency and the French Space Agency, one of the leading space agencies in the world. This is also the initial agreement signed between the French Space Agency and Alup.
Haim Russo, CEO of Alup, said: "We see great potential for the camera in other commercial and scientific applications such as agriculture, soil mapping, air pollution monitoring and other security and research applications."
About Alup
Alup company from the Elbit Systems Group is the home of electro-optical systems of the State of Israel. Havva is a world leader in the development and production of electro-optical products for the space industry and has over 20 years of experience in this field, placing it in a limited group of manufacturers from around the world with extensive expertise and comprehensive experience in this field of the industry.
About the French Space Agency - CNES
The French space agency CNES (Etudes Spatials'Centre National d), which was founded in 1961, is the government agency responsible for planning and implementing France's space policy in Europe. The French Space Agency is a key player in the European space program and a rich source of initiatives and proposals that keep France and Europe at the forefront of industry competition. The agency has over 2400 employees, including about 1,800 engineers and managers - of which about 35% are women.
