ALTIUS

Last updated
ALTIUS
ALTIUS mission logo.png
ALTIUS BISA logo
Mission type Earth Observation
Operator European Space Agency
Website https://www.esa.int/Applications/Observing_the_Earth/Altius
Mission duration>3 years (design lifetime)
Spacecraft properties
SpacecraftALTIUS
Bus PROBA
Manufacturer QinetiQ Space
Launch mass266 kilograms (586 lb) [1]
Dry mass254 kilograms (560 lb) [1]
Start of mission
Launch date2026 (2026) (planned) [2]
Rocket Vega-C
Launch site Kourou ELV
Contractor Arianespace
Orbital parameters
Reference system Sun-synchronous orbit
Regime Low Earth
Altitude≈668 km [1]
Repeat interval3 days [1]
Main payload
NameALTIUS instrument
TypeMulti-channel tuneable spectral imager
WavelengthsUV: 250-355 nm (tuneable)
VIS: 440-675 nm (tuneable)
NIR 600-1020 nm (tuneable) [1]
Resolution1 to 3 km (vertically) [1]
ALTIUS mission patch.png
ALTIUS mission logo

ALTIUS (Atmospheric Limb Tracker for Investigation of the Upcoming Stratosphere) is a satellite mission proposed by the Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy and currently under development by the European Space Agency. [3] [4] [5] Its main objective is to monitor the distribution and evolution of stratospheric ozone in the Earth's atmosphere. The industrial consortium is led by QinetiQ Space, acting as mission prime. [6] [4] The satellite design is based on the PROBA small satellite bus. [3] The payload, developed by OIP Sensor Systems, is an innovative UV, visible and NIR instrument. [7]

Contents

The mission is scheduled for launch in 2026 from the Guiana Space Centre [2] on Vega-C together with another Earth-observing satellite, FLEX . [8]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Altius". ESA . Retrieved 10 November 2021.
  2. 1 2 "ALTIUS - ESA's ozone mission". ESA. Retrieved 4 May 2024.
  3. 1 2 Fussen, Didier; Dekemper, Emmanuel; Errera, Quentin; Franssens, Ghislain; Mateshvili, Nina; Pieroux, Didier; Vanhellemont, Filip (3 August 2016). "The ALTIUS Mission". Atmospheric Measurement Techniques Discussions : 1–40. doi: 10.5194/amt-2016-213 .
  4. 1 2 "First ALTIUS Symposium". Space Pole Events. Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy. 2017-05-02. Archived from the original on 2018-06-12. Retrieved 11 June 2018.
  5. ↑ "Earth Observation Programmes". ESA Ministerial Council 2016. European Space Agency. 2016. Retrieved 11 June 2018. ALTIUS: Develop and operate a small mission dedicated to the operational monitoring of stratospheric ozone profiles.
  6. ↑ Henry, Caleb (27 January 2020). "QinetiQ to build ozone-monitoring satellite for European Space Agency". SpaceNews . Retrieved 27 January 2020.
  7. ↑ "ALTIUS". OIP Sensor Systems. Archived from the original on 2018-06-12. Retrieved 11 June 2018.
  8. ↑ "Ride into space on Vega-C secured for FLEX and Altius". www.esa.int. Retrieved 2025-03-03.


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