16:29 | Toulouse (France), Dec. 01.
The optical satellite system that Peru acquired from France will be the most powerful in Latin America and will be equipped with a high-resolution instrument designed to capture pictures of Peru from space, said the Peruvian delegation monitoring its construction in Toulouse, France.
Led by President Ollanta Humala, the delegation visited Airbus Defence and Space facilities to supervise the progress made on the construction of Peru’s first Earth observation satellite system named PeruSat-1.
To do so, the Peruvian leader was joined by his Foreign Affairs Minister Ana Maria Sanchez and Defense Minister Jake Valakivi, as well as by the company’s executives.
Taking all the necessary safety measures, the Peruvian delegation toured the high-level facilities including, among others, design, lab and maintenance areas.
The 0.7m resolution sub-metric satellite will be the most powerful in Latin America and will accurately identify, from space, different objects on earth’s surface. It will be useful in Peru's mission to fight drugs, illegal mining and prevent natural disasters.
Technological Transfer
The Peruvian satellite project includes a technological transfer program that has brought 24 Peruvian engineering trainees to Toulouse.
Peruvians are getting ready to gain high-level knowledge of satellite technology and whatever is required to operate the first Peruvian satellite.
The Ministry of Defense, on the other hand, is building up the National Satellite Imagery Operations Center (CNOIS) Earth Station in Pucusana district, from where the satellite will be monitored once it is sent into orbit in July 2016 from the spaceport near Kourou in French Guiana.
According to the said Ministry, the earth station will come into operation as of January.
(END) NDP/FHG/RMB/MVB
Published: 12/1/2015