Page 88 - SAMENA Trends - October 2019

SATELLITE UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

The ESA’s EarthCARE Satellite to Be Launched by Arianespace

(MSI) and a Broad-Band Radiometer (BBR), plus the Launcher
and Ground Segment (with exception of the CPR data segment).
The EarthCARE mission will use a Soyuz launch vehicle, with
the launch period starting in June 2022 from the Guiana Space
Center, Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana (South America).
The satellite will have a mass at liftoff of approximately 2,350
kg and will circle Earth in SSO, crossing the equator in the early
afternoon to optimize daylight conditions, at an altitude of 390
km. The altitude needs to be as low as possible to optimize use of
both the lidar and radar, but not too low where atmospheric drag
would impact fuel consumption and the lifetime of the mission.
EarthCARE has a design lifetime of three years, including a six-
month commissioning phase. The mission’s goal is to provide a
picture of the 3D-dimensional spatial and the temporal structure
Arianespace and the European Space Agency (ESA) have announced of the radiative flux field at the top of atmosphere, within the
the signature of a launch services contract with a Soyuz launch atmosphere and at the Earth’s surface. The high-performance
vehicle for the EarthCARE satellite. EarthCARE (Cloud, Aerosol lidar and radar technology, plus the synergistic use of the different
and Radiation Explorer) satellite - the sixth mission in ESA’s Earth remote sensing techniques embarked on board EarthCARE, will
Explorer program - will advance understanding of the role clouds deliver unprecedented datasets allowing scientists to study the
and aerosols play in reflecting incident solar radiation back relationship of clouds, aerosols and radiation at accuracy levels
into space and trapping infrared radiation emitted from Earth’s that will significantly improve our understanding of these highly-
surface. Artistic rendition of ESA’s EarthCARE satellite, which will variable parameters. The ESA/JAXA EarthCARE mission will
advance understanding of the role that clouds and aerosols play in provide this information to improve predictions about the weather
reflecting incident solar radiation back out to space and trapping and future climate. The satellite prime contractor is AIRBUS
infrared radiation emitted from Earth’s surface. EarthCARE is a Defence and Space (DE). Josef Aschbacher, ESA’s Director of
joint collaborative satellite mission conducted between ESA and Earth Observation, said EarthCARE is built to better understand
the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) that delivers the climate change by measuring clouds and atmospheric particles.
Cloud Profiling Radar (CPR) instrument. ESA is responsible for It is a joint mission between ESA and JAXA, the Japan Aerospace
the entire system - including the Spacecraft, three instruments Exploration Agency, demonstrating once more what international
including ATmospheric LIDar (ATLID), a Multi-Spectral Imager cooperation can achieve.”

DES Ministry Panel Working on ToR for Private Satellite Operators

The Digital Economy and Society (DES) eration, Ms. Ajarin said. “ToR for the PPP the procedure. Ms. Ajarin said the move
Ministry has expressed confidence that projects in connection with three satellites would help ease bidders’ concerns about
it can find companies that will operate should be finished by June next year,” she regulatory issues. However, the request
services on satellites Thaicom 4, 5 and 6 said. The ministry’s teams are updating was shot down by the NBTC. Thanapant
before Thaicom’s concessions expire in which satellite assets have to be handed Raicharoen, Deputy Secretary General of
September 2021. The scheme will be car- over to the state. Thaicom 4 is operated on the NBTC, said the agency acknowledged
ried out under the public-private partner- the orbital slot at 119.5 East and Thaicom the concerns raised by the ministry. The
ship model. Thaicom is obliged to transfer 5 and 6 at 78.5 East. The government plans regulator stands ready to award operating
all concession-related assets to the state to replace concessions with a licensing re- licences and rights for satellite network
when the concession ends. Ajarin Pattana- gime to promote liberalization of the indus- filing immediately to companies selected
panchai, the DES permanent secretary, try while maintaining state benefits. The by the ministry under the PPP project, he
said the ministry’s working group is in the National Broadcasting and Telecommu- said. Air Marshal Thanapant said the NBTC
process of considering terms of reference nications Commission (NBTC) took over has finished three related regulation drafts
(ToR) for private operators to run the ser- regulating all related satellite businesses for the satellite business: a master plan for
vice. The ToR draft is expected to be com- from the DES Ministry last year, according satellite orbital slot rights, rules for licens-
pleted by mid-2020. After that, bidders will to the amended NBTC law. The DES Min- ing to use slots, and rules for using sat-
be asked to submit their proposals. The istry recently wrote to the NBTC, asking ellites owned and operated by foreigners.
ministry spent 6 million baht hiring Ch- if the ministry could help arrange orbital The NBTC plans a public hearing on the
ulalongkorn University to study the draft slots and satellite network filing for satel- drafts on Oct 21, aiming for implementa-
conditions in relation to the satellite op- lites throughout their lifespan to facilitate tion by November.

88 OCTOBER 2019