French and Israeli space agencies have finalised an agreement to develop a small hyper-spectral imaging satellite, Micro Venus, to be operational in 2008. Both agencies will invest in the programme, with development of the satellite and its payload to be in Israel.
French space agency CNES is responsible for the science mission, data processing and programming centres and will subcontract the $20 million multi-spectral camera payload to Israel’s El-Op, while Israeli industry is responsible for the spacecraft bus, integration of the payload and the control centre.
Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) and Rafael plan to establish a joint company to enable use of funding from both agencies. Yizhak Ben-Israel, general manager of the Israeli space agency, says IAI will build the $30 million satellite.
Source: Flight International