ASAS - Advanced Shaped Antenna System - Developed under an ESA contract, this dual offset Gregorian Antenna Reflector is suitable for telecommunications applications in Ku-band. This already qualified design incorporates the latest technology in ultra-light reflectors manufacturing. Its single membrane made of tri-axial CFRP woven fabric provides a mass of less than 1 kilogram per square meter, with an outstanding stiffness to mass ratio. Being not a solid shell, it is performance against the acoustic loads during launch is unsurpassed.
SMOS/MIRAS Arm structure - The data obtained from the SMOS (Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity) ESA mission, will improve climatological forecasts and increase the knowledge of the global water cycle and its connection to meteorology. These will give scientists a full insight of phenomena such as El Niño, causing floodings or droughts; and permit the monitoring of the planet's fresh water reserves. EADS CASA Espacio is the prime contractor of the sole instrument of the mission, called MIRAS, a Microwave Imaging Radiometer with Aperture Synthesis. Its 3 arms, made in carbon fibre, hold the 66 L band receptors, through which the measurements will be obtained. SMOS is for launch in March of 2007.
European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company EADS N.V. Le Carré · Beechavenue 130-132 · 1119 PR Schiphol Rijk · The Netherlands
EADS Deutschland GmbH · 81663 Munich · Germany EADS France S.A.S. · 37, boulevard de Montmorency · 75781 Paris Cedex 16 · France EADS CASA · Ava. de Aragón, 404, 28022 Madrid · Spain
