10 October 2011

Sofradir awarded IR detector contract for MUSIS/CSO Earth observation military satellites

Sofradir of Châtenay-Malabry, near Paris, France, which makes cooled infrared (IR) detectors based on mercury cadmium telluride (MCT/HgCdTe) for military, space and industrial applications, has been awarded a multi-million Euro contract to supply IR detectors for the engineering and flight model phases for the MUSIS/CSO next-generation Earth observation military satellites, which will replace the current Helios 2 observational system.

Within the framework of the four-year MUSIS/CSO contract, Sofradir will deliver to satellite and space equipment manufacturer Thalès Alenia Space France (TAS-F) high-resolution custom-designed IR focal plane arrays for the optical imaging cameras.

“After our successful involvement in the satellites Helios IIA and IIB, launched in 2004 and 2009 respectively, Sofradir is proud to be part of the MUSIS/CSO project and have the continued confidence of the French MoD and TAS,” says chairman & CEO Philippe Bensussan.

CSO (Optical Space Component) is the French government’s contribution to the future MUSIS (MUltinational Spacebased Imaging System), which will include optical and radar space components. Aerospace firm Astrium is the prime contractor for the CSO satellite development contract. The French space agency CNES awarded the contract to Astrium in 2010. CNES was delegated by the French procurement agency DGA to manage the project.

Sofradir first became involved in MUSIS/CSO in 2005, when it carried out a feasibility study and preliminary development of the IR detectors. The firm will complete delivery of all the MCT-based detectors by 2015.

Tags: Sofradir HgCdTe MCT IR detectors

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