[Satellite Today 11-14-08] Thales Alenia Space España has been awarded a 17 million euro ($21.5 million) contract by prime contractor Sener to supply electronics for the optical observation instrument on the Ingenio satellite, parent company Thales Alenia Space announced Nov. 14.
    Thales Alenia Space España will design, develop, manufacture, test and deliver the flight model instrument electronics, including panchromatic and multispectral detection units and the associated instrument service unit to Sener.  The contract also includes supply of a detection unit for assembly, integration and testing on the completed instrument.
    Thales Alenia Space España also is in charge of the development and delivery of the X- and S-band communications subsystems to the prime contractor.
    The European Space Agency and the Spanish Center for the Development of Industrial Technology signed an initial contract for the development of an optical Earth observation satellite in 2007 to be financed by Spain and built by a Spanish industrial consortium, which includes EADS Astrium, CASA Espacio as satellite prime contractor, Sener for the primary optical instrument and Thales Alenia Space España to develop and supply all electronics for the instrument.    
    Ingenio, scheduled for launch in 2012 and offering a design life of seven years, is Spain’s first Earth observation satellite and the first to be built by a consortium of Spanish companies.