Digital rendering of Alsat 1B. Photo: SSTL

[Via Satellite 07-10-2014] Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL) and the Algerian Space Agency (ASAL) are working together to build a new Earth observation satellite: Alsat 1B. The new satellite builds on the accomplishments of Alsat 1A, which was launched in 2002.

ASAL has a Memorandum of Understanding with the UK Space Agency to promote collaboration between the two space programs. Of critical importance for ASAL was to bring skills for building satellites to Algeria. As such, 18 Algerian engineers will handle the assembly, integration and test phase for the satellite in Algeria, and 18 Algerian students will travel to the University of Surrey in Guildford, England for educational purposes.

The new Alsat 1B satellite will carry a 24-meter multispectral imager and a 12-meter panchromatic imager using the SSTL-100 platform.