Saab Ericsson Space equips solar research satellites
Saab Ericsson Space equips solar research satellites On Saturday 15 July at 12:40 hrs GMT, Cluster II is to be launched from the Baikonour rocket base in Kazakhstan. A Russian Soyuz launcher put two identical solar research satellites into polar elliptical orbit with altitudes ranging from 19 000 to 119 000 km. The European Space Agency (ESA), in which Sweden is one of the 15 participating countries, has initiated and is leading this unique solar research experiment. Saab Ericsson Space in Göteborg, Sweden is responsible for the satellites' antennas and harness, and the separation system that releases and rejects the satellites away from the launch vehicle at the desired altitude. Austrian Aerospace, a subsidiary of Saab Ericsson Space, has developed the satellites' thermal hardware. A total of four satellites are included in the Cluster II experiment. The remaining two will be launched on 9 August, also from the Baikonour base in Kazakhstan. Cluster II is part of a larger international program whose task is to study the interactions of the Sun and Earth. The satellites will be part of a cluster of satellites from several different countries, including the previously launched ESA/NASA SOHO satellite, among others, monitoring the Sun and the high-speed solar wind of charged particles, consisting mainly of electrons and protons that are blasted from the surface of the Sun into space. The Cluster II satellites will pass through the Earth's magnetic field over a period of two years to complete the most detailed investigation to date on how the Sun and Earth interact. They are equipped with a number of instruments for making various measurements of charged particles and electrical and magnetic fields. Swedish scientists have participated in the development of the instruments. Saab Ericsson Space is an independent supplier of space equipment. The company develops and manufactures computers, antenna systems, microwave electronics, guidance and separation systems for launch vehicles, satellites and other spacecraft, and is world market leader in a number of its product areas. The headquarters are located in Göteborg. The company has a division at Saab in Linköping and subsidiaries in Austria and the USA. Employees number 650 and more than half of them hold master's or doctor's degrees in engineering. The company is owned by Saab and Ericsson. Saab är norra Europas ledande högteknologiska företag, verksamt inom försvars-, flyg- och rymdindustrin, och erbjuder avancerade produkter och system som bygger på sofistikerad informationsteknologi. Affärsområdena är Infomatics, Aerospace, Dynamics, Technical Support and Services, Space och Aviation Services. Ericsson is the leading communications supplier, combining innovation in mobility and Internet in creating the new era of Mobile Internet. Ericsson provides total solutions covering everything from systems and applications to mobile phones and other communications tools. For further information, please contact: Iréne Svensson, Director of Communications tel. +46 (0)31-735 44 63. This information is also available at our web site ------------------------------------------------------------ This information was brought to you by BIT http://www.bit.se The following files are available for download: http://www.bit.se/bitonline/2000/07/14/20000714BIT00460/bit0001.doc http://www.bit.se/bitonline/2000/07/14/20000714BIT00460/bit0002.pdf