QinetiQ's Proba-2 Satellite Captures its 1st Image of the Sun

(January 27, 2010) -- The first images of the Sun captured by the Proba-2 satellite constructed by Verhaert Space, a QinetiQ company, were unveiled Tuesday at a European Space Agency (ESA) event to mark the satellite's successful commissioning.

Proba-2, launched on 2 November 2009, is one of the smallest satellites ever to be flown by ESA - at less than one cubic metre in volume - but it is making a big impact in space technology. PROBA stands for PRoject for On-Board Autonomy, and the satellite supervises itself using Verhaert Space's advanced onboard computer. Although the mission is overseen from ESA's ground station at Redu, Belgium, which is operated in a joint venture by Verhaert Space, the high degree of on-board spacecraft autonomy reduces the need for ground operations.


Frank Preud'homme, Commercial Director of Verhaert Space said: "Proba-2's computer is the most powerful computer developed in Europe for space applications. It is sufficiently capable that it can monitor and manage a satellite's on-board systems locally. The computer system has been selected for a number of new ESA missions and is also being evaluated by non-European customers for use as a platform or payload computer."

Source : QinetiQ Group plc (LSE: QQ.L)