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Surrey
Building Disaster Monitoring Constellation
 Surrey
Satellite Technology Ltd. (SSTL) is building a US$40 million
Disaster Monitoring Constellation (DMC). The constellation will  consist
of five micro-satellites to provide daily imaging world-wide for the
monitoring and mitigation of natural and man-made disasters as well
as dynamic Earth observation. Algeria and the United Kingdom have
committed to the acquisition of the
first two DMC satellites, with launch planned for 2002 or 2003. The
United Kingdom spacecraft will be sponsored by the British National
Space Centre under the MOSAIC program.
The satellites will
weigh approximately 50 kg (110 lbm) with a circular  polar
orbit of 686 km (370 nmi). The constellation will offer 36 meter
resolution. Each satellite will have a life expectancy of about five
years.
The company has yet
to choose the rocket to do the job, and at present is considering
Russian, Chinese, Indian and U.S. boosters.
Five
ground stations will make up the ground segment. Each ground station
will monitor and control the satellite and receive Earth observation
data. Reuters Foundation is expected to serve as the main service
provider for disaster relief agencies through its Alertnet facility.
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