Deimos-1 satellite ready for launch

Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL) is preparing two satellites for launch on 25th July. The Earth observation missions, UK-DMC2 and Deimos-1, will be launched onboard a Dnepr rocket from the Baikonur Cosmodrome on 25th July 2009 at 18:46 UTC, 19:46 BST.

The new satellites will enhance Disaster Monitoring Constellation (DMC) satellite daily imaging capacity for applications such as deforestation mapping, urban planning, natural resource management, security, agriculture and disaster relief operations.

Deimos-1, which is owned by Spanish company Deimos Space, and SSTL's own UK-DMC2 satellite, will use the latest SSTL technologies that have been developed by adapting and improving space-proven technologies from the Company's previous 21 Earth observation missions. As well as being the debut for its new 22-metre multispectral wide-swath imaging subsystem, SSTL's UK-DMC2 satellite will play an important role as a test bed for new technologies for use in future missions.

UK-DMC will provide data continuity for the many organisations worldwide that make use of DMC data.