The National Space Program (PSN) horizons 2020 planned to put in place space infrastructures, space systems and increase the specialized human resources in space technologies. Among the space systems planned in the PSN are Algeria's satellites (Alsat-2A, Alsat -2b, Alsat -3, Alsat -4, African Resource Management ARM and the communications satellite Alcomsat-1), of which a significant number should be partly or totally integrated in the Algerian center for satellite development "CDS". CDS offers the technological environment for national competence to develop the future Algerian satellite systems. Algeria's objectives is to make of space tools a powerful instrument in national prosperity in the fields of earth observation, meteorology and communications.
CDS in the National Space Program
CDS comprises: A satellite integration hall: a clean room of 27 meters x 11 meters A satellite environmental tests building. Rooms and equipment for the components storage, cleaning, inspection, assembly and integration equipment, etc. Alsat-2 S-Band antenna system and control ground segments. Alsat-1B S/X Band antenna system and control ground segments. The CDS is organized in 6 departments: Space systems and missions. Satellite engineering Satellites AIT Environment testing Quality and process Research on space technology Those departments house mechanical and thermal, electrical, electronic and optics research and development laboratories.
Satellite integration building
The satellite integration building consists of a large clean room of class 100000, with 4 subareas dedicated to: satellite integration. satellite subsystems assembly. solar systems integration subarea for optical integration / alignment, class 100 on a seismic bloc. Those areas are separated by sliding curtains.
Satellite environmental tests building
The satellite environmental tests building is also planned for the future, this building shall consist of: anechoic chamber for EMC tests thermal vacuum chamber vibration test chamber acoustic test chamber
Main missions of the CDS
Missions: development of satellites (up to 1000 kg) integration of space subsystems and solar panels (class 100.000) integration of space optics (class 100) functional and environmental tests. quality insurance of the AIT and test activities on the space systems. regroup the national experts in the space technology fields. give the adequate environment for experts to develop future space sub-systems and systems planned in the PSN. simulate the national industries in the fields of mechanics,electronics,optics,information technology.
Program Alsat
The "Alsat program " is a constellation of Algerian Earth observation satellites operated by the Algerian Space Agency. Algeria has three operational units and one retired mission.
Retired missions
Alsat-1
Alsat-1 is the first Earth observation satellite of Algeria. Its principal mission is monitoring natural resources. It was a Disaster Monitoring Constellation (DMC) satellite that is developed and coordinated by Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL).
The satellite is a 60-centimeter cube, and weighs about 92 kilograms. The imaging system covers the green, red, and the near infrared, at a resolution of 32 meters.
It was placed in orbit by a kosmos-3M launch vehicle from the Russian cosmodrome of Plessetsk, on 28 November 2002. Its orbit is heliosynchronous at an altitude of about 700 kilometers with orbital inclination of 98°.
Its first images were received on December 17, 2002 at the reception stations of the Center of space technics (Centre national des techniques spatiales CNTS) at Arzew, Algeria. Alsat-1 completed its mission on 15 August 2010.
Operational missions
Alsat-2
On February 1, 2006, EADS Astrium announced the signature of a contract for the realisation of two (02) satellites (Alsat-2A et Alsat-2B) of the Alsat-2 Program. The Alsat-2 program includes also the establishment of two ground control segments and an image terminal to control and pilot the satellites from Algerian territory.
Alsat-2A
Alsat-2A is a high resolution Earth observation satellite that was integrated and tested in France at the d'EADS Astrium workshops with participation of 29 Algerian engineers. It was launched by a Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle on 12 July 2010. With a resolution of 2.5m in panchromatic mode, and of 10m in multispectral mode, it provides satellite images for multiple applications such as topography, agriculture, cartography, and protection of the environment.