Mitsubishi Develops Satellite System for Disaster Monitoring, Resource Exploration

May 23, 2014

Jean L.

Artist's rendering of Mitsubishi Electric's land-observation ALOS-2 satellite in orbit. It will be tasked primarily for disaster monitoring, environmental protection, resource exploration, and forest monitoring.

Mitsubishi Electric Corp. has completed its development of the ALOS-2:DAICHI-2 advanced land-observation satellite based on a contract awarded to the company by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) in 2009. Mitsubishi Electric will provide the spacecraft, sensor, and ground systems, including data processing, and will confirm operation after the 2-ton ALOS-2 satellite system is launched in late May from Tanegashima Space Center.

Mitsubishi Electric's ALOS-2 is shown at that Tanegashima Space Center.

ALOS-2, a follow-on mission of its predecessor ALOS satellite, is equipped with an L-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR) for improved resolution and wider observation range than ALOS. It is expected to contribute significantly to Earth observations in terms of disaster monitoring, environmental protection, resource exploration, and forest monitoring.

Mitsubishi Electric has participated in more than 450 domestic and international satellite projects as either the prime contractor or a major subcontractor. The company has developed and delivered numerous Earth-observation satellite systems and observation sensors to JAXA and other space-related governmental institutions and agencies.

Recently, Mitsubishi Electric was selected as the contractor to supply JAXA with the Greenhouse Gases Observing SATellite-2 (GOSAT-2) satellite system, which the company is now developing.