Helios 2A
Encyclopedia
The Helios 2 system includes Helios 2A and Helios 2B, both of which are european military observation satellite
s used by France
, Belgium
, Spain
. Helios 2A was launched on December 18, 2004 by an Ariane 5
rocket from French Guiana
. Helios 2B was launched five years later on December 18, 2009, carried also by an Ariane 5. The two satellites are identical.http://www.cnes.fr/web/CNES-en/2744-helios.php Their ground resolution is about 30 cm.
Satellite
In the context of spaceflight, a satellite is an object which has been placed into orbit by human endeavour. Such objects are sometimes called artificial satellites to distinguish them from natural satellites such as the Moon....
s used by France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. Helios 2A was launched on December 18, 2004 by an Ariane 5
Ariane 5
Ariane 5 is, as a part of Ariane rocket family, an expendable launch system used to deliver payloads into geostationary transfer orbit or low Earth orbit . Ariane 5 rockets are manufactured under the authority of the European Space Agency and the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales...
rocket from French Guiana
French Guiana
French Guiana is an overseas region of France, consisting of a single overseas department located on the northern Atlantic coast of South America. It has borders with two nations, Brazil to the east and south, and Suriname to the west...
. Helios 2B was launched five years later on December 18, 2009, carried also by an Ariane 5. The two satellites are identical.http://www.cnes.fr/web/CNES-en/2744-helios.php Their ground resolution is about 30 cm.