ALSAT - Algeria and Earth Observation

The most prominent feature of Algeria's space activity in 2002 is the launching of the first Algerian microsatellite (ALSAT), scheduled for 28 November 2002. The project, carried out in collaboration with the Surrey Space Centre (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland), is exclusively concerned with the management and prevention of major risks.

The project, which forms part of an enlarged microsatellite constellation involving China, Nigeria, Thailand, Turkey, the United Kingdom and Viet Nam, made it possible: to reduce the vulnerability of persons and property; and to assess damage and facilitate the organization of disaster relief. AlSat-1 is an enhanced earth observation microsatellite. It is dedicated to national remote sensing purposes and is part of an international collaboration of Earth observation satellites specifically designed for disaster monitoring, called Disaster Monitoring Constellation – DMC-. The main characteristic of Alsat-1 is to achieve a daily revisit in conjunction with the other satellite of the DMC constellation. A large Field of View was implemented. 10 images are enough to cover the whole Algeria territory of more than two million square kilometers.

Recourse to space technologies has been adopted as a major strategic approach to national socio-economic development. In that context, the political authorities have included in the government program for economic recovery a new ALSAT 2 high-resolution Earth observation microsatellite project.

The project forms part of a program designed:

• To acquire capacities to gain access to space technologies through international cooperation;
• To assimilate emerging applications;
• To provide the national user community with the resources for utilizing data gathered by the satellite;
• To evolve space technologies to promote sustainable development and environmental protection;
• To promote training and skills development in the field of space technology applications.

ALSAT 1 reached the end of life in 2010, after 8 years of service, three years longer than expected design life.