CANNES, France - In the framework of the MUltinational Space-based Imaging System (MUSIS) program, Thales Alenia Space Italia has signed a contract with OCCAR-EA, (Organization for Joint Armament Cooperation), called MUSIS Federating Activities Phase B2, which aims at providing the customers with the definition of the CIL (Common Interoperability Layer). The CIL will guarantee the operational interconnection between the components in a joint Franco-Italian dual (civil-military) imaging system, comprising the Italian dual system CSG (Second-Generation Cosmo-SkyMed) and the French military system CSO (Optical Space Component, a Helios follow-on).
The Phase B2 contract, which is a 10-month duration contract budgeted at 2.5 million Euros, is designed to consolidate the previous phase, so called Phase B1. It will define the technical characteristics needed for the future development of the CIL, while also providing a detailed cost analysis to demonstrate the cost-effectiveness of the proposed solution, in order to support the decision-making process for the subsequent implementation phase.
MUSIS was originally envisioned as a single unified system of optical and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) equipped satellites. The system would be shared between Italy, France, Germany, Belgium, Spain and Greece. However, the program suffered from years of disputes over cost sharing, work sharing, and even the system itself. Delays forced European countries to develop systems on their own in order to avoid capability gaps. Now it appears that rather than being one single system, MUSIS will be a program that will enable European countries to share their own resources. By sharing resources nations will get access to both optical and SAR systems, as well as the benefits of increased coverage that comes from an increased number of satellites orbiting Earth.
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