Against stiff competition, it has been announced that Temex will supply its ultra stable crystal oscillator products to the German SAR-Lupe satellite reconnaissance project. The contract was awarded by the prime contractor to SAR-Lupe, OHB System AG, who sought tenders from well-known potential suppliers throughout Europe and the US, and selected the company after a rigorous three-month evaluation of products and suppliers.
Key advantages of the Temex ultra stable OCXO technology include a low profile package of less than 30 mm in height and a very good short term stability of 1 x 10-12/second. This is a prime requirement of many high performance systems including Doppler radar where short term stability is directly related to accuracy, radar imaging for maximum image resolution, and in positioning systems such as GPS and Galileo to enhance co-ordinate resolution and accuracy.
The oscillators will play a key role in SAR-Lupe, which is a system of five satellites plus a ground segment, capable of operating in all weather conditions and during day or night to deliver up-to-date and highly detailed images from virtually all regions of the world. The first satellite is scheduled for launch in 2005 and the system will enter service in 2007.