ARTEMIS satellite preparation in ESTEC's facilities.
Carrying three payloads plus a number of experiments, ARTEMIS (Advanced Relay and Technology Mission Satellite) is being developed for testing and operating new telecommunications techniques.
The L-band mobile payload will allow two-way voice and data communications, via satellite, between fixed Earth stations and land mobiles - trucks, trains or cars - anywhere in Europe and North Africa.
ARTEMIS will carry two payloads for communications directly between satellites, which will receive data from low-Earth-orbiting satellites and transmit them directly to Europe:
-a laser-optical relay terminal called SILEX,
-a double S/Ka-band terminal called SKDR.
ARTEMIS was launched the 12 July 2001 on an Ariane 5 launcher.