Airbus inks pact with French space agency to make thermal infrared instrument for Trishna satellite

Airbus on Monday said it has signed a contract with French space agency CNES to develop and manufacture a thermal infrared instrument for the Trishna satellite, which will be used for monitoring climate.

Trishna, which stands for thermal infrared imaging satellite for high resolution natural resource assessment, will be the latest in the joint Franco-Indian satellite fleet dedicated to climate monitoring and operational applications, said a press statement by Airbus.

"The CNES (Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales) and ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) are partnering on the development of an infrared observation system with high thermal resolution and high revisit capability including a satellite and associated ground segment," it noted.

In the international partnership workshare, ISRO will provide the platform, the visible and short wave infrared instrument and will be the prime contractor for the satellite, while the CNES is co-responsible for the mission and will provide the thermal infrared instrument, to be developed by Airbus.

Trishna's observations will enhance our understanding of the water cycle and improve management of the planet's water resources to better define the impacts of climate change, especially at local levels, the aircraft manufacturer said.