The Algerian medium-resolution earth observation satellite Alsat-1B has just completed its fourth year in orbit since it was launched and placed in orbit on September 26, 2016 by the Indian launcher PSLV C 35, and continues its mission of observation of the earth in the best operational conditions, from its sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of 670 km.
It is equipped with a powerful camera providing national users with high quality image products, according to five different levels of processing, in panchromatic (12 m resolution) and multispectral (24 m resolution in standard mode or 12 m in enhanced mode) modes. .
Alsat-1B provides scenes with a large swath: 140 km, covering a total area of 22,500 km2.
Since its launch, ASAL’s teams of engineers have been monitoring it and verifying the nominal operating state of its various subsystems (on-board computer, camera, radiofrequency modules, solar panels, thruster, etc. …), In order to guarantee an excellent level of geometric and radiometric quality of the images for the benefit of national users, from the Alsat-1B ground segment, at the Oran Satellite Development Center.
Since the launch of the Alsat-1B satellite in 2016 to date, 9,130 products have been generated covering a total area of over 205 million km2.
| YEAR | NUMBER OF IMAGES | AREA (Million Km²) |
| 2016 – 2017 | 2103 | ~ 47 |
| 2018 | 1652 | ~ 37 |
| 2019 | 2612 | ~ 59 |
| 1 st janv.2020 to date | 2763 | ~ 62 |
| TOTAL | 9130 | 205 |
Assessment of Alsat-1B images since launch
The Thematic fields of application cover several sectors of national economic activity:
- Major risks: in particular locust control where the Alsat-1B data makes it possible to monitor the migratory phenomenon over large border areas, as well as the location of burnt areas in a region.
- Natural resources: with large-scale projects that focus on the evaluation of the potential in water and mineral resources in the Saharan zone as well as the location of the land portfolio in the Southern Wilayas.
