The Pleiades satellites, operated and built by Astrium, number three company in the world for space technologies, have captured this image of Moore, Oklahoma, which clearly shows the devastation caused by the massive tornado that swept through the region on May 20, 2013.
By comparing today’s image with an image acquired on April 29, 2013, it is very easy to see that buildings, trees, cars and virtually everything else has been completed destroyed along the tornado’s path.
First responders will use satellite imagery like this to assess the overall situation and coordinate their efforts.
The Pleiades constellation, operated by Astrium Services, is comprised of two identical satellites working together to provide a daily revisit capability that becomes extremely valuable in times of disaster. One of the two satellites is passing over the affected area every day, providing actionable intelligence to first responders and support planners on the ground. Working in a phased orbit with the Pleiades twins is the SPOT 6 satellite. Built by Astrium Satellites and operated by Astrium Services, SPOT 6 will be soon joined by its own twin. With the four-satellite constellation, Astrium Services will be able to image any area on Earth twice a day, providing information to disaster responders and others faster than ever before.
The high-resolution images can be downloaded from ftp://ftp.astrium-geo.com/Moore_Tornado_Pleiades
About Astrium
Together, pioneering excellence
Astrium is the number one company in Europe for space technologies and the third in the world. It is the only global company that covers the full range of civil and defence space systems, equipment and services.
In 2012, Astrium had a turnover over O5.8 billion and 18,000 employees worldwide.
Its three business units are: Astrium Space Transportation, the European prime contractor for launchers, orbital systems and space exploration; Astrium Satellites, a leading provider of satellite system solutions, including spacecraft, ground segments, payloads and equipments; Astrium Services, the Space services partner for critical missions, providing comprehensive fixed and mobile solutions covering secure and commercial satcoms and networks, and bespoke geo-information services, worldwide.
Astrium is a wholly owned subsidiary of EADS, a global leader in aerospace, defence and related services. In 2012, the Group – comprising Airbus, Astrium, Cassidian and Eurocopter – generated revenues of O56.5 billion and employed a workforce of over 140,000.
