Artemis FM testing in ESTEC

The Flight Model of ESA's Artemis telecommunications demonstration satellite arrived at ESTEC in July 1998 for 16 months of testing, beginning with the Large Space Simulator (LSS) in August 1998. Artemis (Advanced Relay and Technology Mission Satellite) is planned for launch in 2000 on Japan's H2A vehicle to demonstrate new telecommunications techniques. The L-band payload will allow 2-way communications between fixed Earth stations and land mobiles (trucks, trains and cars) in Europe and North Africa. Two payloads will provide communications directly between satellites, receiving data from low Earth-orbiting satellites and relaying them to Europe [Image Date: 1998/08] [98.09.012-045]