[FPSPACE] French space surveillance radar

[Allen Thomson]

A correspondent in Europe has sent me a short item concerning the GRAVES 
space surveillance radar in France. It's from "Air et Cosmos"   N°1979  (15 
April 2005) .  I wasn't sure whether accents would survive e-mailing, so I 
left them out.

It will be interesting to see if CDAOA makes the satellite orbital elements 
from GRAVES public.


Le radar "Graves attendu en octobre.

C'est en octobre que le CDAOA prendra en charge le systeme "Graves" (Grand 
reseau adapte a la veille spatiale), appelle a constituer le premier maillon 
d'une capacite de surveillance de l'espace (positionnement et activites des 
satellites) depuis le sol.  Pour ce type de mission, le CDAOA etait jusqu'a 
present dependant d'informations exterieures.  Desormais, c'est le maniere 
autonome que la France pourra assurer la surveillance de l'ensemble des 
satellites evoluant en orbites basses et, par la meme, entretenir son propre 
catalogue pour evaluer une eventuelle menace spatiale ou proteger ses 
propres satellites contre des debries en orbite ou des actes hostiles.


Quick translation:

The "Graves" radar expected in October.

In October the CDAOA [the Air Defence and Air Operations Command of the 
French air force] will take charge of the "Graves" system, which is slated 
to become the first link of a ground-based space surveillance capability 
(positioning and activity of satellites).  Until now, the CDAOA was 
dependent on foreign information for this type of mission.  Henceforth, 
France will be able ensure the surveillance of  low-orbit satellites in an 
autonomous manner, and also it will be able to have its own catalogue to 
evaluate a possible space threat or to protect its own satellites from 
debris in orbit or against hostile acts.


For GRAVES, see

http://www.onera.fr/photos-en/instexp/graves.html
http://www.cosis.net/abstracts/SPACE2005/00011/SPACE2005-A-00011.pdf

For CDAOA, see

http://www.defense.gouv.fr/sites/air/decouverte/lorganisation/commandements_operationnels/cdaoa
http://www.european-defence.co.uk/directory/armedforces/frair.html