# SEOSat-Ingenio

> Spanish Earth observation satellite

**Wikidata**: [Q840293](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q840293)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SEOSat-Ingenio)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/seosat-ingenio

## Summary
SEOSat-Ingenio is a Spanish Earth observation satellite designed to provide high-resolution imagery for the Copernicus Programme, but it was destroyed shortly after launch on November 17, 2020, due to a rocket failure. It was intended to enhance Spain's space-based Earth observation capabilities and support environmental monitoring and land management.

## Key Facts
- **Launch Date**: November 17, 2020, at 01:52:20 UTC.
- **Destruction Date**: November 17, 2020, at approximately 02:00 UTC due to a launch failure.
- **Mass**: 830 kg (takeoff weight), 750 kg (dry weight).
- **Operator**: Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial Esteban Terradas.
- **Country of Origin**: Spain.
- **Instance Of**: Earth observation satellite.
- **Launch Vehicle**: Vega (flight VV17).
- **Spacecraft Bus**: AstroSat-250.
- **Cause of Destruction**: Launch failure attributed to the Vega rocket's upper stage (AVUM).

## FAQs
### Q: What was SEOSat-Ingenio designed to do?
A: SEOSat-Ingenio was designed to capture high-resolution Earth imagery for environmental monitoring, land management, and disaster response under the Copernicus Programme.

### Q: When and why was SEOSat-Ingenio lost?
A: It was destroyed on November 17, 2020, shortly after launch, due to a failure in the Vega rocket's upper stage (AVUM) during its maiden flight.

### Q: Who was responsible for SEOSat-Ingenio's development?
A: The satellite was developed with Sener as the general contractor for the payload, and Thales Alenia Space España, CRISA, and Airbus Defence and Space as subcontractors for various systems.

### Q: Was SEOSat-Ingenio successful?
A: No, it failed during its first launch and never entered operational service.

## Why It Matters
SEOSat-Ingenio represented Spain's ambitious effort to enhance its Earth observation capabilities through advanced satellite technology, directly supporting the European Copernicus Programme—a cornerstone for environmental data collection. Its loss disrupted planned contributions to land monitoring, climate change tracking, and urban development mapping, underscoring the high stakes of space missions. Despite its failure, the mission highlighted the importance of robust launch systems and provided critical lessons for future satellite initiatives, reinforcing the need for redundancy and rigorous testing in aerospace engineering.

## Notable For
- **Spain's Flagship Earth Observation Project**: Designed as the country's primary high-resolution imaging satellite.
- **Copernicus Programme Integration**: Planned participant in Europe's Earth observation network for environmental data.
- **Advanced Power System**: Equipped with a photovoltaic system generating 850 watts of power.
- **Multi-Contractor Collaboration**: Involved major aerospace firms, including Sener, Thales Alenia Space España, and Airbus Defence and Space.
- **Notable Launch Failure**: Destroyed on its inaugural flight, marking a significant mission setback for the Vega rocket program.

## Body
### Mission Overview
SEOSat-Ingenio was a Spanish Earth observation satellite classified under the Earth observation satellite entity. It was intended to support the Copernicus Programme with high-resolution imagery for land and environmental monitoring. The satellite had a service life estimated at seven years but was lost during launch.

### Technical Specifications
- **Mass**: 830 kg at takeoff and 750 kg (dry weight).
- **Orbit**: Sun-synchronous orbit with an inclination of 98.09 degrees.
- **Power**: Photovoltaic system generating 850 watts.
- **Spacecraft Bus**: AstroSat-250 platform.
- **Instruments**: Focused on high-resolution Earth imaging, though specific sensor details are not provided in the source data.

### Launch and Failure
- **Launch Date**: November 17, 2020, at 01:52:20 UTC from Ensemble de Lancement Vega.
- **Launch Vehicle**: Vega (flight VV17), a retired European expendable orbital launch vehicle.
- **Failure Cause**: Destruction due to a launch failure in the rocket's upper stage (AVUM), occurring approximately at 02:00 UTC.
- **Result**: The satellite was lost before achieving operational orbit, marking a complete mission failure.

### Manufacturers and Contractors
- **General Contractor**: Sener (payload).
- **Subcontractors**:  
  - Thales Alenia Space España (electronic and communication systems).  
  - CRISA (electronic system).  
  - Airbus Defence and Space (avionics).
- **Launch Contractor**: Arianespace.

### Program and Significance
- **Program Affiliation**: Designated for the Copernicus Programme (with an effective date qualifier of 2026-02-01, though the satellite was destroyed in 2020).
- **Operator**: Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial Esteban Terradas.
- **Sponsor**: Centre for Technological Development and Innovation.
- **Aliases**: SEOSat/Ingenio, Ingenio, SEOSat, Spanish Earth Observation Satellite-Ingenio, Satélite Español de Observación de la Tierra.

## References

1. [Source](https://directory.eoportal.org/web/eoportal/satellite-missions/s/seosat)
2. [Source](https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/seosat-ingenio.htm)
3. [SEOSat/Ingenio - Earth Observation Satellite of Spain - eoPortal](https://directory.eoportal.org/satellite-missions/seosat)
4. [SEOSat/Ingenio - Earth Observation Satellite of Spain - eoPortal](https://www.eoportal.org/satellite-missions/seosat#seosatingenio---earth-observation-satellite-of-spain)
5. [Source](https://news.satnews.com/2020/11/17/mission-failure-arianespaces-vega-vv17-seosat-ingenio-taranis-lost/)
6. [Source](https://directory.eoportal.org/web/eoportal/satellite-missions/s/seosat#foot23%29)
7. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
8. [Vega fails during launch of European Earth observation satellites. 2020](https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2020/11/arianespace-vega-seosat-taranis/)
9. [SEOSat/Ingenio - Earth Observation Satellite of Spain - eoPortal](https://www.eoportal.org/satellite-missions/seosat)