PROTEUS 'family photo'. The complete (but still folded-up) SMOS platform is in the centre of the picture. The Jason-2 platform, still in build-up, is visible to the right and the completed COROT satellite is on the left with one solar array wing deployed.
The SMOS instrument, Microwave Imaging Radiometer using Aperture Synthesis (MIRAS), is carried on on a generic platform called ‘Proteus’. MIRAS was built by a consortium of over 20 European companies led by EADS-CASA Espacio in Spain. Proteus was developed by the French space agency CNES and Thales Alenia Space.
HI-RES JPG (Size: 
