HELIOS IIB

Description of Ariane 5  payload of December 2009

 Helios IIB is the second satellite in the second-generation spaceborne observation system for security and defense applications, conducted by France in conjunction with Belgium, Spain, Italy and Greece.

The program manager is French defense procurement agency DGA (Direction Générale pour l'Armement), part of the French Ministry of Defense, which has assigned contracting authority for the space segment to CNES (Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales), the French Space Agency.

HELIOS 2B will weigh approximately 4,200 kg at liftoff. It was built by EADS-ASTRIUM as prime contractor.