PRESS RELEASE
SENER delivers officially the Structural Thermal Model of the
ultraviolet imaging instrument ISSIS for the space telescope WSO/UV
Bilbao, December 4, 2012 – Under the presidency of Francisco Javier Martín, representative from the
Spanish Ministry of Industry, Tourism and Commerce (MINETUR in its Spanish acronym), SENER has
delivered today to INASAN (Russian Astronomic Institute) and to a delegation of the Russian Federation
Space Agency (ROSCOSMOS), the Structural Thermal Model (STM) of the instrument ISSIS (Imaging and
Slitless Spectroscopy Instrument for Surveys) for the space telescope WSO/UV (World Space
Observatory/Ultra Violet).
This fact, that represents a milestone in the space program, was hold at SENER’s facilities with the
reception of the STM by the Chief Engineer of WSO-UV project, Alexander A. Moisheev, from the hands
of the Chief Engineer of ISSIS, Dr. Engineer Juan Seijas from SENER and that counted whith the
presence of the project scientific managers in Russia, Dr. Boris Shustov, from the Astronomy Institute of
the Russian Academy of Sciences; and in Spain, Dr. Ana Inés Gómez de Castro, from the Complutense
University of Madrid.
The World Space Observatory/Ultra Violet is a mission lead by ROSCOSMOS for the universe
observation in the ultraviolet rank. The WSO-UV represents the biggest joined project between Spain
and Russia in the research and space technology field. Spain participates on the WSO-UV program with
the Imaging and Slitless Spectroscopy Instrument for Surveys (ISSIS), and it also contributes in a relevant
way to the mission ground segment, whose flight operation will be shared between Moscow and Madrid.
ISSIS was born after the agreement signed in 2006 between the Russian Federation Government and
the Spanish Government for the cooperation in space exploration. In 2009, the Spanish Secretariat of
Industry from the MINETUR and ROSCOSMOS signed the international agreement in which Spain was
committed to provide Russia the ISSIS instrument for the WSO-UV.
ISSIS is a very versatile instrument that, with a compact design, will allow carrying out high
sensibility observations in the UV rank. ISSIS will be the first instrument for the ultraviolet image that
will operate in an earth orbit 35,000 kilometers above the surface, as well as ensuring the observation
of galaxies halos and young planetary systems.
In 2010, SENER became the awarded company of the contract for the development and supply of an
instrument composed by two high sensibility ultraviolet detectors capable of carrying out spectroscopy
both in the distant ultraviolet (120 nm) and in the closer one.
More information:
Mariana Fernández. Communication. SENER Tel (+34) 91 807 87 01
Pilar García. Communication Manager. SENER Tel (+34) 91 807 72 41 (+34) 609 45 02 09
Carmen Lozano. Communication UCM Tel (+34) 91 394 40 58
www.sener.es
About SENER
SENER is a private engineering and technology group founded in 1956, which strives to offer its customers the most
advanced technological solutions and enjoys international recognition for its commitment to innovation, quality and
independence. SENER has over 5,000 employees and a turnover of 1,160 million euros (2011 data).
SENER groups the activities of Engineering and Construction, has industrial holdings in companies operating in the fields of
Energy and Environment, and in the Aeronautical sector. The Engineering and Construction Division, SENER Ingeniería y
Sistemas, SA, has become one of the largest Spanish engineering companies, with a turnover of over 653 million euros (2011
data), about 2,500 employees and offices in Algeria, Argentina, Brazil, Japan, Mexico, Poland, Portugal, South Korea, Spain,
United Arab Emirates and United States.
In Space, SENER develops components and systems for the flight segment, in its three areas of activity: precision
mechanics, covering virtually all the needs of the flight segment; Guidance, Navigation and Control systems (GNC) and optical
payloads.
In its nearly 50 years of experience in this field, SENER is a world leader with more than 200 equipments installed without
any failure in around fifty satellites and space vehicles for the U.S. space agency NASA, the European ESA, the Japanese JAXA
or the Russian agency Roscosmos, among others.
About UCM/AEGORA
The Complutense University of Madrid (Universidad Complutense de Madrid, UCM) was founded in Alcalá de Henares by
Cardinal Cisneros in 1499. From its foundation, UCM has carried out an essential role in the Spanish culture and history. In
1927, during the named as Edad de Plata (Silver Age) of the Spanish culture, magister classes were given in the UCM
classrooms by, among others, José Ortega y Gasset, Manuel García Morente, Luis Jiménez de Asúa, Santiago Ramón y Cajal
and Blas Cabrera.
Nowadays, UCM is the largest university in Spainwith 85,000 registered students, more than 12,000 of them in
postgraduate programs. UCM has a permanent workforce of 3,250 professors/researchers. UCM facilities include 40 institutes
and research centers, 14 clinics and university hospitals, 19 technical support centers for research and the widest university
library in Spain.
AEGORA is the research group of the Complutense University of Madrid, specialized in Space Astronomy and in the
associated operative research. AEGORA was born thanks to the ultraviolet astronomy collaboration between the European
Observatory of the former ultraviolet mission, the International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE) and the UCM. The IUE was the
forerunner of the WSO-UV.
AEGORA’s research is based on the UV astronomy use for the study of astrophysical plasmas, stars formation as well as the
evolution of young planetary systems. AEGORA coordinates the European ultraviolet astronomy network, NUVA, and the
Spanish scientific participation in the WSO-UV. AEGORA also collaborates with the scientific educational renovation for high
school through the project ‘El Universo en tus manos (The Universe in your hands)’ (www.houspain.com)
Links:
www.sener.es; www.ucm.es
More information:
Mariana Fernández. Communication. SENER Tel (+34) 91 807 87 01
Pilar García. Communication Manager. SENER Tel (+34) 91 807 72 41 (+34) 609 45 02 09
Carmen Lozano. Communication UCM Tel (+34) 91 394 40 58
www.sener.es