Hot Bird 10, NSS-9, Spirale A, Spirale B

Hot Bird 10 is a French communications satellite operated by Eutelsat. It provides direct to home broadcasting from geostationary orbit at 13 degrees East. NSS9 is a communications satellite owned by SES, operating at 177 degrees West. Spirale is a French government programme to develop an early wanring system which will use infrared satellite imagery to detect the flights of ballistic missiles. This was a demonstration using two micro satellites.