SAC-D

SAC-D
Type:	Earth observation satellite
Country:	Argentina
Operator:	CONAE
COSPAR-ID :	2011-024A
Mission dates
Dimensions:	1341 kg
Size:	2.7 m in diameter and 4.5 m in height
Begin:	June 10, 2011
Starting place:	Vandenberg AFB , SLC-2W
Launcher:	Delta II 7320 10C D-354
Status:	Out of service
Orbit data
Track height:	657 km
Eccentricity :	98 °

SAC-D (Satelite de Aplicaciones Cientificas) is an Argentine earth observation satellite .

It took off on June 10, 2011 at 2:20 p.m. UTC with a Delta II 7320-10 from Vandenberg Air Force Base into a 657 km high sun-synchronous orbit. The main board instrument is a microwave - radiometer ( L-band ) called Aquarius, the specialists of the Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt ( Maryland developed). It is intended to measure the salt content on the surface of the oceans and thus provide information that improves understanding of the influence of the oceans on the global water cycle .

The mission ended on June 8, 2015 after an error occurred in the energy supply and attitude control.

Instruments from SAC-D

instrument	tasks	Data	resolution	authority
Aquarius	The aim is to provide a basic understanding of the global water cycle of the oceans and its climate interactions as well as to measure soil moisture over Argentina.	L-band radiometer (1.413 GHz) and scatterometer (1.26 GHz) swath width : 390 km	Three rays: 76 km × 94, 84 km × 120 km, 96 km × 156 km	NASA
MWR MicroWave Radiometer	Rainfall, wind speed, sea ice concentration, water vapor, cloud density	Range: 23.8 GHz vertical polarization and 36.5 GHz horizontal and vertical polarization Bandwidth: 0.5 GHz and 1 GHz Swath width: 380 km	SecHzehn rays: <54 km	CONAE
NIRST New IR sensor technology	Rainfall, wind speed, sea ice concentration, water vapor, cloud density	Range: 3.8 µm, 10.7 µm and 11.7 µm, normal swath width: 182 km, extended swath width 1000 km, pointing: ± 30 °	Resolution: 350 m at a temperature resolution of 0.5 ° C, smallest detectable fire area: 200 m²	CONAE CSA
HSC high sensitive camera	Amount of light from human settlements, electrical storms, polar region, snow cover	panchromatic: 450–610 nm swath width: 700 km	200-300 meters	CONAE
DCS data collection system	Data collection system	401.55 MHz uplink	two contacts per day with 200 stations	CONAE
ROSA Radio Occultation Sounder of the Atmosphere	Atmospheric data (temperature, moisture content, electron concentration)	GPS radio occultations	Horizontal: 300 km Vertical: 300 m	ASI
CARMEN I ICARE and SODAD	Effects of cosmic rays on electronic devices, distribution of microparticles and space debris	ICARE: three silicon and Si / Li detectors ; SODAD: four MOS sensors	ICARE: 256 spectral ranges, SODAD: Sensitivity: 0.5 u part. at 10 km / s	CNES
TDP technology demonstration package	Position, speed and angular speed	GPS receiver Inertial Unit Reference	Position: 20 m, speed: 1 m / s, random angular deviation: 0.008 ° / h −2	CONAE

Web links

Commons : SAC-D  - collection of images, videos and audio files

• Aquarius-Prohektwebsite NASA (English)
• Aquarius / SAC-D Mission Overview (English)
• ESA: SAC-D (English)

Individual evidence

1. ^ Justin Ray: Satellite sets sail to survey saltiness of Earth's oceans. Spaceflight Now, June 10, 2011, accessed June 10, 2011 . 
2. ↑ FlugRevue June 2011, p. 82: Aquarius measures salinity
3. ↑ NASA: International Spacecraft Carrying NASA's Aquarius Instrument Ends Operations. In: NASA Release 15-126. June 17, 2015, accessed on August 10, 2020 . 
4. ^ William Graham, Chris Bergin: Farewell Aquarius as SAC-D spacecraft concludes its mission. nasaspaceflight.com, June 17, 2015, accessed August 10, 2020 . 
5. ^ NASA: Aquarius - Spacecraft and Instruments