SAC-D
 Artist's impression of SAC-D in orbit |
|
| Operator | CONAE NASA |
|---|---|
| Major contractors | INVAP INPE/LIT[disambiguation needed] ULA (LSP) |
| Mission type | Earth science |
| Launch date | June 10, 2011 7:20:13 a.m. PDT |
| Carrier rocket | Delta II 7320-10 |
| Launch site | Vandenberg SLC-2W |
| Mission duration | 5 years |
| COSPAR ID | 2011-024A |
| Homepage | CONAE - SAC-D |
| Orbital elements | |
| Regime | Sun-synchronous |
| Apoapsis | 657 kilometres (408 mi) |
| Periapsis | 657 kilometres (408 mi) |
| Instruments | |
| Main instruments | Aquarius |
SAC-D (Spanish: Satelite de Aplicaciones Cientificas-D, meaning Satellite for Scientific Applications-D), also known as Aquarius after its primary instrument, is an Argentine Earth science satellite built by INVAP and launched on June 10, 2011. It carries seven instruments to study the environment, and a technology demonstration experiment.[1] Its primary instrument, Aquarius, was built by and is operated by the United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration. SAC-D is operated by CONAE, the Argentine space agency. The satellite is expected to operate for five years; however the Aquarius instrument is only expected to operate for three.
Contents |
[edit] Launch
SAC-D was launched on June 10, 2011.[2] A Delta II 7320-10 was used as the launch vehicle, taking off from Space Launch Complex 2W at Vandenberg Air Force Base. NASA was responsible for providing launch services,[3] which were subcontracted to United Launch Alliance. The launch was delayed from May 2010 because development of the spacecraft was taking longer than expected.[4]
[edit] Instruments
| Name | Operator | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Aquarius |  NASA |
Ocean salinity research |
| CARMEN I |  CNES |
Two experiments: SODAD will study particles and debris in space, ICARE will study cosmic radiation and its effects on electronics |
| DCS |  CONAE |
Collection of data provided by platforms on Earth. Compatible with Argos System |
| HSC | CONAE |
Imaging of aurorae, fires, and lights |
| MWR | CONAE |
Radiometry |
| NIRST | CONAE CSA |
Infrared imagery, determination of sea temperatures |
| ROSA |  ASI |
Measurement of temperature and humidity in the atmosphere |
| TDP | CONAE |
Technology demonstration involving GPS navigation and inertial guidance[1] |
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ a b "Aquarius/SAC-D Instruments". CONAE. Retrieved 2010-01-06.
- ^ "NASA's 'Age of Aquarius' Dawns With California Launch". NASA GSFC. Retrieved 2011-06-10.
- ^ "Aquarius / SAC-D Satellite Mission". Earth & Space Research. Retrieved 2010-01-06.
- ^ Clark, Stephen (2009-12-26). "Ocean-watching satellite facing delays in Argentina". Spaceflight Now. Retrieved 2010-01-06.
[edit] External links
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Aquarius |
|
|||||||||||||||||
