SAOCOM 1 [INVAP]
The Argentine SAOCOM (Satélite Argentino de Observación Con Microondas) constellation comprises two L-band SAR satellites.
The mission is headed by CONAE. INVAP is the prime contractor for the design and construction of the SAOCOM-1 spacecraft and its SAR payload, currently under development. The SAOCOM-1 spacecraft will benefit from the heritage of the SAC-C spacecraft platform. Both satellites, SAOCOM 1A and SAOCOM 1B, are identical.
Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR-L), an L-Band instrument featuring standard, high resolution and global coverage operational modes with resolution ranging from 7 m to 100 m, and swath within 50 km to 400 km. It features a dedicated high capacity Solid State Recorder (50 to 100 Gbits) for image storage, and a high bit rate downlink system (two X-band channels at 150 Mbits/s each).
The SAOCOM system will operate jointly with the Italian COSMO-SkyMed constellation in X-band to provide frequent information relevant for emergency management. This approach of a two SAOCOM and a four COSMO-SkyMed spacecraft configuration offers an effective means of a twice-daily coverage capability. By joining forces, both agencies will be able to generate SAR products in X-band and in L-band for their customers.
SpaceX was contracted in 2009 to launch the satellites in 2012 and 2013, but the first launch was delayed to October 2018.
A second constellation, consisting of SAOCOM 2A and SAOCOM 2B is also planned, but the current status is unclear.
Nation: | Argentina |
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Type / Application: | Earth observation, radar |
Operator: | CONAE |
Contractors: | INVAP |
Equipment: | SAR-L L-Band SAR |
Configuration: | |
Propulsion: | |
Power: | Deployable solar array, batteries |
Lifetime: | 5 years |
Mass: | ~3000 kg |
Orbit: | 615 km × 634 km, 97.90° (#1A) |
Satellite | COSPAR | Date | LS | Launch Vehicle | Remarks | |
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SAOCOM 1A | 2018-076A | 07.10.2018 | Va SLC-4E | Falcon-9 v1.2 (Block 5) | ||
SAOCOM 1B | 2020-059A | 30.08.2020 | CC SLC-40 | Falcon-9 v1.2 (Block 5) | with GNOMES 1, EG 1 | |
SAOCOM 2A | - | 202x | ||||
SAOCOM 2B | - | 202x |