SAC-D
Artist's impression of SAC-D
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| Mission type | Technology demonstration Earth observation |
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| Operator | CONAE / NASA | ||||||||||||||||||||
| COSPAR ID | 2011-024A | ||||||||||||||||||||
| SATCAT no. | 37673 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Website | conae.gov.ar | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Mission duration | Planned: 5 years Final: 3 years, 11 months, 28 days |
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| Spacecraft properties | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Bus | Small Satellite Standard Platform | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Manufacturer | INVAP | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Launch mass | 1,350 kg (2,977 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Dimensions | 2.7 × 5.0 m (8.9 × 16.4 ft) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Power | 1,362 watts | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Start of mission | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Launch date | 10 June 2011, 14:20:13 UTC | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Rocket | Delta II 7320-10C | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Launch site | Vandenberg SLC-2W | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Contractor | United Launch Alliance | ||||||||||||||||||||
| End of mission | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Disposal | Spacecraft failure | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Last contact | 8 June 2015 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Orbital parameters | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Reference system | Geocentric | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Regime | Low Earth | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Semi-major axis | 7,031.6 km (4,369.2 mi) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Eccentricity | 0.000181 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Perigee | 652.2 km (405.3 mi) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Apogee | 654.7 km (406.8 mi) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Inclination | 98.0 degrees | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Period | 97.8 minutes | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Epoch | 17 December 2015, 15:47:23 UTC | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| Instruments | |
|---|---|
| Aquarius | |
| MWR | Microwave Radiometer |
| NIRST | New Infrared Sensor Technology |
| HSC | High Sensitivity Camera |
| DCS | Data Collection System |
| TDP | Technological Demonstration Package |
| ROSA | Radio Occultation Sounder for Atmosphere |
| ICARE-NG | Influence of Space Radiation on Advanced Components-New Generation |
| SODAD | Orbital System for an Active Detection of Debris |
SAC-D (Spanish: Satélite de Aplicaciones Científicas-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 operated by CONAE. SAC-D was launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base on 10 June 2011, with a planned mission life of five years. Due to a power system failure, the mission was ended on 8 June 2015.
SAC-D was an international collaboration between the space agencies of Argentina and the United States, CONAE and NASA, with participation from Brazil (INPE), Canada (CSA), France (CNES) and Italy (ASI). It carried five Earth observation instruments (NASA, CONAE, CSA, ASI), two space science instruments (CNES), a data collection instrument (CONAE), and a technology demonstration system (CONAE).
The spacecraft's main instrument, Aquarius, was built by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Goddard Space Flight Center. It collected data from 25 August 2011 to 7 June 2015, exceeding its intended three year primary mission. Aquarius' mission was to demonstrate that accurate measurements of salinity could be made from space, and was the first spaceborne instrument to use both passive radiometers and active radar in the L band. By measuring ocean salinity, scientists are better able to understand the Earth's water cycle and ocean circulation. Project scientists later derived a method of pulling soil moisture data from Aquarius' radiometer.
NASA launched SAC-D from Vandenberg Air Force Base's Space Launch Complex 2W aboard a Delta II 7320-10C on 10 June 2011 at 14:20:13 UTC. The launch was delayed from May 2010 because development of the spacecraft was taking longer than expected.
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