The reliability of the Argentine satellite platform SAC has led to the decision of NASA to embark on the next satellite of the series, called SAC-D, a very complex and costly instrument designed by NASA´s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), called Aquarius. Aquarius is designed to measure for the first time on a global scale the salinity of all the Earths Oceans.
The value of the NASA contribution to the SAC.D mission is about 175 million USD, and includes the Aquarius instrument and the cost of launching with a Delta-II vehicle, as well of 3 years of operation costs.
Aquarius consists of a low-resolution microwave sensor of US make, able to scan extensive areas of the seas´ surface and monitor their salinity and the “roughness” of their waves. Aquarius will be the main payload of SAC-D, but the US and Argentina might use the information for different purposes.
In the US, surface salinity of the Oceans shall be used to obtain a deeper knowledge of the operation of the World climate. For NASA, Aquarius is thus essentially a basic research tool. |
|
For Argentina, instead, the data could be applied to economic purposes. The salinity of the Argentine coastal waters (Mar Argentino) gives useful information on the location of fish species of commercial value. Also, in addition to Aquarius, SAC-D will carry instruments able to measure soil humidity, which will improve the knowledge of agricultural perspectives and improve the prediction of different crop harvest with greater precision, after comparison with data of other sources.
|
In addition to Aquarius, SAC-D will carry optical sensors and other instruments immediately useful for the Argentine economy: one of these is a four band infrared sensible scanner, to measure ground temperatures and produce predictive information on fire risk, agreed upon between the Argentine Space Agency CONAE and the national fire handling program (Plan Nacional de Manejo del Fuego). (PNMF).
|
This institution has been receiving “hot point” information by the nocturnal scanner HSTC placed on the SAC-C satellite. 90% of the alarm data received have been effective. SAC-D will allow the PNMF and CONAE to continue to predict fire hazards all over the country and gathering information to construct a Geographical Information System.
As far as technology is concerned, SAC-D is an important step in satellite complexity for INVAP. It is the first rather “big” satellite, weighing more than one ton, and the fact of having been selected by NASA to carry an expensive instrument of their own is an important step of the recognition of our maturity in the space area.
|
