The Unmanned launches of Argentina

CONAE´s satellite missions
The National Space Program foresees the execution of a set of  entirely Argentine satellite missions and other cooperation projects. This program depicts two satellite lines: the SAC series, with Earth observing Argentine instruments focused on the optical range, and the SAOCOM series, with Argentine instruments working in the microwave spectrum. So far, SAC-A, SAC-B and SAC-C have been put into orbit; they were totally built in Argentina, INVAP being its main associate.

Some characteristics of the National Space Program satellites are mentioned below:

Earth observing satellite SAC-C
It was launched on 21st November 2000. It carries three Argentine instruments focused on the optic range and is devoted to observing the environment, monitoring natural and antropic disasters and doing sea, coastline and agricultural research. NASA, as a partner, contributed with the launching services and two instruments for scientific measuring.

Earth observing satellites SAOCOM 1 A and SAOCOM 1 B
They are currently being built. They take microwave range instruments (radar) and its launching is planned from 2011 onwards. The space agencies from Belgium and from Italy take part in this new Argentine development. The SAOCOM satellites together with the radar COSMO Skymed satellites from Italy are integrated in the “Italian-Argentine Satellite System for Emergency Management” (SIASGE), which will provide information about natural disasters: fires, floods, eruptions, earthquakes, etc. This is a proposal different from the purely environmental sector and represents a cutting-edge tool for the Argentine Federal System of Emergencies.

Earth observing satellite SAC-D/Aquarius
It is being built at present and it is expected to be launched in May 2010. It is a joint mission: the Goddard Center and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) from NASA are CONAE´s partners in this satellite. The space agencies from France and Italy also cooperate with the project through scientific instruments. For the first time, this state-of-the-art mission will measure the ocean salinity from space; high- temperature sources will be spotted on the Earth surface (from which maps of fire-risky areas could be drafted) and the soil humidity will be measured as well, to warn about floods at an early stage.