BackForward Satellite Programme: Satélite de Aplicaciones Cientificas 

Programme details
Programme description
  • Series of satellites for scientific missions and technological demonstrations.
  • Argentinean programme: CONAE responsible of development and operations, payloads often provided by collaborating agencies.
  • The platforms are actively stabilised over 3 axes.
  • The design life time is 5 years.
  • The satellites exploit different orbits depending on the mission.  Drifting orbits for non-EO missions (SAC-A and SAC-B).  For Earth observation, sunsynchronous orbits around 10:30 or 6:00 are used.
  • See detailed descriptions at: https://directory.eoportal.org/missions/sac-c and https://directory.eoportal.org/missions/sac-d.
Data circulation
  • Data stored onboard and transmitted to a main receiving station in Cordoba, Argentina.
  • Distribution centre located in Buenos Aires, payload data generally transferred to the instrument provider agencies for processing.
Agencies CONAE , INPE, NASA, AEB
Programme lifetime 1996 - 2029
Associated satellites and instruments

Note: red tag => no longer operational , green tag => operational , blue tag => planned