BackForward Satellite Programme: SAtélite Argentino de Observación COn Microondas 

Programme details
Programme description
  • Series of 4 satellites for SAR observation.  Two couples: SAOCOM-1 (two sats) and SAOCOM-2 (two sats). 
  • Argentinean programme: CONAE  responsible of development and operations.  Coordinated with the ASI COSMO-SkyMed programme through the SIASGE (Sistema Italo Argentino de Satélites para la Gestión de Emergencias) agreement.
  • The platforms are actively stabilised over 3 axes.
  • The design life time is 5 years.
  • The satellites exploit sunsynchronous dawn-dusk orbits at 6:00.
  • The 4 satellites are launched in two pairs of flight units launched at short time intervals, to fly in formation (dephased by 180°) for larger composite swath, interferometry and redundancy.
  • See detailed description at http://www.conae.gov.ar/eng/satelites/saocom.html.
Data circulation
  • Data transmission is in real-time and, for selected data, after onboard storage, to a network of X-band stations coordinated by the Teófilo Tabanera Space Center close to Córdoba, Argentina.
  • Data processed at the Córdoba Space Center and distributed from a Centre in Buenos Aires.
Agencies CONAE
Programme lifetime 2018 - 2031
Associated satellites and instruments

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