SARAL (original) (raw)

SARAL [ISRO]

An ISRO (Indian Space Research Organization) satellite, SARAL (Satellite with ARgos and ALtika), will embark the AltiKa altimeter (working in Ka-band, 35 GHz), built by CNES, as well as a Doris instrument. Signal frequencies in the Ka-band will enable better observation of ice, rain, coastal zones, land masses (forests, etc.), and wave heights.

The Saral mission is complementary to Jason-2. Its objectives are:

• To realize precise, repetitive global measurements of sea surface height, significant wave heights and wind speed for
  • developping operational oceanography;
  • understanding of climate and developing
  • forecasting capabilities;
  • operational meteorology.
• To ensure, from 2009, in association with Jason-2, the continuity of the service given today by the altimeters onboard Envisat and Jason-1,
• To answer the need expressed by the ocean and climate study international programs, and contribute to the building of a global ocean observing system.

The payload integrates:

• a high-resolution AltiKa altimeter, that includes a bi-frequency radiometric function,
• the Doris precise orbitography system, in association with a laser retroflector (LRA).

Additionally, a CNES provided Argos-2 data collection and location payload is onboard.

The launch of this mission is planned for the end of 2009, with a life of 3 years (2 year for the nominal phase, and one year for the extended phase). This mission is a cooperation between CNES and ISRO.

SARAL payload is being planned to be accommodated in the mini-satellite bus in the 400-450 kg class, named as SSB-1. The bus is being developed miniaturising the currently proven operational mainframe subsystems. SARAL satellite mission is planned to be launched during late-2009 into a sun-synchronous, 6 am-6 pm orbit at an altitude of around 800 km. SARAL will provide Data Products to the operational and research user communities, in support of Marine meteorology and sea state forecasting; Operational oceanography; Seasonal forecasting; Climate monitoring; and Ocean, Earth system and climate research.