SARAL
An artist's rendering of SARAL satellite | |
| Names | Satellite with Argos and ALtiKa |
|---|---|
| Mission type | Earth observation |
| Operator | ISRO |
| COSPAR ID | 2013-009A |
| SATCAT no. | 39086 |
| Website | https://isro.gov.in/ |
| Mission duration | 5 years (planned) 12 years, 3 months and 23 days (in progress) |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Spacecraft | SARAL |
| Bus | IMS-2 |
| Manufacturer | Indian Space Research Organisation / CNES |
| Launch mass | 407 kg (897 lb) |
| Dimensions | 1 m x 1 m x 0.6 m |
| Power | 850 watts |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 25 February 2013, 12:31 UTC |
| Rocket | Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle-CA, PSLV-C20 |
| Launch site | Satish Dhawan Space Centre, First Launch Pad (FLP) |
| Contractor | Indian Space Research Organisation |
| Entered service | 25 June 2013 |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric orbit |
| Regime | Sun-synchronous orbit |
| Perigee altitude | 790 km (490 mi) |
| Apogee altitude | 791 km (492 mi) |
| Inclination | 98.54° |
| Period | 100.54 minutes |
| Instruments | |
| Advanced Data Collection System ("Argos-3") (A-DCS) Ka-band Altimeter (ALtiKa) Doppler Orbitography and Radiopositioning Integrated by Satellite (DORIS) Laser Retroreflector Array (LRA) | |
SARAL (Satellite with ARgos and ALtiKa) is a cooperative altimetry technology mission of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and Centre National d'Études Spatiales (CNES). SARAL performs altimetric measurements designed to study ocean circulation and sea surface elevation.