Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity
Artist's view of SMOS | |
| Mission type | Earth observation |
|---|---|
| Operator | ESA |
| COSPAR ID | 2009-059A |
| SATCAT no. | 36036 |
| Website | www |
| Mission duration | Planned: 3 years Elapsed: 15 years, 7 months, 18 days |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Bus | Proteus |
| Manufacturer | Thales Alenia Space CNES |
| Launch mass | 658 kilograms (1,451 lb) |
| Dry mass | 630 kilograms (1,390 lb) |
| Dimensions | 2.4 by 2.3 metres (7.9 ft × 7.5 ft) (diameter) |
| Power | up to 1065 watts |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 2 November 2009, 14:21:00 UTC |
| Rocket | Rokot/Briz-KM |
| Launch site | Plesetsk 133/3 |
| Contractor | Eurockot |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric |
| Regime | Sun-synchronous |
| Perigee altitude | 765 kilometres (475 mi) |
| Apogee altitude | 766 kilometres (476 mi) |
| Inclination | 98.44 degrees |
| Period | 100.02 minutes |
| Repeat interval | 23 days |
| Epoch | 25 January 2015, 00:45:13 UTC |
| Transponders | |
| Band | S Band (TT&C support) X Band (science data acquisition) |
| Bandwidth | up to 722 kbit/s download (S Band) up to 18.4 Mbit/s download (X Band) up to 4 kbit /s upload (S Band) |
| Instruments | |
| MIRAS: Microwave Imaging Radiometer using Aperture Synthesis | |
Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) is a satellite which forms part of ESA's Living Planet Programme. It is intended to provide new insights into Earth's water cycle and climate. In addition, it is intended to provide improved weather forecasting and monitoring of snow and ice accumulation.