The Argentine earth observation satellite SAOCOM 1B, of the National Commission for Space Activities (CONAE) within the scope of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, was launched this Sunday, August 30 at 8:18 p.m. ( Argentine time ) from the facilities of the SpaceX company , in Cape Canaveral , United States , aboard the Falcon 9 launcher . The result of more than 10 years of work , with the contribution of more than a thousand professionals and 80 institutions and companies of the national scientific technological system , completes the SAOCOM Constellation , which representsthe most ambitious space mission in our country . It will provide important services for agricultural production and the management of environmental emergencies, among other aspects. It also completes, together with SAOCOM 1A, the Italo Argentino Satellite System for Emergency Management ( SIASGE ).
The launch was closely followed by the highest national authorities. The President Alberto Fernández witnessed the launch from the Olivos residence, next to the chief of staff, Santiago Cafiero ; the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation of the Nation, Roberto Salvarezza , and the manager of Earth Observation of CONAE and principal investigator of the SAOCOM Mission, Laura Frulla . “ In the midst of a complex pandemic with all the difficulties, we did not stop this undertaking that began in 2007 . In this context let us celebrate, we are proud of all these scientists ”, said the President of the Nation Alberto Fernandez, at the end of the launch broadcast. “Seeing our scientists standing up, working, excited because they see that their work made sense, I say ‘what good does Argentina do to invest in all these people . Congratulations Argentines, today we are a little better than before ”. For his part, Salvarezza highlighted the complexity involved in mastering SAR radar technology, which very few countries have. “The SAOCOM 1B and SAOCOM 1A are a source of pride for Argentine science and technology and place our country at the forefront of the world,” he said.
From the United States **, Raúl Kulichevsky , CONAE’s Executive and Technical Director , expressed that “ We feel great pride and satisfaction . The SAOCOM 1B is already flying in perfect condition , thanks to the work and ability of our professionals . Greetings and congratulations to all who did their bit to make this possible . Thank you very much, with all my heart ”.
The activities for the launch began at 9 am , with the first communications and verifications between all the venues and the earth stations. In addition to the 13 Argentine professionals who commanded the operations from SpaceX , another 60 engineers from CONAE , INVAP , the GEMA laboratory of the National University of La Plata ( UNLP ) and VENG provided support from Argentina , in the City of Buenos Aires , in Córdoba and Río Negro .
At 20:04 pm , Pablo Ordoñez , SAOCOM 1B launch manager , was in charge of confirming to Spacex that the Argentine satellite was ready to be launched . At 20:18 it finally left for its orbit , located 600 kilometers from Earth.
Operations continued with the recovery of the first stage of the Falcon 9 launcher , consisting of 5 Merlin engines and, minutes later , with the separation of the satellite from the launcher . At 20:30 , contact was made for the first time with the satellite in space , when it passed through the station in Lima , Peru . The SAOCOM 1B then completed its first automated maneuvers , which consisted of opening the solar panels to charge the batteries and turning on the GPS . From that moment on, the Mission Control Center , in theTeófilo Tabanera Space Center of CONAE located in Falda El Carmen , Córdoba , began receiving telemetry from the satellite and to communicate with the other groups. The monitoring continued for the next satellite pass through Tierra del Fuego and then at the North Pole station , where Córdoba took control and executed the first commands on the platform .
“ The weather was rushing us , but at the last moment the clouds opened to launch . Everything went perfectly . Now the adrenaline has dropped a bit but we continue working because we have to open the antenna panels and start preparing the propulsion system to reach the final orbit . There are three days ahead of us at this rate , taking care of all the details until we verify that everything is correct, ” said Lucas Bruno , chief of operations for the SAOCOM Mission , from Córdoba.
Then a series of critical activities began to take place , spanning about 36 hours , during which the satellite is constantly controlled and monitored to carry out, with remote commands, the deployment operations of the huge Synthetic Aperture Radar antenna ( SAR , for its acronym in English of Synthetic Aperture Radar), of 35 square meters .
During the first days in orbit , ** communication with the satellite is carried out with the support of earth stations ** located in Norway , Kenya , Antarctica , Kerguelen Islands
, Peru , United States , with which there are cooperation agreements , and with the two stations of the network of CONAE in Argentina , one in Cordoba and another in Land of Fire . This is followed by a period of several months of checks for operational commissioning , that is, thatSAOCOM 1B begins to produce images , which will be cataloged for user access through CONAE’s website, SAOCOM Products
“The feeling is one of great joy and tranquility for having achieved this important milestone . It is an unrivaled satisfaction ” , said Josefina Pérès , SAOCOM Project Manager . “There is a long night with many activities ahead, ” he said.
The SAOCOM satellites were developed and manufactured in the country by CONAE together with the company INVAP , the project’s main contractor , the public firm VENG , the National Atomic Energy Commission ( CNEA ) and the GEMA Laboratory of the National University of La Plata ( UNLP ), among other 80 technology companies and institutions of the country’s scientific and technological system . In addition, it had the collaboration of theItalian Space Agency ( ASI ). The SAOCOM constellation also integrates the System Italo Argentine Satellite for Emergency Management ( SIASGE ) created by the CONAE and ASI