Scisat 1

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General

Designation	27858 / 03036A
Launch date	13 Aug 2003
Country of origin	Canada
Mission	Scientific: high atmosphere study
Perigee/Apogee	642 km
Inclination	73.9°
Period	97.7 min
Launch vehicle	Pegasus XL

Worth C$13 million alone. First Canadian scientific satellite since 1971. For the Canadian Space Agency. Declared operational in late Feb 2004.

To study the chemical and dynamic processes that control the distribution of ozone in the upper troposphere and stratosphere.

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External resources

http://www.space.gc.ca/csa_sectors/space_science/atmospheric_env/scisat1/default.asp

sat-index articles

Technical data

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Specifications

Prime contractor	Bristol Aerospace Limited (Winnipeg, Canada)
Platform	Magellan Aerospace
Mass at launch	152 kg
Mass in orbit
Payload mass	47 kg
Dimension
Solar array	single panel
Stabilization	bias momentum stabilized
DC power	70 W
Design lifetime	> 2 years

The satellite will be carrying a customised Canadian-built Fourier Transform Spectrometer (ACE-FTS), built by ABB Bomem, as part of the Atmospheric Chemistry Experiment (ACE) mission, which will run at least two years. The telescope is pointed at the setting or rising Sun so that the long horizontal path in the atmosphere maximizes the absorption at the (ozone) bands of interest. During the progression of the Sunrise/set, the data contains decipherable information on the vertical distribution of the ozone molecule.

A second instrument, built by EMS Technologies, Measurements of Aerosol Extinction in the Stratosphere and Troposphere Retrieved by Occultation (MAESTRO), will also fly on the satellite. In addition to providing a spectrum of sunlight at the rising and setting positions, it will also enable derivation of the atmospheric extinction due to aerosols and dust.

Will monitor the atmospheric ozone and dust composition in the 4-100 km altitude range.

1.5 GB onboard memory.

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