Spacetrack Directory Name | 3CAT-2 |
Orbit launches | 2016-08-15 |
Country/organisation of origin | Hiszpania (SPN) |
Starting point | JSC (Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, China) |
Categories | |
Perigee | 471 km |
Apogee | 491 km |
Perform ocean altimetry by means of Global Navigation Satellite Systems Reflectometry (GNSS-R). The main payload is the novel dual-band altimeter P(Y) & C/A ReflectOmeter (PYCARO). Also star tracker Mirabilis and experimental magnetometer for eLISA. Uses FAPEC, a powerful data compressor. PYCARO reflectometer is designed to compare a direct signal from a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) such as GPS, GLONASS, Galileo and Beidou with the same signal reflected to Earth. PYCARO therefore operates as what is called a bistatic radar, i.e. it does not emit a signal but merely captures the signals emitted by other systems. This technique is known as GNSS-R, and can be used to obtain data on ocean altimetry, sea conditions and soil moisture, among other applications.
satellite 3CAT-2 Date of exalting 15.08.2016y.