4.3.2.Saral

Satellite: Saral
Launch: 2nd half of 2010
Mission: Observe the oceans
Altitude: ~800 km
Inclination: TBD

An Isro (Indian Space Research Organization) satellite, Saral (Satellite with ARgos and ALtika), will embark the AltiKa altimeter (working in Ka-band, 35 GHz), built by Cnes, as well as a Doris instrument. Signal frequencies in the Ka-band will enable better observation of ice, rain, coastal zones, land masses (forests, etc.), and wave heights.

The Saral mission is complementary to Jason-2. Its objectives are:

" to carry out precise, repetitive global measurements of sea surface height, significant wave heights and wind speed, for:
- developing operational oceanography;
- improving understanding of the climate and developing forecasting capabilities;
- operational meteorology.
to ensure, in association with Jason-2, the continuity of the service currently provided by the altimeters onboard Envisat and Jason-1,
to meet the requirements expressed by various international ocean and climate study programmes, and contribute to building a global ocean observing system.

The proposed payload will integrate:

a high-resolution AltiKa altimeter that incorporates a dual-frequency radiometric function,
the DORIS precise orbitography system, in association with a laser retroreflector (LRA).

The launch of this mission is planned for the 2nd half of 2010, with a life of 3 years (2 year for the nominal phase, and one year for the extended phase). This mission is a cooperation between Cnes and Isro.

Further information on the AltiKa instrument