The Satellite System for Terrestrial Observation,Sistema Satelital para Observación de la Tierra (SSOT), also known asFASat-Charlie,[1] is aChileansatellite which was launched on December 16, 2011.[2] The objective of the SSOT is to have a satellite system for theobservation of Earth based on international cooperation.
 | |
| Mission type | Earth imaging |
|---|---|
| Operator | FACh |
| COSPAR ID | 2011-076E |
| SATCATno. | 38011 |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Bus | Myriade |
| Manufacturer | Airbus (formerly Astrium) |
| Launch mass | 117 kilograms (258 lb) |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 17 December 2011, 02:03:48 (2011-12-17UTC02:03:48Z) UTC[3] |
| Rocket | Soyuz-STA/Fregat |
| Launch site | KourouELS |
| Contractor | Arianespace |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric |
| Regime | Low Earth |
| Perigee altitude | 629 kilometres (391 mi)[4] |
| Apogee altitude | 630 kilometres (390 mi)[4] |
| Inclination | 97.88 degrees[4] |
| Period | 97.17 minutes[4] |
| Epoch | 25 January 2015, 03:18:11 UTC[4] |
The project was commissioned by theMinistry of Defense from the European space manufacturerEADS Astrium - based inToulouse, France - and had an acquisition cost of 72.5 million dollars, according to the contract signed on July 25, 2008.[citation needed] TheSoyuz rocket was used to put the satellite into orbit, which was launched in French Guiana from the spaceport ofKourou, currently used by theEuropean Space Agency.[5]
SSOT is aMiniaturized satellite built on theMyriadesatellite bus byAstrium (now Airbus). It was part of a six-satellitepayload along withPléiades-HR 1,ELISA 1,ELISA 2,ELISA 3 andELISA 4.
Prior to FASat-Charlie, Chile had two experiences withmicrosatellites. The first,FASat-Alfa, was launched on August 31, 1995. It did not manage to separate from its mother satellite, the UkrainianSich-1, and so the two remain in orbit. The failure was caused by a fault in the pyrotechnic system that allowed the separation and rupture of the spring that joined the two parts, and both are still monitored byNORAD. Three years after the initial failed attempt, FASat-Bravo launched. It became the first artificial Chilean satellite to orbit the Earth independently. In the third year of life, this satellite became inoperative due to power system failures that stopped its batteries from charging, and it becamespace junk.
According to a report carried out by national specialists, around 180 civil applications have been identified for the satellite relating to agriculture: precision agriculture, forestry, land use planning, mapping of urban areas, growth studies and land use, population dynamics, biomass from forestry, forest cadastres, border protection and monitoring of major works or catastrophes. From the captured images, urban growth, connectivity, tourism, forestry, environmental protection and agriculture can be regulated.
FASat-Charlie is a small satellite made ofsilicon carbide, a material as hard assapphire and less deformed than steel.
