SAR-Lupe
Encyclopedia
SAR-Lupe is Germany
's first reconnaissance satellite system and is used for military purposes. SAR is an abbreviation for synthetic aperture radar
and "Lupe" is German for magnifying glass
. The SAR-Lupe program consists of five identical (770kg) satellites
, developed by the German aeronautics company OHB-System
which are controlled by a ground station which is responsible for controlling the system and analysing the retrieved data. A large data archive of images will be kept in a former Cold War
bunker
belonging to the Kommando Strategische Aufklärung (Strategic Reconnaissance Command) of the Bundeswehr
.
SAR-Lupe's "high-resolution" images can be acquired day or night through all weather conditions. The first satellite was launched from Plesetsk
in Russia
on 19 December 2006, about a year after the intended launch date; four more satellites were launched at roughly six-month intervals, and the entire system achieved full operational readiness on 22 July 2008.
The five satellites operate in three 500-kilometre orbits in planes roughly sixty degrees apart. They use an X-band radar with a three-metre dish, providing a resolution of about 50 centimetres over a frame size of 5.5km on a side ('spotlight mode', in which the satellite rotates to keep the dish pointed at a single target) or about one metre over a frame size of 8km x 60km ('stripmap mode', in which the satellite maintains a fixed orientation over the earth and the radar image is formed simply by the satellite's motion along its orbit). Response time for imaging of a given area is ten hours or less. Thales Alenia Space
provided the core of the Synthetic Aperture Radar sensors.
The testing of SAR-Lupe involved an inverse procedure, in which the satellite, mounted in a radome
on Earth, was used to image the International Space Station
, whose orbit is reasonably close to the one the satellite will eventually be in. One-metre resolution at the ISS was apparently achieved.
On 30 July 2002 a cooperation treaty between Germany
and France
was signed, under which the SAR-Lupe satellites and the French Helios
optical reconnaissance satellite will operate jointly. Other EU countries have been invited to join as well and Italy
has shown considerable interest.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
's first reconnaissance satellite system and is used for military purposes. SAR is an abbreviation for synthetic aperture radar
Synthetic aperture radar
Synthetic-aperture radar is a form of radar whose defining characteristic is its use of relative motion between an antenna and its target region to provide distinctive long-term coherent-signal variations that are exploited to obtain finer spatial resolution than is possible with conventional...
and "Lupe" is German for magnifying glass
Magnifying glass
A magnifying glass is a convex lens that is used to produce a magnified image of an object. The lens is usually mounted in a frame with a handle ....
. The SAR-Lupe program consists of five identical (770kg) satellites
Satellite
In the context of spaceflight, a satellite is an object which has been placed into orbit by human endeavour. Such objects are sometimes called artificial satellites to distinguish them from natural satellites such as the Moon....
, developed by the German aeronautics company OHB-System
OHB-System
OHB-System is a medium-sized spaceflight company located in Bremen, northern Germany, which belongs to the OHB-Technology AG. OHB-System is a systems provider in the areas of telematics, space technology, security and satellite services...
which are controlled by a ground station which is responsible for controlling the system and analysing the retrieved data. A large data archive of images will be kept in a former Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
bunker
Bunker
A military bunker is a hardened shelter, often buried partly or fully underground, designed to protect the inhabitants from falling bombs or other attacks...
belonging to the Kommando Strategische Aufklärung (Strategic Reconnaissance Command) of the Bundeswehr
Bundeswehr
The Bundeswehr consists of the unified armed forces of Germany and their civil administration and procurement authorities...
.
SAR-Lupe's "high-resolution" images can be acquired day or night through all weather conditions. The first satellite was launched from Plesetsk
Plesetsk Cosmodrome
Plesetsk Cosmodrome is a Russian spaceport, located in Arkhangelsk Oblast, about 800 km north of Moscow and approximately 200 km south of Arkhangelsk.-Overview:...
in Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
on 19 December 2006, about a year after the intended launch date; four more satellites were launched at roughly six-month intervals, and the entire system achieved full operational readiness on 22 July 2008.
The five satellites operate in three 500-kilometre orbits in planes roughly sixty degrees apart. They use an X-band radar with a three-metre dish, providing a resolution of about 50 centimetres over a frame size of 5.5km on a side ('spotlight mode', in which the satellite rotates to keep the dish pointed at a single target) or about one metre over a frame size of 8km x 60km ('stripmap mode', in which the satellite maintains a fixed orientation over the earth and the radar image is formed simply by the satellite's motion along its orbit). Response time for imaging of a given area is ten hours or less. Thales Alenia Space
Thales Alenia Space
Thales Alenia Space is an aerospace company born after the Thales Group bought the participation of Alcatel in the two joint-ventures between Alcatel and Finmeccanica, Alcatel Alenia Space and Telespazio.-History:...
provided the core of the Synthetic Aperture Radar sensors.
The testing of SAR-Lupe involved an inverse procedure, in which the satellite, mounted in a radome
Radome
A radome is a structural, weatherproof enclosure that protects a microwave or radar antenna. The radome is constructed of material that minimally attenuates the electromagnetic signal transmitted or received by the antenna. In other words, the radome is transparent to radar or radio waves...
on Earth, was used to image the International Space Station
International Space Station
The International Space Station is a habitable, artificial satellite in low Earth orbit. The ISS follows the Salyut, Almaz, Cosmos, Skylab, and Mir space stations, as the 11th space station launched, not including the Genesis I and II prototypes...
, whose orbit is reasonably close to the one the satellite will eventually be in. One-metre resolution at the ISS was apparently achieved.
On 30 July 2002 a cooperation treaty between Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
was signed, under which the SAR-Lupe satellites and the French Helios
Helios 2A
The Helios 2 system includes Helios 2A and Helios 2B, both of which are european military observation satellites used by France, Belgium, Spain . Helios 2A was launched on December 18, 2004 by an Ariane 5 rocket from French Guiana. Helios 2B was launched five years later on December 18, 2009,...
optical reconnaissance satellite will operate jointly. Other EU countries have been invited to join as well and Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
has shown considerable interest.
Launches
| Satellite | Date | Carrier rocket Launch vehicle In spaceflight, a launch vehicle or carrier rocket is a rocket used to carry a payload from the Earth's surface into outer space. A launch system includes the launch vehicle, the launch pad and other infrastructure.... |
Launch site | Launch status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SAR-Lupe-1 | Cosmos-3M Cosmos-3M The Kosmos-3M is a Russian space launch vehicle. It is a liquid-fueled two-stage rocket, first launched in 1967 and with over 420 successful launches to its name. The Cosmos 3M uses nitrogen tetroxide as an oxidizer to lift roughly 1400 kg of payload into orbit... http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraftDisplay.do?id=2006-060A |
Plesetsk Plesetsk Cosmodrome Plesetsk Cosmodrome is a Russian spaceport, located in Arkhangelsk Oblast, about 800 km north of Moscow and approximately 200 km south of Arkhangelsk.-Overview:... |
Success | |
| SAR-Lupe-2 | Cosmos-3Mhttp://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraftDisplay.do?id=2007-030A | Plesetsk | Success | |
| SAR-Lupe-3 | Cosmos-3Mhttp://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraftDisplay.do?id=2007-053A | Plesetsk | Success | |
| SAR-Lupe-4 | Cosmos-3Mhttp://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n0803/27sarlupe4/http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraftDisplay.do?id=2008-014A | Plesetsk | Success | |
| SAR-Lupe-5 | Cosmos-3Mhttp://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraftDisplay.do?id=2008-036A | Plesetsk | Success | |
Contractors
- Prime Contractor: OHB-System AG (SAR-Lupe)
- LSE Space Engineering & Operations AG
See also
- COSMO-SkyMedCOSMO-SkyMedCOSMO-SkyMed is an Earth observation satellite system funded by the Italian Ministry of Research and Ministry of Defence and...
, a system of four military and civil SAR-satellites of Italy - TerraSAR-XTerraSAR-XTerraSAR-X, a German Earth observation satellite, is a joint venture being carried out under a public-private-partnership between the German Aerospace Center DLR and EADS Astrium GmbH; the exclusive commercial exploitation rights are held by the geo-information service provider Infoterra GmbH....
, a civilian German radar satellite - European Union Satellite CentreEuropean Union Satellite CentreThe European Union Satellite Centre is an agency of the European Union's Council of Ministers which gathers information through satellite images....