Airbus-built Earth observation satellite SARah-1 ready for launch

The Airbus-built "SARah-1" Earth observation satellite, under subcontract to OHB System AG, has been transported from Friedrichshafen, Germany, to Vandenberg, California, USA, and is currently being prepared for launch in June 2022 and subsequent operation by Airbus in space.

SARah is a new operational reconnaissance system consisting of several satellites and a ground segment, which was developed on behalf of the German Bundeswehr. As the successor system, it replaces the SAR-Lupe system currently in service and offers significantly enhanced capabilities and system performance.

Overall responsibility for the complete SARah system lies with OHB System AG, Bremen, as prime contractor, which holds the main contract from the Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw). Airbus is the main subcontractor. The architecture of the overall SARah system consists of a space segment with three radar satellites (2 x OHB, 1 x Airbus) and a ground segment connected to two ground stations.

Airbus Defence and Space in Friedrichshafen developed the satellite with the latest, highest-resolution radar technology as well as jointly developing the ground segment to operate its own satellite. The company is also responsible for the launch, calibration and validation of the radar satellite, with final in-orbit delivery.

The radar instrument developed and built by Airbus features a sophisticated active phased array antenna and represents a further development of the Airbus-built TerraSAR, TanDEM-X and PAZ Earth observation satellites already successfully operating in orbit. This technology offers the advantages of very fast pointing and very flexible shaping of the antenna beam to deliver imagery in record time.

In general, radar satellites, with both passive and active antenna technology, allow observation of the Earth's surface regardless of the time of day or weather conditions.

The satellite, built by Airbus, weighs around four tons and will be launched from Vandenberg, California, USA.

The launch and commissioning (LEOP) of the satellite will be supervised from Airbus' control centre in Friedrichshafen. The subsequent calibration, validation and operation will be carried out from the Bundeswehr control centre.

Related Links
Airbus
Earth Observation News - Suppiliers, Technology and Application

Tweet

Thanks for being there;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.

SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5+ Billed Monthly

paypal only

SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once

credit card or paypal

Studying grassland from space
Leipzig, Germany (SPX) Jun 10, 2022
The Sentinel-2 space mission began with the launch of Earth observation satellite Sentinel-2A in June 2015, and Sentinel-2B was launched in March 2017. Since then, these two satellites have been orbiting in space at an altitude of nearly 800 kilometres and, as part of ESA's Copernicus programme, providing data for, e.g., climate protection and land monitoring. very three to five days, they record images in the visible and infrared range of the electromagnetic spectrum, which, with a very high reso ... read more