Megha-Tropiques
Megha means cloud in Sanskrit and Tropiques means tropics in French.
Joint program of CNES and ISRO for atmonspheric research. Satellite should cost
$56 million and the launch $67 million
The Megha-Tropiques satellite will be capable of imaging any point in the
Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) up to 6 times a day.
http://meghatropiques.ipsl.polytechnique.fr/
sat-index articles
n2yo.com
tracking
Prime
contractor
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ISRO
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Platform
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similar
to IRS spacecraft?
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Mass
at launch
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1000
kg
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Mass
in orbit
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Dimension
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Solar
array
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Stabilization
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DC
power
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Design
lifetime
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Will carry Earth and atmospheric observation instruments.2 instruments are
French, 1 is Indian.
MADRAS: microwave imaging radiometer, to study precipitation and cloud
properties. Developed jointly by CNES and ISRO
SAPHIR: microwave sounder, to measure distribution of atmospheric water
vapour. Developed by CNES
SCARAB: radiometer, to measure irradiative fluxes at the top of the
atmosphere. Developed by CNES
Radio Occultation Sounder for the Atmosphere (ROSA): built by TAS, made of a
GPS receiver and 2 dual-frequency antennas. The instrument conducts its
atmospheric sounding by monitoring navigation signals from the satellites of
the GPS constellation while - as seen from the observing satellite - they set
through the atmospheric limb on the Earth's horizon or raise from it. This
enables to sound the troposphere and determine the temperature, pressure and
humidity of the atmosphere.