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Picard


Named after the French astronomer Jean Picard (1620-1682) who achieved the first accurate measurements of the solar diameter

General


Designation 36598 / 10028A
Launch date 15 Jun 2010
Country of origin France
Mission Scientific: Observation of the Sun
Perigee/Apogee 730 km, sun-synchronous
Inclination 98.3°
Period 99 min
Launch vehicle Dnepr #15

Owned by CNES, part of the Myriade program

In order to study the solar activity, will measure the absolute total and spectral solar irradiance, the diameter and solar shape, and to the Sun's interior probing by the helioseismology method.

External resources


http://smsc.cnes.fr/PICARD/

sat-index articles


n2yo.com tracking


Technical data



Specifications


Prime contractor CNES
Platform Myriade
Mass at launch  
Dry mass  
Dimension  
Solar array  
Stabilization  
DC power  
Design lifetime 2 years


Carries 3 main instruments:

SOVAP (SOlar VAriability Picard): composed of a differential absolute radiometer and a bolometric sensor to measure the total solar irradiance (previously called solar constant)

PREMOS (PREcision MOnitor Sensor): a set of 3 photometers to study the ozone formation and destruction, and to perform helioseismologic observations, and an absolute differential radiometer to measure the total solar irradiance.

SODISM (SOlar Diameter Imager and Surface Mapper): an imaging telescope accurately pointed and a CCD which allows to measure the solar diameter and shape with an accuracy of a few milliarc second, and to perfom helioseismologic observations to probe the solar interior.

2.232 GHz downlink

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