SACI-2

The SACI-2 was a Brazilian experimental satellite, designed and built by the Brazilian Institute for Space Research (INPE). It was launched on 11 December 1999 from the INPE base in Alcântara, Maranhão, by the Brazilian VLS-1 V02 rocket. Due to failure of its second stage, the rocket veered off course and had to be destroyed 3 minutes and 20 seconds after launch.

SACI-2
Mission typeEarth orbiter
OperatorINPE
COSPAR ID1999-F05
Mission durationLaunch failure
Spacecraft properties
ManufacturerINPE
Launch mass80 kilograms (180 lb)
Power150 watts
Start of mission
Launch dateNovember 11, 1999 (1999-11-11), 19:40:00 UTC
RocketVLS-1 V2
Launch siteAlcântara VLS Pad
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric
RegimeSun-synchronous
Eccentricity0.00084
Perigee altitude733 kilometres (455 mi)
Apogee altitude745 kilometres (463 mi)
Inclination98.6°
Period99.6 minutes
EpochPlanned
 

The name was officially an acronym of Satélite de Aplicações CIentíficas ("Scientific Applications Satellite"), but was obviously taken from the Saci character of Brazilian folklore.

Specifications

The satellite weighted approximately 80 kg. It was a box approximately 60 cm long and 40 cm square, with a circular base plate and surrounded by a metal ring, both about 80 cm in diameter. Besides being a technology testbed, it carried four scientific payloads (PLASMEX, MAGNEX, OCRAS and PHOTO), with a total weight of 10 kg, to investigate plasma bubbles in the geomagnetic field, air glow, and anomalous cosmic radiation fluxes. It was meant to circle the Earth on a circular orbit at 750 km altitude, inclined 17.5 ° from the Equator.

Energy supply
  • Solar cells: Gallium Arsenide (AsGa)
  • Dimensions: 3 panels of 57 cm x 44 cm
  • Efficiency: 19%
  • Power output: 150 W
  • Nickel Cadmium (NiCd) Battery Cells
  • Voltage: 1.4 V
  • Capacity: 4.5 Ah
  • Remote control rate: 19.2 kbit/s
  • Transmission rate: 500 kbit/s
  • Antennas of edge: 2 of transmission and 2 of reception, type Microstrip
  • Operating frequency telemetry/remote control: 2,250 GHz / 2,028 GHz
  • Receiving antenna in soil: 3.4 m in diameter

The spin-stabilized spacecraft carried two S-band communication links (a 2W, 256 kb/ s downlink and 19.2 kbit/s uplink), and a 48 MB solid state data recorder. It is variously reported to have cost between US$ 800,000[1] and US$1.7 million.[2]

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See also

References
  1. Aldo Gamboa, "Brazilian Rocket Destroyed In Flight". AFP newscast of December 15, 1999, dated Rio de Janeiro, December 11
  2. Fernando Carlos Wanderlei Rocha. "Acidente com o Veículo Lançador de Satélites (VLS-1 V03) no Centro de Lançamentos de Alcântara". Report prepared for the Brazilian Chamber of Representatives. Archived from the original on July 25, 2006. Retrieved 2007-10-07. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  • SACI-2 in Gunter's Space Page.


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