Launch Success
Liftoff Time (GMT)
14:00:20
Tuesday December 19, 2006
The SAR-Lupe radar reconnaissance spacecraft - the first german military satellites - feature a synthetic apperure radar (SAR), which has a spatial resolution of less than 1 meter. Due to the intelligent combination of existing technologies, SAR-Lupe operates independently of weather conditions on a 7/24 basis. It delivers up-to-date and highly detailed images from virtually all regions of the world. Data os transmitted by a X-band transmitter and encrypted S-band ise used for telemetry and command transmissions both direct to ground stations or via SAR-Lupe intersatellite links. The system consists of a constellation of five identical satellites in three orbital planes, which was built at a cost of +250 million Euro.
Low Earth Orbit
1 Payload
770 kilograms
471st
Mission
1st
Mission of 2006
63rd
Orbital launch attempt