The SAC-C is an international cooperative mission between NASA and the Argentine Commission on Space Activities (CONAE). The spacecraft is provided by Argentina and the launch vehicle and some science instruments will be provided by NASA. JPL will provide a scalar helium magnetometer and an advanced TurboRogue Global Positioning Sensor (GPS). Argentina will provide a Multispectral Medium Resolution Scanner (MMRS) and the Danish Research Institute, a Magnetic Mapping Payload (MMP).

SAC-C will study the terrestrial and marine ecosystems, monitor the atmosphere temperature and water vapor,
determine variability in ionospheric structure, provide for space observatory quality measurement of the geometric field, and measure the long wavelength component of the gravity field valuable to many studies including the determination of polar ice cap mass flux and oceanic circulation.

Salient Features:

Project Start: January 1995
Spacecraft Weight: 235 Kg
Planned Lifetime: 4 years
Orbit: 702 Km circular, 98.220 inclination
Launch: Taurus, WTR, December 1999

Instrument Complement:

Global Positioning Sensor (NASA/JPL)
Multispectral Medium Resolution Scanner (ARGENTINA)
Magnetic Mapping Payload (DENMARK)