# SAC-D

> U.S-Argentinian satellite

**Wikidata**: [Q1886982](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1886982)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SAC-D)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/sac-d

## Summary
SAC-D is a U.S.-Argentinian Earth observation satellite launched on June 10, 2011, aboard a Delta II rocket from Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 2 West. Developed with scientific applications, the satellite was operated by Argentina's Comisión Nacional de Actividades Espaciales and manufactured by INVAP.

## Key Facts
- SAC-D is a U.S.-Argentinian Earth observation satellite launched on June 10, 2011, at 14:20:13 UTC
- The satellite was launched from Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 2 West using a Delta II launch vehicle (Model D354)
- Its launch weight was 1350 kilograms
- SAC-D is also known as Aquarius, Satelite de Aplicaciones Cientificas-D, and SAC D
- The satellite was manufactured by INVAP and operated by Argentina's Comisión Nacional de Actividades Espaciales
- Its COSPAR ID is 2011-024A
- The launch was contracted to United Launch Alliance
- The satellite has a SCN value of 37673 and a Freebase ID of /m/09v7cq_

## FAQs
### Q: What was SAC-D's main purpose?
A: SAC-D was an Earth observation satellite designed for scientific applications. Its primary mission was to study Earth's environment from orbit, gathering data about oceans, land surfaces, and atmospheric conditions.

### Q: Who was involved in creating and launching SAC-D?
A: SAC-D was a collaborative project between the United States and Argentina. The satellite was manufactured by INVAP and operated by Argentina's Comisión Nacional de Actividades Espaciales, while it was launched by United Launch Alliance using a Delta II rocket.

### Q: When and where was SAC-D launched?
A: SAC-D was launched on June 10, 2011, at 14:20:13 UTC from Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 2 West in California. The launch vehicle was a Delta II, specifically model D354.

### Q: What other names is SAC-D known by?
A: SAC-D is also known by several alternative names, including Aquarius, Satelite de Aplicaciones Cientificas-D, and SAC D. These different names reflect its official designation in different contexts and languages.

## Why It Matters
SAC-D represented a significant achievement in international space collaboration, particularly between the United States and Argentina. As an Earth observation satellite, it provided valuable data for studying Earth's environment, including ocean salinity, soil moisture, sea surface temperature, and other critical parameters that help scientists understand climate change and weather patterns. The satellite's scientific instruments enabled researchers to collect comprehensive data about Earth's processes from space, contributing to a better understanding of our planet's complex systems. The mission demonstrated the effectiveness of international partnerships in space exploration, combining resources and expertise to achieve scientific goals that might have been difficult to accomplish independently.

## Notable For
1. Collaboration between United States and Argentina, representing a significant international partnership in space exploration
2. Multi-instrument Earth observation platform capable of collecting diverse environmental data simultaneously
3. Launch aboard a Delta II rocket from Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 2 West, marking a specific technical and geographical launch profile
4. Alternative naming conventions including "Aquarius" and "Satelite de Aplicaciones Cientificas-D," reflecting its bilingual and multidisciplinary nature
5. Specific mass specification of 1350 kilograms at launch, indicating its size category among Earth observation satellites

## Body
### General Information
SAC-D is a U.S.-Argentinian Earth observation satellite that was launched on June 10, 2011, at 14:20:13 UTC from Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 2 West. The satellite was also known by several alternative names, including Aquarius, Satelite de Aplicaciones Cientificas-D, and SAC D. It is classified as an Earth observation satellite and has a launch weight of 1350 kilograms.

### Technical Specifications
- Manufacturer: INVAP
- Operator: Comisión Nacional de Actividades Espaciales
- Launch Vehicle: Delta II (Model D354)
- Launch Contractor: United Launch Alliance
- COSPAR ID: 2011-024A
- Freebase ID: /m/09v7cq_
- Wikimedia Commons Category: SAC-D
- 3D Model Available: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/Aquarius-2010-Composite.stl

### Launch Details
- Launch Date: June 10, 2011
- Launch Time: 14:20:13 UTC
- Launch Site: Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 2 West
- Significant Event: Rocket launch (qualifier: Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 2 West, point in time: 2011-06-10)

### International Collaboration
SAC-D represents a significant collaboration between the United States and Argentina in space exploration. The satellite was developed with both nations contributing to different aspects of the mission, including design, construction, and operation. This partnership highlighted the value of international cooperation in achieving scientific goals that require diverse expertise and resources.

### Scientific Mission
As an Earth observation satellite, SAC-D was designed to collect data about Earth's environment from orbit. The satellite's scientific instruments were capable of measuring various parameters including ocean salinity, soil moisture, sea surface temperature, and other environmental factors critical for understanding climate change and weather patterns.

### Identifiers and References
- SCN: 37673 (reference: NASA JPL press kit)
- Encyclopædia Britannica Online ID: event/Aquarius-SAC-D (qualifiers: Aquarius/SAC-D, Erik Gregersen, applies to part: space mission)
- Wikipedia Available in Multiple Languages: Commonswiki, German, English, Spanish, Finnish, French, Galician, Hungarian, Japanese, Latvian

## References

1. Jonathan's Space Report
2. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
3. [Source](https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/press_kits/aquariusLaunch.pdf)