# ERS-2 Technical Data

## Satellite:

Largely identical to ERS-1. The platform is based on the design developed for the French SPOT satellite.

Payload electronics accommodated in a box-shaped housing on the platform; antennas fitted to a bearing structure.

## On-board systems:

AMI - active microwave instrument consisting of a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) and a wind scatterometer (both in the C-band).

RA- radar altimeter: takes precise measurements of the distance from the ocean surface and of wave heights.

ATSR - along-track scanning radiometer (operating in the infrared and visible ranges): measures sea surface temperatures and the vegetation cover of land surfaces.

GOME - global ozone monitoring experiment, an absorption spectrometer which measures the presence of ozone, trace gases and aerosols in the stratosphere and troposphere.

MS - microwave sounder: supplies data on atmospheric humidity.

PRARE - precise range and range rate equipment: ERS orbit and trajectory determination.

LRR - laser reflector: determines satellite position using ground-based laser stations.

IDHT - instrument data handling and transmission: temporary on-board data storage by means of two 6.5 GBit tape recorders, equivalent to the data volume acquired in one orbit. Recording, formatting and transmission of data at 105 Mbit/s (transmission of SAR imaging data in real time), or 15 Mbit/s (transfer from tape recorder).

## Dimensions:

- Total mass: 2516 kg
- Overall height: 11.8 m
- Solar generator: 11.7 x 2.4 m
- SAR antenna: 10 x 1 m

## ERS-2

  ERS-2 Technical Data
  Joint Operation of ERS-1 and ERS-2

ESA Earth Observation