The private aerospace corporation New Space is developing Russia’s first commercial radar satellite, Oculus. The cost of the project exceeds 1 billion rubles, but its capabilities will pay off the investment. The device will be able to monitor the surface around the clock Earth, regardless of weather and lighting.
The Oculus will be equipped with an antenna with a diameter of 4 meters and a radar system that will be able to record changes with an accuracy of 5 millimeters. This will allow you to track:
- pipeline displacements;
- thawing permafrost;
- oil spills;
- condition of farmland;
- water level in rivers and reservoirs.
According to the general director of New Space, Anton Alekseev, similar foreign satellites cost about 5 billion rubles. The Russian device will consist of 80% domestic components, which will reduce dependence on imports.
If funding for the next phase of the project continues, Oculus could be in orbit within three years. The satellite will provide detailed monitoring of construction projects, ice conditions and other critical facilities.
The corporation has already attracted the first investments and is negotiating further funding. Oculus will open up new prospects for business and government agencies in need of highly accurate data on the state of the planet’s surface.
The Oculus satellite is an important step in the development of the Russian space industry. Its technologies will allow solving a wide range of problems – from environmental monitoring to infrastructure control. It is expected that the device will become in demand both in Russia and on the international market.
The material was prepared with the support of the Russian Ministry of Education and Science as part of the Decade of Science and Technology
Source: geoinfo.ru
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