Argos-4 satellite payload completes environmental testing prior to launch
NewsJuly 28, 2022
SAN DIEGO, California. General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems (GA-EMS) has successfully completed environmental testing of the onobard Argos-4 payload for its satellite in advance of a planned launch this fall, the company said in a statement.
GA-EMS won a contract from U.S. Space Force to deliver a spacecraft as a Hosted Payload Solutions (HoPS) mission delivery order for the Argos Advanced Data Collection System (A-DCS). The satellites will operate on behalf of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
The purpose of the environmental testing was to ensure the Argos-4 instrument could handle the harsh environmental conditions of space. The next step will be to verify ground operations and perform system end-to-end testing, the statement reads.
"The Argos-4 payload will collect, process, and disseminate environmental data from fixed and mobile sensors worldwide," the statement adds. "This new satellite will become part of the Argos constellation supported by the NOAA Cooperative Data and Rescue Services Program. Argos is an international program that collects data from thousands of fixed and mobile sensors and transmitters located around the world. Data is collected and distributed for use in numerous applications, including ocean buoy tracking, wildlife and fishery monitoring, and maritime security, as well as non-environmental uses."
