The presence of the information generated by the Argentine satellites Saocom will grow in the Asian market from the commercial alliance between Veng, whose majority shareholder is the National Commission for Space Activities (Conae), and the Restec companies of Japan and BSED of China.
Conae’s “Argentine Microwave Observation Satellites” (Saocom) 1A and 1B were launched into space from the United States in 2018 and 2020 by a Falcon 9 rocket from Space X that injected them into orbit.
Both satellites have a Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) antenna that receives information in the L-Band, technology that allows information to be detected at any time (day and night) and weather conditions (cloudy or clear).
Unlike other bands, the L Band penetrates the vegetation and the soil surface, being able to generate humidity maps of vital importance for agriculture.
“The Argentine satellites Saocom 1A and 1B; and the ALOS 2 of Japan are the only three currently operating in the world that have a synthetic aperture radar in Band L,” explained Adrián Unger, Veng’s Deputy Manager of Satellite Information.
According to Unger, “despite the fact that Japan had this technology, it is very good news that they have decided to make this alliance to offer Saocom scenes in their country and in the world; without a doubt, it is an agreement that empowers us both as players. of the global market for satellite scenes “.
Currently, Argentina is the only country in America that markets satellite scenes in Band L through its own satellite.
Last November, Veng signed an agreement with Restec (Remote Sensing Technology Center of Japan), a company specialized in solutions based on satellite data based in Tokyo, which from now on will be able to offer its customers, both in Japan and the rest of the world. world, the scenes provided by the Argentine satellites Saocom 1A and 1B.
In addition, in early September Veng signed an agreement with Beijing-based BSED (Beijing Smart Earth Digital) to market Saocom scenes in China.
“Much of our scenes are used to generate interferometric stacks; groups of scenes taken over time that serve as raw material for interferometric studies,” Unger explained.
According to Unger, “these studies make it possible to detect changes in the terrain and infrastructure of a few centimeters that can be used to monitor deforestation, damage to infrastructure, early warning of avalanches, mining and oil exploitation, among others.”
They join other agreements reached by Veng with international companies that operate in the Earth satellite observation market, within a commercial strategy of the Argentine space agency to bring the national technology of Saocom satellites to the entire world.
At the end of 2020, Veng had signed an agreement with the Italian company e-GEOS, owned by the Italian Space Agency (20%) and the company Telespazio (80%), which allowed it to boost its offer of satellite products around the world. .
The four Italian Cosmo-SkyMed satellites, whose radar technology is in Band X, and the two Saocom satellites make up the Italian-Argentine Satellite System for Emergency Management (Siasge), of Conae and the Italian Space Agency (ASI).
With more than 14 years of experience and 450 collaborators, Veng participates in strategic projects of the Argentine National Space Plan, such as the development of prototypes of launch vehicles for access to space and the integration of satellite components, such as the radar antennas of the Sacom satellites. .
It is also dedicated to the operation of two earth stations in the country, in the provinces of Córdoba and Tierra del Fuego, Antarctica and the South Atlantic Islands, and satellite mission control centers.
