BackForward Satellite Programme: Argos Data Collection System 

Programme details
Programme description
  • The Argos Data Collection and location System (DCS) is a data collection and relay program that provides global coverage and platform location.
  • The Argos program is administered under a joint agreement between the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the French Space Agency, Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales (CNES).
  • It started on the NOAA polar operational environmental satellites but is now embarked on a 25 nano satellite constellation called Kinéis planned to be in orbit by 2024.
  • NOAA, EUMETSAT and ISRO will launch satellites to contribute to the constellation.
  • The satellites are in sun-synchronous orbits with a planned lifetime of 5 years.
  • A revisit time of 15 mins between satellite passes
  • More details:here
Data circulation

Access to the data here

Agencies NOAA , CNES
Programme lifetime 2022 - 2027
Associated satellites and instruments

Note: red tag => no longer operational , green tag => operational , blue tag => planned