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ARGOS satellite system

status & improvements

AST 14th meeting, Wellington, New-Zealand

Yann Bernard

CLS, Oceanography

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METOP-B & SARAL satellites

2 new Argos satellites recently successfully launched !!!

METOP-B on September 17, 2012

SARAL on February 25, 2013

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Argos system status

8 Argos operational satellites:

- 4 x Argos-2

- 4 x Argos-3

(only 2 with downlink ON)

Argos-4 instruments under

preparation at CNES

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1

Argos-2

401.650

Argos-3

Argos-4

401.690 MHz 401.300

Sustainability of the Argos satellite system is compatible with

long lifetime program (like Argo with floats lifetime ~10 years)

Argos-

Argos satellites launch years

401.580

High data rate platforms

Initial Argos frequency band and uplink modulation are preserved

2006 2012 2009

2016 2020 2018

1998 2002 2000 2005

2013

…

Argos uplink frequency band

1978…

Argos system status

Dedicated bandwith for low

ouput power applications

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A new operations center in

Toulouse, France

Operational 24/7

ISO 9001 certified

30 000 platforms tracked

3M of msg processed

per day

500 Tb of data stored

every month

99.68% of system

availability

For the reception, processing, validation, distribution

and archiving of data collected by Argos

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More data online on ARGOS Web

(20 days of positions)

Possibility to download 1 year of

archived data through ArgosWeb

A new web interface with

improved cartography

An Android application available

to consult Argos positions tracks

from Smart phones or Pads

Coming soon…

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SHARC = Satellite High-performance ARGOS-3/-4

Receive/transmit Communication

30-month ESA project of 2 Millions €

To implement ARGOS-3 and ARGOS-4 capabilities

onboard an Integrated Circuit

Such component will be provided at very low cost to

all Argos manufacturers/integrators

This miniaturized ARGOS transceiver will work at very

low power consumption allowing deployments of

ARGOS-3/4 technology in most applications.

SHARC project

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SHARC = Satellite High-performance ARGOS-3/-4

Receive/transmit Communication

It will be used either as:

a regular PTT (transmitter),

a single downlink receiver,

a half duplex transceiver or

two separate modules that can be directly managed

by the application controller.

We expect this module to deliver a signal output power of

250 mWatt (TBC) without having to implement an

external amplification.

First prototype application will be a pop-up tag produced

at very low cost (~1000€)

Expected to be available 2015.

SHARC project

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How to use Argos ?

UNTIL 2016:

For a volume of data per profile < 0.5 Kbytes Argos-2 (reliable,

easy to implement)

For a volume of data per profile from 0.5 Kbytes to 2.5 Kbytes

Argos-3 low data rate mode (reliable, low cost, short time on surface, low

power consumption, secured data transmission, no restriction of areas)

For a volume of data per profile > 2.5 Kbytes Argos-3 high data rate

mode (reliable, low cost, short time on surface, low power consumption,

secured data transmission, areas restricted to open seas)

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How to use Argos ?

AFTER 2016:

ARGOS-2 mode still available (ascending compatibility)

ARGOS-3 mode still available with a 3-satellite constellation (Metop-

B, Saral, Metop-C)

ARGOS-4 available with new improved performances (especially for

high volume of data to be transmitted). Operational until 2028 -2030

“ARGOS-5” already under studying

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Argos Location with KF method

One Argos location can be computed with:

• at least one received Doppler frequency

• integration of platform dynamics (previous

set of positions if exist)

• the use of a KF to calculate positions.

Error estimates provided

New method applied on all Argo

floats since the 13th of June 2011

GPS free positioning system

Position accuracy up to 250 m

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OLD

NEW

Main benefits for the Argo program:

More positions = +8% in average of new Argos positions

computed with the new method

Better accuracy = more class 3 locations (accuracy

<250m) + 138.1 % in average

Advantages of Argos Location

with KF method

Elimination of all

unrealistic positions

Error estimations provided

as error ellipses for all

location classes

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Proposed improvements for Argo

trajectory data

ADMT action item 25 & 56

CLS & JCOMMOPS cooperative project

Project is composed by 3 work packages

Improve the existing Argo trajectory dataset from

January 2008 with:

the reprocessing of all Argos locations with the

Kalman filtering method

providing diagnostic data with error ellipses

Provide easier access to Argos error ellipses data to all

DACs for future profiles

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WP1 : Reprocessing of all Argos locations with the Kalman

filtering method and providing error ellipses for the Argo array

from January 2008 to June 2011

5133 Argo floats active on this period

424 179 Argo profiles transmitted via Argos system

More than 7.6 millions of Argos locations to reprocess

Work package duration: 28.5 days

Proposed improvements for Argo

trajectory data

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WP2: Provide all Argos error ellipses information to DACS

from June 2011 until the setup of a routine service & a

dedicated distribution environment on the JCOMMOPS

information system.

Work package duration: 15.5 days

WP 3: Setup of a routine service to provide and archive all

trajectory data, including error ellipses, for official Argo floats

using the Argos system on a monthly basis in the

JCOMMOPS information system.

Work package duration: 17.5 days

Proposed improvements for Argo

trajectory data

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Total project duration estimation is 63.5 days

Proposed improvements for Argo

trajectory data

A proposal will be sent to the AST for decision

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Thanks for your attention

Questions ?