Two military Synthetic Aperture Radar satellites have been rescued in orbit after being out of action for nearly 18 months. A series of complex manoeuvres has freed the antennas, which were jammed on SARah-Passiv 1 and SARah-Passiv 2.
Artist impression of SARah-Passiv satellite pair with SARah-Active in the middle. Courtesy: OHB
Non-deployment of the passive radar reflector antennas, after the primary deployment mechanism failed, left its German developer in a sticky financial situation. An insurance claim was expected to be paid for the SARah-Passiv pair’s total loss, valued at €200 million (US$218 million). A plan for their rapid replacement is in the works. With their apparent return to service this claim will no longer be necessary. Whether there is any claim for loss of operational time remains to be seen.
The pair, built by OHB-System AG, were supposed to work in conjunction with a SARah-Aktiv satellite, built by Airbus DS, using an actively transmitting phased-array antenna. The satellite trio was a new space-based radar reconnaissance concept operated for the German Ministry of Defence (BND) and owned by the German armed forces (Bundeswehr), as a follow-on to the SAR-LUPE constellation.
All three had been moribund since their launch in December 2023, although the SARah-Aktiv craft was technically fully operational until the recent intervention.
