Sich 1

Images from Ukraine's SICH-1 Oceanographic Satellite

Note: This satellite is no longer active

SICH-1 was an oceanographic weather satellite orbiting approximately 640 kilometres above the surface of the Earth, and which imaged the planet by means of visible light, microwave and RADAR sensors. Its unique imagery, often recorded over distant areas of the globe, generally consisted of a visible image upon which was superimposed a narrow swath RADAR representation. Live transmissions over Europe often consisted of a full-width RADAR image only.

NOTE : Full-size images can be revealed by clicking on each individual thumbnail.

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March 11, 2000

Following a long spell with very infrequent and poor quality images, SICH suddenly produced this superb offering, showing clear views of Italy and Greece, and stretching all the way northwards through Sweden, just showing part of the Gulf of Bothnia, still packed with sea-ice.

Lasting fully 7 minutes 25 seconds, this is one of the longest SICH transmissions ever recorded.
September 23, 1997 August 22, 1997

Despite some interference at extreme eastern range ( over the Black Sea ), excellent detail has been maintained throughout the spacecraft's flight over the Baltic Sea in this huge visible light image. The twisting range of the Carpathian Mountains shows well in central Europe, as does the Don River in Ukraine.

Because SICH transmissions are so infrequent, this one was captured by an automatic tape system.

This is the best SICH-1 visible frame image I have ever captured. The image was transmitted from 11:30 UT and shows intricate detail of the myriad lakes in Finland and western Russia.

A truly breath-taking picture !
May 28, 1998 May 5, 1997

A somewhat bland visible light image of Scandinavia.

This visible light image shows part of the course of the Volga River flowing from the Rybinsk Reservoir, eastwards then south on its way to the Caspian Sea.
July 20, 1996
SICH images Australia

This remarkable image from SICH-1 shows northern Australia. A full width visible image includes most of the Northern Territory, while part of the Cape York Peninsula shows on the extreme right.

A narrow RADAR image of the left margin of the main image is superimposed over the Gulf or Carpentaria

July 21, 1996 February 22, 1996
SICH images Ukraine by RADAR

This image shows SICH transmitting full-width RADAR of rivers in Ukraine, and the Crimea Peninsula.

 SICH images East Africa

Sich carries an on-board tape recoding unit, and on ocasions used it to image distant areas of the Earth. These images were later downloaded when the satellite passed over Europe.

Here is such an image, showing excellent detail of Saudia Arabia, Yemen and Oman, along with the Persian Gulf and part of the Gulf of Aden.