Mission Description:

During 2008 summer from Svalbard (Norway) using a stratospheric balloon a model of SHARAD Radar (now onboard MRO spacecraft) will be tested in the Arctic. The experiment aims to test in a Martian analogue atmosphere the Radar in order to have a set of reference measurement to be used to eliminate possible ambiguities in Mars data analysis. Moreover the campaign will provide valuable information on ice thickness, sub-ice lakes, layers discontinuity lithological and compositional changes, layer geometries, physical properties. At the moment a 10 days circumnavigation of the Artic pole is foreseen.
The experiment will be carried onboard a gondola that will provide the Scientific team with all the necessary subsystems and information available.
The gondola main subsystems are: the mechanical structure and the thermal control subsystem; the power subsystem, the data handling and management subsystem (together with the telemetry) and the housekeeping subsystem. Data transmission and power are the most demanding; the radar produces a huge amount of data that will be stored on board while, due to the low bit rate of data transmission possible, only housekeeping informations will be sent to ground; on the other hand power consumption is high and batteries have to be recharged.
Since radar and data have to be recovered a secure floating mechanism is under study for saving the system also in case of splashing in the north sea. In the meanwhile a ground support equipment is under designing both for engineering activities and for scientific analysis.

Principal scientific objectives are to provide valuable information on ice thickness, sub-ice lakes, layers discontinuity lithological and compositional changes, layer geometries, physical properties. Perform a test campaign to operate the radar in Martian Analogue environments  in order to provide a set of reference measurement to be used to eliminate possible ambiguities in Mars data analysis
.

Program was conducted under a contract with the Italian Space Agency.

SORA: Why
In the mainframe of SHARAD Program ASI planned a test campaign to operate the radar in Martian Analogue environments   in order to provide a set of reference measurement to be used to eliminate possible ambiguities in Mars data analysis.
This tests could obviously provide benefit also MARSIS.
Three possible analogues have been envisaged: Arctic and Antarctic regions and dry-desert regions.
Furthermore SoRa will provide valuable information on ice thickness, sub-ice lakes, layers discontinuity lithological and compositional changes, layer geometries, physical properties.
The original plan was to have the first launch in spring 2007 but programmatic reasons lead to decide for a first launch in spring 2008.

SORA: Challenges
Logistic:
The Arctic is a hostile environment
Flyover of Greenland, Canada and Russia: international agreements necessary
Communications: necessities of satellite communications for TM/TC The system must be extensively tested in our laboratories before the campaign
Recovery of the payload
Trajectory Forecasts
Floating System
The whole gondola should not weigh too much (weight < 1ton)
Use of a  very efficient battery system
Use of materials qualified for low temperatures and  pressures