SPACEWARN Bulletin 600
SPACEWARN Activities
All information in this publication was received between
1 October 2003 and 31 October 2003.
A. List of New International Designations and Launch Dates (UTC).
USSPACECOM Catalog numbers are in parentheses.
COSPAR/WWAS USSPACECOM SPACECRAFT LAUNCH
INT.ID CAT. # NAME DATE (UT)
----------------------------------------------------------------
2003-050A (29060) SERVIS 1 30 October 2003
2003-049B (29058) Innovation 1 21 October 2003
2003-049A (28057) CBERS 21 October 2003
2003-048A (28054) DMSP F-16 (USA 172) 18 October 2003
2003-047A (28052) Soyuz TMA 3 18 October 2003
2003-046A (28050) IRS P6 17 October 2003
2003-045A (28043) Shenzhou 5 15 October 2003
2003-044A (27954) Horizons 1(Galaxy 13) 01 October 2003
2003-043E (27951) INSAT 3E 27 September 2003
2003-043C (27949) SMART 1 27 September 2003
2003-043A (27948) E-Bird 27 September 2003
2003-042G (27945) BilSat 1 27 September 2003
2003-042F (27944) NigeriaSat 1 27 September 2003
2003-042E (27943) BNSCSat 27 September 2003
2003-042D (27942) Mozhayets 4 27 September 2003
2003-042C (27941) KAISTSat 4 27 September 2003
2003-042B (27940) Larets 27 September 2003
2003-042A (27939) Rubin 4 27 September 2003
B. Text of Launch Announcements.
| 2003-050A | SERVIS 1 (Space Environment Reliability Verification Integrated System) is Japanese test satellite that was launched by a Rokot rocket from Plesetsk at 13:43 UT on 30 October. The 900 kg, 1.4 x 1.4 x 2.3 m, 1.2 kW satellite carries mostly commercially available off-the-shelf household items like PCs and cell phones so as to ascertain the viability of such inexpensive satellites. It carries parts evaluation monitors also to measure the degradation due to gamma rays and energetic particles. Initial orbital parameters were period 105 min, apogee 1015 km, perigee 982 km, and inclination 99.5°. | |
|---|---|---|
| 2003-049B | Innovation 1, also known as Chuangxin 1, is a Chinese (PRC) prototype of an advanced telecommunication satellite with potentials for environmental protection, oil and gas transportation, flood prevention and earthquake monitoring. The 100 kg satellite was launched by a Long March 4B rocket from Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in Shanxi province on 21 October 2003. Initial orbital parameters were period 99.2 min, apogee 759 km, perigee 686 km, and inclination 98.5°. | |
| 2003-049A | CBERS (China Brazil Earth Resources Satellite) is a Sino-Brazilian remote sensing satellite that was launched by a Long March 4B rocket from Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center is Shanxi province on 21 October 2003. The 1.6 tonne satellite will collect data relevant to environment, agriculture, urban planning and water pollution, under Chinese control for 18 months, and later under Brazilian control during the remaining lifetime (of six or more months). Initial orbital parameters were period 99.6 min, apogee 750 km, perigee 731 km, and inclination 98.5°. | |
| 2003-048A | DMSP F-16 (Defense Meteorological Satellite Program F-16) is an American military satellite that was launched by a Titan 2 rocket from Vandenberg AFB at 16:17 UT on 18 October 2003. As in the case of other DMSP satellites the operational responsibility of the satellite will be with the NOAA. It carries instruments to monitor oceans and clouds in the visible and infrared bands at moderate resolution to enable strategic and tactical planning needs of the military. It is also likely to carry auroral energetic particle monitors, like all the previous DMSP satellites. Initial orbital parameters were period 101.9 min, apogee 853 km, perigee 843 km, and inclination 98.9°. | |
| 2003-047A | Soyuz TMA 3 is a Russian passenger-transporting satellite that was launched by a Soyuz-FG rocket from Baikonur at 05:38 UT on 18 October 2003. It carried three astronauts (a Russian, an American and a Spanish) to the International Space Station (ISS). It docked automatically with the Zarya module 20 October 2003 and the crew moved into the ISS. The Spanish astronaut conducted some microgravity life science experiments, code named Cervantes (the author of Don Quixote) while in the ISS for about 10 days. The other two crew members will remain in the ISS for a six-month stay, relieving the two astronauts from the previous mission. The two astronauts that had stayed on ISS for six months plus the Spanish astronaut returned to Earth in the Soyuz TMA 2 module (that had remained docked with the ISS) at 02:41 UT on 28 October 2003, soft-landing at the precisely planned location in Kazakhstan. Initial orbital parameters of Soyuz TMA 3 were period 92.2 min, apogee 384 km, perigee 376 km and inclination 51.6°. | |
| 2003-046A | IRS P6, also known as ResourceSat 1, is an Indian remote sensing and photo-imaging spacecraft that was launched by a PSLV-C5 rocket from Sriharikota in southeast India at 04:54 UT on 17 October 2003. The 1,360 kg satellite carries high-resolution imaging instruments to monitor agricultural, land, and water resources. Initial orbital parameters of the Sun-synchronous orbit were period 101.4 min, apogee 836 km, perigee 813 km, and inclination 98.8°. | |
| 2003-045A | Shenzhou 5 meaning Divine Vessel 5) is a Chinese (PRC) manned satellite that was launched by a Long March 2F (translated from Changzheng 2F) rocket from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center (JSLC) in northwestern China at 01:00 UT on 15 October 2003. The previously launched Shenzhou spacecraft were the unmanned, test versions of this satellite. The 8.5 tonne satellite consists of three modules, the middle one being the manned one carrying one astronaut. After 21 hours of orbiting, the manned module and the service module were separated from the orbiter module, and commenced the return to Earth. During the descent, the manned module was separated from the service module and soft-landed on Earth in Inner Mongolia at 22:23 UT on 16 October 2003. Initial orbital parameters were period 91.2 min, apogee 336 km, perigee 332 km, and inclination 42.4°. | |
| 2003-044A | Horizons 1 (Galaxy 13) is a joint American-Japanese (i.e., PanAmSat-JSAT corporations) geostationary communications spacecraft that was launched by a Zenit 3 rocket from the floating platform Odyssey in equatorial Pacific Ocean on 1 October 2003. The 2.6 tonne (4.06 tonnes including the fuel), 9.9 kW satellite carries 24 transponders each in the C- and Ku-bands to provide digital video, internet, and data services to the countries on either side of the Pacific Ocean after parking over 127° W longitude. The alternative designation of Galaxy 13 is adopted from the fact that the C-band component is a legacy of the Galaxy series and its co-owner PanAmSat who will control it, not the JSAT. | |
| 2003-043E | INSAT 3E is an Indian geostationary communications satellite that was launched by an Ariane 5 rocket from Kourou at 23:14 UT on 27 September 2003. It joins the currently operational fleet of four such INSATs (2E, 3A, 3B, and 3C). The 2.8 tonne, triaxially-stabilized satellite carries 24 C-band, and 12 extended C-band transponders to provide communications and television services to the Indian subcontinent, after parking over 55° E longitude. | |
| 2003-043C | SMART 1 (Small Missions for Advanced Research in Technology 1) is an ESA lunar mission to test solar electric propulsion technology and to ascertain the surface minerals on the Moon. It was launched by an Ariane 5 rocket from Kourou at 23:14 UT on 27 September 2003. The 367 kg, 1.9 kW satellite uses the electrical power from solar panels to ionize and accelerate heavy ions (from 82 kg of Xenon gas) that are then ejected at high speeds from the rear end of the satellite. For comparison, the specific impulse of a chemical thruster is about 3000 Newton-seconds per kilogram, while for an ion thruster it can range from five to 30 times of that. Besides testing the novel propulsion system, it carries a few small packages of instruments to map the mineralogy of the lunar surface by remote sensing. The controlled propulsion will enable a slow spiraling of the orbit to the final ellipse with periselene at 300 km, and aposelene at 10,000 km altitude, with an inclination of nearly 90°. The Project Manager is Guiseppe Racca, ESA/ESTEC, Noordwijk, The AMIE is an imaging instrument to survey the terrain in visible and SIR is an infrared spectrometer to monitor the emission line from D-CIXS is an x-ray spectrometer to capture the x-ray line-emissions XSM is an x-ray monitor to capture the solar x-rays, so as to SPEDE will sample the ions in the solar wind’s lunar wake. The | |
| 2003-043A | E-Bird is a European geostationary communications spacecraft that was launched by an Ariane 5 rocket from Kourou at 23:14 UT on 27 September 2003. The 888 kg, 1.6 kW satellite carries 20 Ku-band transponders to provide video and data transmissions to Europe and Turkey through four antenna beams, after parking over 33° E longitude. | |
| 2003-042G | BilSat 1 is a Turkish DMC (multinational Disaster Monitoring Constellation) satellite that was launched by a Kosmos 3M rocket at 06:12 UT on 27 September 2003 from Plesetsk Cosmodrome. The 130 kg satellite carries five imaging cameras to monitor natural disasters at a resolution of 26 m in color by four cameras (operating in red, green, blue, and infrared colors) and another at 4-m resolution in black-and-white. The DMC is run by an organization of seven countries (UK, Algeria, China, Nigeria, Thailand, Turkey, and Vietnam) with the satellites built at Surrey, UK. BilSat 1 will also help in agriculture and urban planning. Initial orbital parameters were period 98.5 min, apogee 694 km, perigee 675 km, and inclination 98.2°. | |
| 2003-042F | NigeriaSat 1 is a Nigerian DMC (multinational Disaster Monitoring Constellation) satellite that was launched by a Kosmos 3M rocket from Plesetsk at 06:12 UT on 27 September 2003. It carries imaging cameras for disaster monitoring, urban planning and agriculture. Initial orbital parameters were period 98.5 min apogee 694 km, perigee 675 km, and inclination 98.2°. | |
| 2003-042E | BNSCSat (British National Science Center SATellite, also known as UK-DMC) is a British DMC (multinational Disaster Monitoring Constellation) satellite that was launched by a Kosmos 3M rocket from Plesetsk at 06:12 UT on 27 September 2003. Besides disaster monitoring, it will help in urban planning and agriculture surveys. Initial orbital parameters were period 98.5 min, apogee 695 km, perigee 676 km, and inclination 98.2°. | |
| 2003-042D | Mozhayets 4 is a Russian cadets’ training satellite that was launched by a Kosmos 3M rocket from Plesetsk at 06:12 UT on 27 September 2003. It will help in laser-assisted geodesic measurements via its optical reflectors. Initial orbital parameters were period 98.5 min, apogee 695 km, perigee 675 km, and inclination 98.2°. | |
| 2003-042C | KAISTSat 4 (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology SATellite 4) is a South Korean astrophysical satellite that was launched by a Kosmos 3M rocket from Plesetsk at 06:12 UT on 27 September 2003. The 120 kg satellite carries a special UV imaging spectrograph to monitor gas clouds in the Galaxy. It will complete a full-sky mapping in about a year, by scanning a one-degree strip every day. Additionally, it may also aim the telescope downward to image auroral displays. Initial orbital parameters were period 98.5 min, apogee 695 km, perigee 675 km, and inclination 98.2°. | |
| 2003-042B | Larets is a Russian satellite that was launched by a Kosmos 3M rocket from Plesetsk at 06:12 UT on 27 September 2003. It will help “tuning ground radars”. It carries reflectors for ground-based laser rangers. Initial orbital parameters were period 98.5 min, apogee 696 km, perigee 675 km, and inclination 98.2°. | |
| 2003-042A | Rubin 4 is a German satellite that was launched by a Kosmos 3M rocket from Plesetsk at 06:12 UT on 27 September 2003. It remained attached to the upper stage of the rocket so as to monitor its position, velocity, and acceleration. Initial orbital parameters were period 98.5 min, apogee 696 km, perigee 676 km, and inclination 98.2° |
C. Spacecraft Particularly Suited for International Participation
- Spacecraft with essentially continuous radio beacons on frequencies
less than 150 MHz, or higher frequencies if especially suited for ionospheric
or geodetic studies. (NNSS denotes U.S. Navy Navigational
Satellite System. Updates or corrections to the list are possible only with
information from the user community.)Note:
The full list appeared in SPX 545.
The list will not be repeated in future issues until significantly revised again. - Global Positioning System satellites useful for navigational
purposes and geodetic studies.High precision (<20 cm) GPS constellation tracking data obtained from
the network of about 80 dedicated global stations that are of interest to
geodetic study may be obtained through the following services provided
by the International Association of Geodesy (IGS)FTP: igscb.jpl.nasa.gov [directory /igscb] WWW: http://igscb.jpl.nasa.gov/ E-mail: igscb@cobra.jpl.nasa.govThe standard format of the GPS situation appeared in SPX-518. It will not
be repeated since an excellent source of trajectory- and science-related GPS information is at:http://www.colorado.edu/geography/gcraft/notes/gps/gps_f.html
It provides many links to GPS related databases.
The latest addition to the fleet is Navstar 51 (GPS 2R-8), 2003-005A.
- Russian Global Navigational (Positioning) Spacecraft, GLONASS
constellation. (SPACEWARN requests updates/additions from readers to this list.)All GLONASS spacecraft are in the general COSMOS series. The COSMOS numbers
invoked by USSPACECOM have often differed from the numbers (NNNN)
associated in Russia; when different, the USSPACECOM COSMOS numbers are shown
in parentheses. The corresponding GLONASS numbers are Russian numbers, followed
by the numbers in parentheses that are sometimes attributed to them outside
Russia.The operating frequencies in MHz are computed from the channel number K.
Frequencies (MHz) = 1602.0 + 0.5625K and L2 = 1246.0 + 0.4375K.The standard format of the GLONASS situation last appeared in SPX-545. It
will not be repeated in view of the excellent updated source at:
http://www.rssi.ru/SFCSIC/english.html
maintained by the Coordinational Scientific Information Center (CSIC), Russian
Space Forces. - Visually bright objects.
A comprehensive list of visually bright objects with their two-line
orbital elements is available through a NASA site as follows:- Go to http://oig1.gsfc.nasa.gov/scripts/foxweb.exe/app01?
- Select “OIG Main Page”.
- Select “Send Message to System administrator”, who will provide a login account.
- After getting an ID and a Password, click on “Registered User Login”.
(Step (3) is not needed after obtaining an account.) - Select “Continue”.
- Select “General information”.
- Select “Reports”.
- Select “Special Interest Group Report”.
- Select “Visible Interest Satellites” along with “Header and TLE”.
The list does not provide visual magnitude, but are
expected to be brighter than magnitude 5.
Note: The login requirement is enforced due to the events on 11 September 2001. - Actual decays/landings of payload spacecraft and rocket bodies (R/B)
only. No further information is available.Designations Common Name Decay Date (2003) 2003-016A (27781) SOYUZ TMA 2 28 Oct 2003-045B (28044) R/B Long March 2F 25 Oct 2003-047B (28053) R/B Soyuz-FG 20 Oct 2003-045A (28043) SHENZHOU 5 soft-landed on 16 Oct 2002-034C (27459) R/B(2) Delta 2 15 Oct 1988-066E (19348) R/B(Aux.Mot.) that launched COSMOS 1961 15 Oct 1994-080B (23416) R/B Long March 3A 13 Oct 1994-027B (23100) R/B ASLV-D4 06 Oct 1989-078D (20258) R/B(2) that launched MOLNIYA 1-76 06 Oct 2003-025A (27823) PROGRESS M1-10 03 Oct
- 60-day Decay Predictions.
The USSPACECOM forecasts and maintains a
list of decays of orbiting objects expected in the next 60 days , with fair
accuracy. The list may be accessed through a NASA site as follows:- Go to http://oig1.gsfc.nasa.gov/scripts/foxweb.exe/app01?
- Select “OIG Main Page”.
- Select “Send Message to System administrator”, who will provide a login account.
- After getting an ID and a Password, click on “Registered User Login”.
(Step (3) is not needed after obtaining an account.) - Select “Continue”.
- Select “General information”.
- Select “Reports”.
- Select “Sixty Day Decay…”.
Note: The login requirement is enforced due to the events on 11 September 2001.
- Miscellaneous Items. (This section contains information/data that
are entered on occasion and may not be repeated in each issue of the
SPACEWARN Bulletin.) - Related NSSDC resources.
NSSDC/WDC for Satellite Information is an archival center for science
data from many spacecraft. Many space physics datasets are on-line for
electronic access through:
http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/space/For off-line data, please contact the Request Office, NSSDC, Code 633,
NASA GSFC, Greenbelt, Maryland 20771, U.S.A., for specific information
(request@nssdca.gsfc.nasa.gov).
Information on the current status of the instruments on board from the
investigators will be most welcomed. Precomputed trajectory files
and orbital parameters of many magnetospheric and heliospheric science-payload
spacecraft may be obtained from:
ftp://nssdcftp.gsfc.nasa.gov/miscellaneous/orbits/Other files of interest for Earth-centered spacecraft can be generated via the URL,
http://sscweb.gsfc.nasa.gov/Programs related to the heliospheric spacecraft trajectories can be executed
through the URL,
http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/space/helios/heli.htmlMagnetospheric, Planetary, and Astronomical science data from many spacecraft
may be accessed through links from the URL:
http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/sc-query.html
