A publication of NASA’s National Space Science Data Center/World Data Center for Satellite Information as the WWAS for ISES/COSPAR
SPACEWARN Activities
All information in this publication was received between
1 January 2000 and 31 January 2000.
A. List of New International Designations and Launch Dates.
USSPACECOM Catalog numbers are in parentheses.
2000-004E (26065) ASUSat 27 January 2000
2000-004D (26064) FALCONSAT 27 January 2000
2000-004C (26063) OPAL 27 January 2000
2000-004B (26062) OCS 27 January 2000
2000-004A (26061) JAWSAT 27 January 2000
2000-003A (26058) Zhongxing 22 25 January 2000
2000-002A (26056) Galaxy 10R 25 January 2000
2000-001A (26052) USA 148 21 January 2000
B. Text of Launch Announcements.
| 2000-004E | ASUSat (Arizona State University SATellite) is an American microsatellite that was released from JAWSAT. This student-engineered spacecraft carries components for engineering tests. For further information, see http://nasa.asu.edu/asusat/. Initial parameters of the circular orbit were period 100.4 min, altitude 773 km, and inclination 100.2 deg. |
|---|---|
| 2000-004D | FALCONSAT is an American military microsatellite that was released from JAWSAT. It is reported to be a technology testing mission. Initial parameters of the circular orbit were period 100.4 min, altitude 773 km, and inclination 100.2 deg. |
| 2000-004C | OPAL (Orbiting Picosatellite Automated Launcher) is an American microsatellite for engineering tests of components, and was released from JAWSAT. In turn, it was also to deploy six student-engineered picosatellites as a feasibility test; see http://ssdl.stanford.edu/opal/home.html for a sketch of the mission. Initial parameters of the circular orbit were period 100.4 min, altitude 773 km, and inclination 100.2 deg. |
| 2000-004B | OCS (Optical Calibration Sphere) is an American military microsatellite that was released from JAWSAT. Initial parameters of the circular orbit were period 100.4 min, altitude 773 km, and inclination 100.2 deg. |
| 2000-004A | JAWSAT (Joint air force Academy-Weber state university SATellite) is an American military minisatellite that was launched from Vandenberg AFB by the first of 450 (350?) decommissioned/re-engineered Minuteman-2 rockets at 03:03 UT. After its own launch, JAWSAT deployed four microsatellites: FALCONSAT, OCS, OPAL, and ASUSat. No information is available on the instruments on board JAWSAT, except that according to one report it may carry a “High-Resolution Imaging System”. (http://cast.weber.edu/jawsat/jawsat.html) Initial parameters of the circular orbit were period 100.4 min, altitude 773 km, and inclination 100.2 deg. |
| 2000-003A | Zhongxing 22 is a Chinese (PRC) geosynchronous communications spacecraft that was launched from Xichang Center in Sichuan province at 16:45 UT by a Long March 3A rocket. The 2,300 kg spacecraft will be parked over 98-E longitude. |
| 2000-002A | Galaxy 10R is an American geosynchronous communications spacecraft that was launched by an Ariane 4 rocket from Kourou at 01:12 UT. The 2,137 kg, 8.8 kW spacecraft carries 24 C-band and 24 Ku-band transponders to provide digital and video communications to nearly all of about 11,000 cable systems in North America after parking over 123-W longitude. |
| 2000-001A | USA 148, also known as DSCS 3 (Defence Satellite Communications System 3) is an American military geosynchronous communications spacecraft that was launched by an Atlas 2 rocket from Cape Canaveral at 01:03 UT. (Being the 10th in the DSCS 3 FN series, its full name is likely to be DSCS 3 F10.) With a solar power of 1,240 W, the jam-proof spacecraft has six “SHF” relaying channels in the frequency range of 50-85 MHz which can be received by an 84 cm dish. The craft is triaxially stabilized at about 0.1 deg in roll and pitch. Parking longitude is unavailable. |
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.Geoffrey E. Perry, MBE.
We are sad to learn that Geoffrey Perry passed away on 18 January 2000.
Mr. Perry has been almost the sole source of updates to this section
since over a decade ago, during and prior to his affiliation with the
Kettering Group in Cornwall, England. His firsthand knowledge of
satellites carrying beacons of interest to ionospheric studies,
especially the many in the Russian COSMOS series of this kind and others
in the GLONASS fleet has been of immense help to the space physics
community in general and the Spacewarn Bulletin in particular. Also
notable was his alerts to us whenever (occasionally) NORAD’s orbital
elements of a satellite, or of a rocket body, or even of debris did
not match its International ID. We searched the back issues of the
Bulletin since it went on-line in 1991. There have been 19 instances of
explicit acknowledgement of Mr. Perry’s help to us and, presumably, as
many in the Bulletins that were not stored electronically in the prior
decade.Spacewarn Bulletin Office
WWAS/ISES/COSPAR - Global Positioning System satellites useful for navigational
purposes and geodetic studies. (“NNN” denotes no national name. SPACEWARN
would appreciate suggestions to update this list. An asterisk [*] denotes
changes in this issue.)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.utexas.edu/depts/grg/gcraft/notes/gps/gps.html#DODSystem
It provides many links to GPS related databases. - Russian Global Navigational (Positioning) Spacecraft, GLONASS
constellation. (SPACEWARN requests updates/additions from readers to this list.
Entries marked “*” are updates or additions to the list.)All GLONASS spacecraft are in the general COSMOS series. The COSMOS numbers
(nnnn) 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 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. - Actual decays/landings of payload spacecraft and rocket bodies (R/B)
only. No further information is available.Designations Common Name 1999 1999-059B (25950) R/B Ariane 44LP 27 Jan 1983-025A (13964) MOLNIYA 1-57 26 Jan 1975-056B (07969) R/B that launched COSMOS 744) 22 Jan 1993-015B (22564) R/B Atlas 1 06 Jan
- 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 accessed via anonymous FTP from NSSDC.
(See About the SPACEWARN Bulletin
for access method; a file in the active directory named AAREADME.TXT,
outlines the contents.)Other files interest for Earth-centered spacecraft can be generated thru 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/
SPACEWARN Bulletin Index
About the SPACEWARN Bulletin
About Spacecraft Categories
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Questions/comments about the content of these pages should be directed to: The World Warning Agency for Satellites, wwas@nssdca.gsfc.nasa.gov National Space Science Data Center, Mail Code 633 NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771 |
