satelliteforum

Koreasat 5 satellite

blobrana — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 00:20:50 GMT

The Koreasat 5 (Mugungwha 5) satellite stationed at the 113.0�E orbital slot, suffered an anomaly with the attitude control system and had to be shut down for several hours.

Koreasat 5 was launched on the 22nd August, 2006, and is South Korea's first combined civil and military communications satellite.

ESA's Automated Transfer Vehicle

Calum — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 20:52:01 GMT

Here's a link to some information on ESA's Automated Transfer Vehicle :-

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080129/sc_afp/spaceisseurope

Rosetta mission

blobrana — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 19:58:06 GMT

The space probe Rosetta is "right on course" for a spectacular fly-by of the asteroid Steins, the European Space Agency (Esa) has announced.

At 19:58 GMT, the deep-space explorer will pass within 802km of its target...

Read more

The Rosetta spacecraft will come within about 500 miles of the asteroid Steins and will use a suite of instruments to take photographs and measurements. Among the instruments on Rosetta is the Alice ultraviolet spectrometer. It splits ultraviolet light ...

STS-125 mission

blobrana — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 01:38:15 GMT

At 04:01 GMT, Saturday, 30th August, the Space shuttle Atlantis (STS-125) is scheduled to roll out of the Vehicle Assembly Building towards Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Centre in Florida.

Atlantis is scheduled to launch on the 8th October, on a mission to repair the Hubble Space Telescope.

The astronauts will conduct five spacewalks to service the orbiting Telescope.

GeoEye-1 spacecraft

blobrana — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 20:39:53 GMT

Hurricane Hanna's approach to the east coast of Florida has prompted a Florida-based launch team to stay in place here rather than travel to California for Thursday's scheduled launch of a Delta 2 rocket carrying the GeoEye-1 spacecraft.

Finding the Status (in service, out of service, space junk, etc...) of Cosmos Sats

jpglyde — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 16:51:15 GMT

The day after a good evening of sat spotting, I like to search for info on the sats I've spotted. I also like to know if the birds I've seen are working satellites or not. It just makes for interesting stats in my log.

I've been unable to find the status of any of the Cosmos satellites, and a few other Russian birds. Does anyone know where I could find the info on any of these? At least without the KGB hunting me down?

For anyone interested, my spotting log is at www.jasonglydewell.com/satellites

Thanks

Delta II Stage 2 Rocket Body Re-entry

blobrana — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 14:33:29 GMT

A ULA Delta II Stage 2 Rocket Body that was launched from Cape Canaveral on the 15th March, 2008, for the military NAVSTAR GPS 2R-19 (M6) Global Positioning System Block 2R navigation satellite mission, is predicted to re-enter the Earths atmosphere on the 7th September, 2008 @ 14:25 GMT � 13 hours.

TLE Data

Code:DELTA 2 R/B(1)

1 32713U 08012C 08249.43560367 .02805773 -11922-5 51328-3 0 2655

2 32713 033.1361 017.7414 0091694 242.8758 119.4659 ...

GOCE Earth explorer satellite

blobrana — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 18:24:37 GMT

As preparations for the launch of GOCE on 10 September continue on schedule, an important milestone has just been achieved as engineers at the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in northern Russia say farewell to the satellite as it is encapsulated in the two half-shells of the launcher's fairing.

Space Shuttle Launch Schedule

blobrana — Thu, 22 May 2008 20:35:09 GMT

NASA Thursday adjusted the target launch dates for two space shuttle missions in 2008. Shuttle Atlantis' STS-125 mission to the Hubble Space Telescope is now targeted for Oct. 8, and Endeavour's STS-126 supply mission to the International Space Station has moved from Oct. 16 to Nov. 10.

Hi from Mississippi

jpglyde — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 21:43:33 GMT

Hello all. I got into satellite spotting 2 years ago for no other good reason than to see how many I can spot... and make my friends think I'm weird.

It's nice to meet y'all.

Satellite Tracking Programs

blobrana — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 15:07:29 GMT

There are many free satellite tracking programs as well as website based satellite prediction sites.

Here are a few links to popular programs, in no particular order, that users should try out:

(if your favourite program does not appear, feel free to mention it)

FOOTPRINT

FOOTPRINT Satellite Tracking Program Version 2.26 for Windows. Updated February 13, 2008

Footprint has been designed under Windows XP, and also operates under Windows 2000. It is designed to fill a 1024�768 ...

RapidEye constellation

blobrana — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 11:25:13 GMT

A Kosmotras Dnepr rocket is ready to launch the 5-satellite RapidEye constellation from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on August 29, 2008, at 07:15 UT (08:15 BST).

The commercial RapidEye remote sensing satellites will provide 6.5metre resolution imagery between latitudes �75 degrees, for agriculture monitoring and disaster relief.

The satellite constellation will be placed into a common sun-synchronous orbit of 630 km, with the satellites orbiting about 19 minutes apart.

ISS orbit lowered

blobrana — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 22:49:25 GMT

According to the Russian Mission Control Centre, the orbit of the International Space Station's was lowered by 1.7 km to avoid space junk.

The avoidance manoeuvre was carried out by firing the engines of the docked Jules Verne Automated Transport Vehicle (ATV), which lower the station's orbit to an altitude of 353.7 km.

On August 13, the Jules Verne Automated Transport Vehicle had been used to boost the station's orbit in preparation for the docking of the Progress 30P/M-65 cargo module, ...

Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope

blobrana — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 21:56:19 GMT

NASA has announced that members of the public will have a chance to suggest a new name for the cutting edge Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope, otherwise known as GLAST.

Source

To submit a suggestion for the mission name, visit:

http://glast.sonoma.edu/glastname

Proton-K SL-12 R/B Re-entry

blobrana — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 22:00:13 GMT

A Proton-K SL-12 R/B Auxiliary Motor that was launched in December, 2001, from the Baikonur Cosmodrome for the Glonass 1/3, 1/5, 1/6 (Cosmos 2380/81/82) Mission is predicted to re-enter the Earths atmosphere on the 26th August 2008 @ 10:05 GMT � 3 hours.

Expand (100kb, 854 x 554)

TLE Data

Code:SL-12 R/B(AUX MOTOR)

1 26993U 01053G 08239.18500276 .91891888 77561-6 89235-3 0 5821

2 26993 063.6864 108.7064 0398720 205.5780 152.7343 15.68869707107354

1 ...

Northern Iota Aquarids meteor shower

blobrana — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 23:51:05 GMT

The Northern Iota Aquarids meteor shower peaks on Monday August 25, 2008.

Range: August 11- September 10

ZHR: 5-10 meteors per hour

Speed: 31 km/s

Radiant: RA=21:48, Dec= -06�

Alsat-2A Satellite

blobrana — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 22:52:05 GMT

Antrix Corp. Ltd, the commercial arm of India�s space agency, has won a pair of deals from Algeria and Italy to launch earth observation satellites next year on the polar satellite launch vehicle, or PSLV, its workhorse rocket.

The contract awarded by the Algerian space agency to launch Alsat-2A, a 200kg remote sensing satellite, is the first won by Antrix from an African nation.

Read more

ALSAT-2 is the first Earth observation satellite system from the EADS Astrium AstroSat100 family to ...

Koreasat 6 Satellite

blobrana — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 21:55:26 GMT

Korean Telecom Corporation (KT Corporation) has chosen Arianespace to launch its next communications satellite, Koreasat 6.

Koreasat 6 will be boosted into geostationary transfer orbit by an Ariane 5 or Soyuz launcher from the Guiana Space Center, Europe's Spaceport, French Guiana, during the second half of 2010.

First Kibo Experiments

blobrana — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 03:53:47 GMT

Remote-controlled scientific experiments on board Kibo, Japan's module on the International Space Station, started Friday morning, conducted by an Earth-based team.

The team at the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Tsukuba Space Centre began sending signals to the Japanese laboratory at 7 a.m., marking the commencement of Japan's first ever ISS experiment.

Read more

ALV X-1 Launch Failure

blobrana — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 21:11:43 GMT

A suborbital rocket carrying two NASA experiments was destroyed shortly

after liftoff from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia today. No

injuries or property damage were reported, according to a NASA news

release.

Read more

Most

debris from the rocket is thought to have fallen in the Atlantic Ocean.

However, there are conflicting reports of debris being sighted on land.

This debris could be hazardous. People who think they may have

encountered rocket debris are advised ...

Spitzer Space Telescope

blobrana — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 21:09:26 GMT

A new image from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope tells a tale of life and death, and reveals a rich family history. The striking infrared picture shows a colourful cosmic cloud, called W5, studded with multiple generations of blazing stars.

It also provides dramatic new evidence that massive stars - through their brute winds and radiation - can trigger the birth of stellar newborns.

Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics

"Triggered star formation continues to be very hard to ...

Inmarsat-4 F3 satellite

blobrana — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 22:07:05 GMT

A Proton M launch vehicle, utilising a 5-burn Breeze M design, will lift off from Pad 39 at Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, with the Inmarsat-4 F3 satellite on board.

The Russian Proton rocket aims to prove its reliability on Monday by putting into orbit one of the biggest commercial satellites ever built.

The launch of the six-tonne Inmarsat-4 (I4) satellite is timed for 22:43 GMT.

Source

Omid satellite

blobrana — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 15:18:14 GMT

Next week, Iran is to launch the country's first homemade satellite, named Omid (meaning, Hope), aboard a Iranian Kavoshgar-1 carrier rocket, stationed at Iran's new space centre, in northern Semnan province.

The Kavoshgar-1 carrier rocket closely resembles the Iranian Shahab-3 missile.

The scientific research satellite will be placed into a low Earth orbit, and will help improve communication services, and also monitor natural disasters.

With a successful launch, Omid will be ...

Superbird-7 and AMC-21 satellite launch

blobrana — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 19:49:09 GMT

An Ariane 5 rocket (Flight 185), with the Superbird-7 and AMC-21 satellites, is scheduled to be launched at 20:44 UTC, August 14th, 2008.

Webcast

ISS orbital boost

blobrana — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 13:50:43 GMT

According to the Russian Mission Control Centre the International Space Station's orbit has been raised by 5.8 kilometres in preparation for the docking of the Progress M-65 cargo module, that is scheduled to be launched on the 10th September, 2008.

The attached Jules Verne Automated Transport Vehicle (ATV) activated two of its four engines for 16 minutes, 35.1 seconds, to raise the station's orbit.

The ISS is currently orbiting at an altitude of 355.9 kilometres over earth's surface.

Code:ISS

1 ...

Perseid meteor shower

blobrana — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 17:24:46 GMT

This year the Perseid maximum is due between 11:30 -14:00 UT on the 12th August.

The Zenithal Hourly Rate (ZHRs) is predicted to be around 80-100.

For UK observers the Moon is waxing gibbous, and will set around midnight.

Shower

Activity Period

Maximum

Radiant

Speed

r

ZHR

Time

(UTC) ...

THEOS Satellite

blobrana — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 02:06:33 GMT

A Kosmotras Dnepr rocket (a converted SS-18 Satan missile) is to launch the THEOS Earth observation satellite from the Yasny launch facility in the southern Urals, on August 6th, 2008.

The THEOS (Thailand Earth Observation System) satellite will provide Thailand with Panchromatic and multispectral imagery for various applications including agriculture, forestry, laud use, water resources, urban planning, environment and disaster management.

Orbit: Sun-synchronous near-circular orbit

Altitude: ...

Wollemi pine aboard ISS

blobrana — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 02:35:01 GMT

After eons trapped in a gorge west of Sydney, Australia's "dinosaur tree", the Wollemi pine, has reached the heavens.

Twenty-three seeds from the tree, thought extinct for 150 million years until its 1994 rediscovery in the Wollemi National Park, are now circling Earth aboard the International Space Station.

Read more

Space X F1-003

blobrana — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 19:49:45 GMT

A SpaceX Falcon 1 rocket (Flight 003 mission) may launch the Trailblazer spacecraft for the U.S. Air Force Operationally Responsive Space (ORS) initiative's Jumpstart mission, a space burial payload for Celestis, and two CubeSats for ATSB of Malaysia, from Omelek Island at Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands on July 29th 2008.

The Trailblazer microsatellite, built by SpaceDev, is technology demonstration satellite, which will be operated by the United States Air Force and MDA, and is ...

Engine test for Falcon 9 rocket

blobrana — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 16:55:56 GMT

A key milestone has been reached in the development of the rocket that may soon be flying cargo and astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS).

The SpaceX company has conducted a test-firing of its Falcon 9 vehicle.

Ariane 3 (Stage 4) Rocket Body Re-entry

blobrana — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 03:11:11 GMT

An Ariane 3 (Stage 4) Rocket Body that was launched in September, 1988, from the Guiana Space Centre for the GStar 3/SBS 5 mission, is predicted to re-enter the Earths atmosphere on 31st July 2008 @ 09:48 UTC � 72 hours

TLE Data

Code:

ARIANE 3 R/B

1 19485U 88081C 08211.60488323 .06276988 -29525-4 14944-2 0 9918

2 19485 007.4705 095.4072 0367042 088.8739 275.5254 15.56582616293014

Period 95.44

Inclination 7.48�

Apogee 930

Perigee ...

Ocean Surface Topography Mission

blobrana — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 03:28:38 GMT

The launch of the Ocean Surface Topography Mission, or OSTM/Jason 2, aboard a Delta II rocket is scheduled for Friday, June 20, from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. The launch window extends from 12:46 a.m. to 12:55 a.m. PDT. The satellite will be placed in an 830-mile-high orbit at an inclination of 66 degrees after separating from the Delta II 55 minutes after liftoff.

Read more

August 1, 2008 Solar Eclipse

blobrana — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 14:26:29 GMT

Is everyone geared up for the August 1, 2008 Solar eclipse?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_eclipse_of_August_1,_2008

Satellite Marathon - 24th July

jgs001 — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 16:21:03 GMT

I decided to set myself a challenge and attempt to image all the satellites brighter than mag 3.5 passing over the other night. I nearly succeeded. I missed the early ISS pass, HA appears to have been 3 minutes out on the ISS all night, and I didn't work it out till the second pass. The first couple are there, in the middle of the image, but they are damn hard to see (sorry the sky was really bright and I can't process this side of things). I was fighting clouds, low flying aircraft and windy ...

Neptune at Opposition

blobrana — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 20:50:56 GMT

Neptune is at Opposition on the 15th August 2008.

The planet will reach a magnitude of 7.8, which is bright enough for moderate binoculars.

Opposition is the point when Neptune appears opposite to the Sun in the sky. On the 15 August the planet will rise as the Sun sets, and set as the Sun rises. At Opposition the planet comes physically closest (distance to earth: 29.025 AU) to the Earth, and consequently is one of the best times for viewing the planet.

The moon is new on the 16th ...

Persona Satellite

blobrana — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 12:27:59 GMT

The launch of a Persona military reconnaissance satellite aboard a Soyuz Soyuz-2.1b rocket from Site LC-43/4 at the Plesetsk Cosmodrome has been postponed by twenty-four hours.

Launch had been scheduled for 18:50 UTC, 25 July 2008.

"The state commission led by Space Troops Commander Maj. Gen. Oleg Ostapenko has decided to postponed the launch of the Soyuz 2 rocket carrier with the spacecraft for 24 hours" - Commander Alexei Zolotukhin, Assistant to the Space Troops.

The ...

Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX) spacecraft

blobrana — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 02:13:08 GMT

NASA�s Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX) spacecraft, designed to image global interactions at the outer reaches of the solar system, today began its move to Vandenberg Air Force Base (VAFB), California.

August 1, 2008 eclipse

blobrana — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 13:43:35 GMT

The total eclipse begins in Northern Canada's Queen Maud Gulf at 08:04 UT.

Greatest eclipse, with totality lasting 2 minutes 27 seconds, will occur near the town of Nadym, (65�38′48″N, 72�16′24″E), in Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug in Northern Siberia, at 10:21 UT.

At 10:44 UT the eclipse track passes almost directly over the city of Novosibirsk, Russia, where totality will last 2 minutes 18 seconds.

The eclipse track will move along the Mongolia-China border.

Olgij, ...

NASA Images

blobrana — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 21:42:43 GMT

A collaboration between NASA and the Internet Archive, have launched a new website that provides a one stop collection of NASA images and videos.

www.nasaimages.org

Gravity field and steady-state Ocean Circulation Explorer mission

blobrana — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 18:35:53 GMT

Launching in just two months' time, GOCE now fully reconfigured for launch in September, is currently being prepared for shipment on 29 July 2008 from ESA's test facilities in the Netherlands to the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in northern Russia.

Korea Launch Vehicle System-1

blobrana — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 20:49:29 GMT

South Korea's first rocket launch, scheduled for December, may be put off until 2009 due to delays in the arrival of the main booster rocket and other key parts from abroad, the government said Wednesday.

Advanced Crew Transportation System

blobrana — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 13:11:46 GMT

The first official image of a Russian-European manned spacecraft has been unveiled.

It is designed to replace the Soyuz vehicle currently in use by Russia and will allow Europe to participate directly in crew transportation.

Some Flares and the ISS

jgs001 — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 13:04:02 GMT

These are all 30 second exposures taking using the satcatcher at 18mm on the kit lens.

First up Iridium 10

Then the ISS - 2x30 second shots merged

The ISS heading off towards the moon

The bright one, Iridium 80 mag -8

MSG-4 satellite

blobrana — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 00:22:58 GMT

Arianespace chosen to launch MSG-4 weather satellite

Source

SAR-Lupe 5 Satellite

blobrana — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 08:59:09 GMT

A Russian Kosmos 3M rocket has successfully put into orbit the SAR-Lupe 5 reconnaissance satellite, at 02:40 GMT.

The 1700-pound craft is fitted with cloud-piercing and night-vision radar.

Read more

H-II Transfer Vehicle

blobrana — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 20:07:19 GMT

NASA has no plans to buy JAXA transfer vehicles

Read more

European Satellite Navigation Competition

blobrana — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 11:46:10 GMT

Do you have a great idea for the use of satellite navigation?

Read more

Ariane 5 ECA debris re-entry

blobrana — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 02:03:35 GMT

Ariane 5 ECA debris (SYLDA) that was launched on the 13th October 2006, from Europe�s Spaceport in French Guiana, for the Optus D1 mission is predicted to re-enter the Earths atmosphere on the 18th July, 2008 @ 23:59 GMT � 96 hours

Period 104.61

Incl. 7.33

Apogee 1813

Perigee 140

TLE Data

Code:ARIANE 5 DEB (SYLDA)

1 29497U 06043D 08193.94450502 .06573867 -19948-4 13903-2 0 8719

2 29497 007.3315 044.4481 1137259 027.2856 ...

SL-12 RB auxiliary motor Re-entry

blobrana — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 00:14:31 GMT

A Proton-K SL-12 R/B Auxiliary Motor that was launched in December 2001 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome, for the Kosmos 2380/81/82 mission (Glonass 1/3, 5, 6) is predicted to re-enter the Earths atmosphere on the 18th July 2008 @ 20:07 UTC � 28 hours

TLE Data

Code:SL-12 R/B(AUX MOTOR)

1 26994U 01053H 08196.25233527 .20177863 72056-5 78812-3 0 5288

2 26994 063.9049 137.2912 1729983 198.9698 153.6515 12.50777653105271

1 26994U 01053H 08196.25270454 ...

MTSAT-1R, H-IIA Rocket Body Re-entry

blobrana — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 11:07:04 GMT

A H-IIA Launch Vehicle No. 7, Stage 3 Rocket Body that was launched in February 2005 from the Tanegashima launch complex for the Multi-functional Transport Satellite-1 Replacement (MTSAT-1R) mission is predicted to re-enter the Earths atmosphere on the 18th July 2008 @ 14:59 UTC � 18 hours

TLE Data

Code:H-2 RB

1 28623U 05006B 08197.82369515 .13778788 -64223-5 48996-3 0 9065

2 28623 028.4896 076.6678 0697423 188.3780 170.4526 14.88250876 58946

1 28623U 05006B ...