|
| |
 Orbcomm-G1&2,
1998-007B,C (25158/9) - The next two satellites in the ORBCOMM little-LEO satellite system were launched on the
10th February '98 from VAFB on a Taurus alongside GFO. The 42kg microsatellites were
placed into a 789x881 (779x790 km planned), 108 degree inclined orbit, and will provide
low data rate communication and tracking services. A further 16 ORBCOMM satellites are
expected to join in early 1998 on two dedicated launches of 8, with the last 6 expected to
be deployed in 1999. The satellites were built by Orbital Sciences , and are similar in
construction to the earlier ones; cylindrical in shape during launch measuring 165mm in
height, and 1040mm in diameter. More...
[SSHP little LEO constellations][SSHP ORBCOMM][ORBITAL][ORBCOMM]
-
- T1 (aka BATSAT),
1998-012B (25234)
- BATSAT (Broadband Advanced Technology Satellite) was launched on the 26th February 1998
with SNOE on a Pegasus-XL launcher from VAFB into a 535x580km orbit inclined at 97.7
degrees. The satellite was constructed by ORBITAL, with a payload from Boeing to conduct
communications tests in the 400-450 MHz, 18.8 - 19.3 GHz and 28.6 - 29.1 GHz frequency
bands demonstrating the capability to provide high rate data links in
Ka-band for the
Teledesic "internet in the sky" constellation. These include measuring rain
attenuation and delays at Ka band, atmospheric drag, GPS synchronisation, laser link
stability and attitude experiments. The satellite was controlled from ORBITAL's station in
Dulles MD, US. The satellite was intended for a 3-year lifetime but is reported to have
failed before May 1998. More...
Pictures:[Batsat and SNOE integrated onto the
launcher]
-
- FASat-Bravo,
1998-043B (25396)
- FASat-Bravo is an SSTL built
microsatellite for the Chilean Air Force, to replace the ill-fated FASat-Alfa
in orbit. The 55kg satellite is similar in appearance to earlier ones in the series and
carries Earth Imaging cameras for Ozone monitoring, digital communications and GPS orbit
determination experiments. It was launched with TMSAT, TechSat-1b, SAFIR and Resurs O2-N1
on a Zenit launcher into a 821km Sun-synchronous (21h37) orbit in on the 10th July 1998.
More...
[SSTL Homepage][FASAT
mission home page]
- Thai Phutt (TMSAT,
TO-31), 1998-043C, (25395)
- Thai Phutt (TMSAT)
is an SSTL built microsatellite for
the Thai Microsatellite Company. Thai-Phutt means "Freedom-Development". The
55kg satellite is similar in appearance to earlier ones in the series and carries Earth
Imaging and digital communications and GPS orbit determination experiments and was
launched with FASat-Bravo, TechSat-1b, SAFIR, WESTPAC and Resurs O2-N1 on a Zenit launcher
into a 821km Sun-synchronous (21h37) orbit on the 10th July 1998 at 6:30UTC. It has
returned many multi-spectral images of approximately 90m ground sampling distance, in
three spectral bands. Uplink frequency is 145.925MHz at 9600bps FSK AX.25, and downlink is
436.925MHz 9600, 38400 or 76800bps FSK AX.25 More...
[SSTL homepage][TMSAT homepage][Images database at SSTL][AMSAT data decoding software][CNN article
(2000)]
- TechSat-1b, Gurwin
II (GO-32) 1998-043D, (23397)
- TechSat-Ib A 70kg
micro-satellite built by the Haifa based Technion Institute of Technology in Israel with
industrial and government support, to replace Techsat-1a which failed to reach orbit in
1995. The three axis stabilised satellite has as its primary payload a multispectral
push-broom CCD scanner offering 12m ground resolution. It also carries an
ozone monitoring payload, a high temperature superconductor technology
payload, and a radiation monitoring experiment. It was launched on the 10th July
1998 at 6:30UTC on a Zenit launcher into a 821km Sun-synchronous (21h37) orbit with
FASat-Bravo, TMSAT, SAFIR, WESTPAC and Resurs O2-1. The satellite transmits a 9600-baud
burst every 30 seconds lasting 3 seconds on one of the two downlinks at 435.225 MHz or
435.325. The spacecraft was reported to be operational in January 2002,
with a failure in the ozone sensor reported 10 months into the mission. More...
[Gurwin II Techsat home page]
References
[1] Israel microsat demos local capabilities, SpaceDaily, 16 June 1998,. (http://www.spacedaily.com/news/microsat-98b.html).
- [2] "Microsatellites for
science and technology:gurwin techsat in-flight results", M.Guelman,
F.Ortenberg, A.Shiryaev, R.Waller, Small Satellites for Earth
Observation, 3rd Symposium of the International Acedemy of Astronautics,
Berlin, Germany, April 2001
-
-
 Westpac, 1998-043E,
(23398)
- Formerly known as WPLTN-1, Westpac
is a 24kg Australian geodetic satellite for the joint venture between Australia's
Electro Optics and the Russian Space Agency. It is spherical in shape with a laser
reflectors. It was launched on the 10th July 1998 at 6:30UTC on a Zenit launcher
into a 821km Sun-synchronous (21h37) orbit with FASat-Bravo, TMSAT, SAFIR and Resurs O2-1
Picture (right) courtesy of Electro Optics.
- SAFIR-2,
1998-043F, (23399)
- SAFIR-2 (SAtellite For Information Relay) is a 55kg microsatellite constructed by by OHB
for the German Space Agency DARA for Store and Forward communications. It was launched on
the 10th July 1998 at 6:30UTC on a Zenit launcher into a 821km Sun-synchronous
(21h37) orbit with FASat-Bravo, TMSAT, TechSat-1b, WESTPAC and Resurs O2-1. The satellite
is box shaped measuring 450mm on each side and weighing 60kg with a gravity gradient boom.
Its predecessor was an attached payload. It employs a 137.225MHz and 400MHz
(399.9-400.05 and 401-401.1MHz up, 400.6 and 400.9 down) digital communication
transponders, operating at variable data rates from 300 to 4800bps.
Picture (right) courtesy of OHB-system.
- Orbcomm-B1-8,
1998-046A-H
- Eight further satellites in the ORBCOMM little-LEO satellite system were launched on the
2nd August '98 from Wallops on a Pegasus-XL. The 42kg microsatellites were placed into a
816x826 45 degree inclined orbit, and will provide low data rate communication and
tracking services. Each spacecraft was released in 2 minute intervals. The last 6 expected
to be deployed in 1999. The satellites were built by Orbital Sciences , and are similar in
construction to the earlier ones; cylindrical in shape during launch measuring 165mm in
height, and 1040mm in diameter. More...
[SSHP little LEO constellations[ORBITAL][ORBCOMM]
- Orbcomm-C1-8,
1998-053A-H
- Eight further satellites in the ORBCOMM little-LEO satellite system were launched on the
23rd September '98 from Wallops on a Pegasus-XL. The 42kg microsatellites were placed into
a 810km 45 degree inclined orbit. The satellites were built by Orbital Sciences , and are
similar in construction to the earlier ones. More...
[SSHP little LEO constellations[ORBITAL][ORBCOMM]
-
- SEDSAT,
1998-061B (SO-33), 25509
- SEDSAT-1 is a 41kg microsatellite designed by
Students for the Exploration and Development of Space (SEDS) at the University of
Huntsville, Alabama. It was launched on a Delta-2 (7326) on the 24th October 1998 as a
piggyback to the Deep Space-1 interplanetary mission. It was
placed into a 547x1079km 31.4 degree inclined orbit. The spacecraft carries cameras in
order to make images available over the WWW. The spacecraft also carries two radio amateur
packet communications payloads (Mode-L: Uplink 1268.175 to 1268.250 MHz, Downlink 437.850
to 438.000 MHz, Mode A: Uplink 145.915 to 145.975 MHz Downlink 29.35 to 29.42
MHz). It
claims to be the first spacecraft to employ Nickel metal Hydride batteries. Problems
were
encountered with uplink commanding, and control of the mission has not been regained. It
is assumed that the uplink receiver (1268.2125 MHz) has failed. Furthermore, the battery
capacity is not as high as expected, and the satellite operates in a negative power
budget. The 9600bps FSK downlink on 437.914MHz is occasionally operational and some
telemetry is transmitted. The homepage contains a telemetry database into which received
telemetry can be submitted or viewed.
[Sedsat picture on the launcher #1][#2][SEDS][SEDSAT at SEDS][SEDSAT papers]
- PANSAT,
1998-064B, (PO-34)
- PANSAT (Petite Amateur Navy SATellite)
was launched from the STS-95 mission on the 30th October 1998, into a 554x558km 28.5
degree inclined orbit . The 70kg mission was designed and built at the Naval Postgraduate
School in Monterey, CA. Also visit the interactive groundstation! A Spacenews article provides some more information.
Pictures captured from NASA TV by Florida Today Space
News Online show the deployment. [Picture #1][Picture #2]. More...
[PANSAT papers]{PANSAT
at NPS)
- Astrid-2,1998-072B
- The Astrid series of microsats was continued with the launch of the nearly identical
Astrid-2 on a Russian COSMOS-3M from Plesetsk with Nadezha-5 ("Hope") into a
978x1013km 83 degree orbit on the 10th December 1998. Astrid-2 is also built by the SSC
with Swedish, Danish and US participation in the payload which comprises instrumentation
for auroral research. Astrid-2 will aid investigation of electric and magnetic fields in
the upper ionosphere, by measuring UV reflection and absorption near the polar ice caps.
To this end, it carries an electron spectrometer, magnetometer, and UV imager. The
satellite weighs 30kg and measures 950x450x400mm with stowed panels. it carries an S-band
downlink delivering a 128kbps data rate, and delivers 15W of power to the bus. A
groundstation in Solna, Stockholm Sweden is used for control. A picture shows Astrid attached to the mother satellite
on the launcher. The spacecraft is designed for a lifetime of 1 year, and cost US$2.5m to
develop and launch (incl. groundstation).
On the 24th July 1999 contact was lost with the satellite.
- More...[SCC]
- SAC-A,
1998-069B
- Argentine Satelite de Aplicaciones/Scientifico-A is an Argentinean research satellite
developed by the Argentinean National Commission of Space Activities (CONAE). It was
launched on the 13th December 1998 into a 388x401km orbit inclined at 51.6
degrees as a Hitchhiker payload (employing the
H.Ejection System) from Endeavour STS-88. It was deployed towards the orbit normal, after
which the orbiter manoeuvred away. The experimental satellite was placed into a 468km
orbit inclined at 52 degrees. It weighs 59kg, and aims to test new technologies for use in
future space missions. A Trimble TANS Vector differential GPS receiver is carried with
four antennas, in order to experiment with GPS orbit and attitude determination on a
spinning spacecraft. A CCD camera and whale tracker experiment are also carried. The
mission carries a magnetometer, and employs Argentinean Silicon solar cells. A momentum
wheel is run up before deployment in order to stabilise the spacecraft during deployment.
It re-entered the atmosphere on the 25th October 1999. More...
[SAC-A homepage at NASA][SAC-A homepage at CONAE (in spanish)][NASA press release of SAC-A
collaboration][Shuttle deployment of small
payloads at GSFC][Picture #1][Picture #2]. [Picture #3]
Pictures courtesy of NASA
- MIGHTYSAT-I,
1998-069C
- Mightysat-I. was launched into a 388x401km orbit inclined at 51.6 degrees on the 14th
December 1998 as a Hitchhiker payload (employing
the H.Ejection System) on Endeavour STS-88. It was deployed towards the orbit normal,
after which the orbiter manoeuvred away. The technology demonstration satellite bus built
originally by CTA ( since then acquired by Orbital Sciences), with a payload comprising
several experiments, integrated by and procured by the US Air Force Phillips labs. These
include a lightweight carbon fibre composite structure, advanced solar cells (Gallium
Indium Phosphide layer on a Gallium Arsenide layer). Also included are "MAPLE",
an advanced packaging method, "SMARD", a low shock separation system,
"MPID" to establish man-made and natural space debris. It also includes
materials to be tested in the space environment The spacecraft attitude control is by flat
spin in the orbit plane. The experimental satellite was placed into a 468km orbit inclined
at 52 degrees. The satellite weighs 67.5kg, and was planned to operate for 1 year, and
decayed on the 21st November 1999. Mightysat-2.1 and MightySat-2.2 and follow on missions
are minisatellites (future minisats). The first
three pictures captured from NASA TV by Florida Today
Space News Online show the deployment. [Picture #1][Picture #2][Picture #3][Integration at Phillips Lab] More...
[Shuttle deployment of small payloads
at GSFC]
|
