- Email: [email protected]
Satellite and space probe launches (21 December 2005 - 30 March 2006)
No. 5: Advances in Specifying Plasma Temperatures and Ion Composition in the Ionosphere (ed. D. Bilitza & B. Reinisch), pp. 875-1114.
No. 11: The Next Generation of Scientific Balloon Missions (ed. P.C. Agarwal), pp. 2001-2148.
No. 6: Space Weather Prediction: Applications and Validation (ed. T. Obara), pp. 1115-1266.
No. 12: Atmospheric Remote Sensing: Earth's Surface, Tropsphere, Stratosphere and Mesosphere - II (ed. J.P. Burrows, K.-U. Eichmann & E.J. Llewellyn), pp. 2149-2322.
No. 7: Reconnection at Sun and in Magnetospheres (ed. J. Buechner & X. Deng), pp. 1267-1404.
Other Publications
No. 8: Particle Acceleration: Space Plasma Physics: Solar Radiation and the Earth's Atmosphere and Climate (ed. T.H. Zurbuchen, D.F. Smart, X. Blanco-Cano & J. Lastovicka), pp. 1405-1652.
ot to be missed: Mars in their Eyes the catalogue (of 80 pp.) for an exhibition arranged by Colin Pillinger of cartoons related to the many attempts to secure information about the 'Red Planet'. Published in 2006 by the Cartoon Museum in London for the exhibition 'Mars in Their Eyes' at the Cartoon Museum, and shown in part at the Royal Society of London, 3-6 July 2006. The exhibition (and catalogue) includes a cartoon by the General Editor published in Space Research Today No. 164.
N
No. 9: Space Life Sciences: Flight Measurements, Calibration of Detectors and Environmental Models for Radiation Analysis (ed. L. Heilbronn & G. de Angelis), pp. 16531830. No. 10: Astrophysics (ed. R. Battison, M.A. Shea, C. Rakowski & S. Chatterjee), pp. 18312000.
SATELLITE AND SPACE PROBE LAUNCHES (21 December 2005 - 30 March 2006)
(The source of information for satellites 2005-047A to 2006-009A is the ESA/ESOC DISCOS database.) COSPAR Designation
Launch Date
National Name
[Life Time]/ (Descent Date)
2005 21 December [0.51 yr]
2005-047A ProgressM-55
Launch Site
Launch Vehicle
Initial Orbital Elements Apogee (kin)
Baikonm SC (KZ)
Soyuz SL-d(A-2)
327
Perigee (kin)
218
Incl. (deg)
51.64
Period (n]in)
89.97
Progress-M 55 is a Russian automatic cargo craft. The 5.7 tonne craft (includiilg 880 kg of propellant) carried 210 kg of water, 83 kg of air and 1.4 tonnes of equipment and spare parts to file International Space Station. Some of file propellant will be transferred to file ISS for its manoeuveriilg tlmlsters. The spacecraft docked wifll file PIRS module of file ISS automatically at 1956 UT on 23 December 2005, and delivered file cargo.
2005-048A Gonets-DIMI
21 December [17 600 yr]
Plesetsk (RU)
Cosnlos SL-8 (C-l)
1456
1437
82.47
114.82
Gonets-DIMI is a Russian low-altitude communications satellite, file first of a fleet of 12 satellites in fore- planes. The 250 kg, 40 W craft is expected to sel~ce some 30 Russian agencies and organizations wifll elnail and short messages. An earlier fleet of six Gonets-D1 satellites bud sei~ced in flais role in file 1990s.
2005-048B Cosmos (Rodnik)
2416
21 December [17 700 yr]
Plesetsk (RU)
Cosnlos SL-8 (C-l)
Rodnik, also known as Cosmos 2416, is a Russian inilitary conmmnications satellite.
41
1448
1438
82.47
114.74
2005-049A Insat 4A
21 December [>1 Myr]
Guiana SC (GF)
Aiiane 5
35814
35758
0.05
1436.08
Insat 4A is an Indian geostationary COlnmtmicalioias satellite. The 3.1 toime, 5.5 kW satellite canies 12 140 W Ku-band transponders and 12 63 W C-band transponders to provide Direct-to Home (DTH) data and TV seI~cices to India and neighbouring comltfies, after parldng over 83°E.
2005-048B Meteosat 9
21 December [>1 Myr]
Guiana SC (GF)
Aiiane 5
35645
35641
1.86
1428.79
Meteosat 9 is a Etu-opean geostatioilary weafller satellite (a 2 nd Generation Meteosat MSG 2), wifll operational control by tile EUMETSAT organization. The two tonne, spinstabilized craft carries two main insti~nents: a Spiimiilg Enhanced Visible and InfraRed hnager (SEVIRI) fllut will provide images taken in fotu- visible and eight infrared charmels every 15 ininutes, at a resolution of 1 kin in visible light and 3 kill in infrared, and a Geostationary Earth Rucliation Budget experinlent (GERB) fllut will monitor tile energy balance between tile incolning solar flux and tile outgoiilg infrared radiation. The craft will be reilamed Meteosat 9 when it becomes operatioilul in Jtule 2006, after parldilg over 0.0° longitude. (There have been eight spacecraft in tile first generationMeteosat series)
2005-050A Cosmos 2417
25 December [> 1 Myr]
Baikomu- SC (KZ)
Proton SL-12 (D-l-e)
19122
19112
64.87
675.25
Cosmos 2417, 2418 and 2419 (also known as GLONASS 798, 2419 and 714) are tile latest flaree additions to tile Russian GLONASS inilitary navigatioilul fleet. They will be positioned in Slot-3.
2005-050B Cosmos 2418
25 December [>1 Myr]
Baikomu- SC (KZ)
Proton SL-12 (D-l-e)
19132
19112
64.86
675.43
Cosmos 2417, 2418 and 2419 (also known as GLONASS 798, 2419 and 714) are tile latest flaree additions to tile Russian GLONASS inilitary navigatioilul fleet. They will be positioned in Slot-3.
2005-050C Cosmos 2419
25 December [>1 Myr]
Baikomu- SC (KZ)
Proton SL-12 (D-l-e)
19124
19119
64.86
675.42
Cosmos 2417, 2418 and 2419 (GLONASS 798, 2419 and 714) are tile latest fluee additions to tile Russian GLONASS inilitary navigational fleet. They will be positioned in Slot-3.
2005-051A Giove-A
28 December [>1 Myr]
Baikonm SC (KZ)
Soyuz SL-4 (A-2)
23258
23011
56.05
840.98
GIOVE-A (Galileo In-Orbit Validation Element) is a Etu-opean (ESA) navigational satellite. Tile 600 kg satellite is tile first of a planned fleet of 30 Galileo satellites to operate independently of tile American GPS and tile Russian GLONASS fleets, fllough quite compatible wifll eifller. The ESA fleet may involve teclmical/fiilancial participation by India and Chiila. Unlike tile GPS and GLONASS, which are trader inilitary control, tile Galileo fleet will be wholly civilian-controlled, wifll global access guaranteed to tile public ("except in direst enlergencies") and providing a one-nletre resolution, comparable to tile resolution of tile other fleets fllat is available to flleir inilitary aufllorities. The full Galileo fleet will be completed by 2010.
2005-052A A M C 23
29 December [>1 Myr]
Baikonm SC (KZ)
Proton-Briz
35792
35776
0.06
1436.00
A M S 23 (wifll a pre-latulch 1lame of WorldSat 3), is an American geostatioilary communications satellite for SES Global. The five tonne craft carries 20 high-power Ku-band, and 18 C-band transponders to provide voice, video and intemet sei%ces to tile Asia-Pacific region after parldilg over 172°E. 2006
2006-001A New Horizons
19 January [escape orbit]
Kennedy SC (US)
Atlas V 551
0
0
0
0
New Horizons is an American (NASA) planetary probe directed toward Pluto and ofller bodies in the Kuiper Belt. It will have a close encotulter wifll Jupiter in February 2007 to obtain a gravity-assisted velocity boost and fllen make a irine-year Clalise to reach Pluto (and its satellite Chmon) by about 2016. Tile 450 kg (including fuel), tfiaxially stabilized craft wifll 16 tliln-inanoeuveriilg hydrazine flarusters, carries six inoilitors all powered by an RTG (Ruclioisotope Themloelectlic Generator) usiilg 11 kg of plutonium.
2006-002A Daiehi
24 January [>1 Myr]
Tanegashinla SC (JP)
H-IIA 202
697
5482
98.21
97.17
A L O S (AdvancedLand Observing Satellite), also known as Daiehi, is a Japanese (JAXA) remote sensiilg spacecraft. Tile fotu--tonne satellite cames fluee iiastlamlents for cartography and for iluhli-al resotu-ce monitoriilg.
2006-003A Eehostar 10
15 February [>1 Myr]
Sea Latulch (US)
Zenit -3
357890
357842
0.04
1436.12
Eehostar 10 is a US geostationary communications satellite. Tile 4.3 tonne (wifll fuel) satellite carries several Ku-band transponders to provide clirect-to-home transmissions of voice, video and intemet sei~cices, flarough 10 uplink and 49 dowlllhlk spot beams, after parkiilg over 110° W.
2006-004A MTSat-2
18 February [>1 Myr]
Tanegashilna (JP)
H-IIA 202
35797
35775
0.04
1436.09
MTSat 2 is a Japanese (JAXA) geostatioilary weafller satellite. The 1250 kg (dry mass), 2.7 kW box-shaped (2.4 Ill X 2.6 Ill X 2.6 Ill) satellite cam es an imaging telescope, backed by detectors for five wavelengfll channels: (1) visible band at 0.55-0.80 gin, detected by silicon photovoltaic detectors at a spatial resolution of 1.25 ]call; (2) 10.3-11.3 gnl infrared chumlel (IR1) wifll a HgCdTe photoconductive detector. (3) 11.5-12.5 gm charmel (IR2) with anofller HgCdTe detector; (d) 6.5-7.0 gm water vapom charmel (IR3) also wifll a HgCdTe detector; (5) 3.5-4.0 gm near-infiared chumlel wifll an InSb photovoltaic detector. All infiared charmels provide a spatial resolution of 5.0 kan. The imagery will provide weafller data/wamiilgs, after tile satellite has been parked over 145° E. The satellite will also relay ground weafller data from many stations to tile Meteorological Satellite Center (MSC) in Japan.
2006-005A Akari
21 February [ 62 yr]
Kagoshilna SC (JP)
Mu 5
710
695
98.20
98.82
Akari, also known by its pre-latulch name Astro-F, is a Japanese (JAXA/ISAS) astrophysics inission. Tile 955 kg satellite carries a Ritchey-Chretien, f/6.1 infrared telescope wifll 67 cm aper/~e and a focal leilgfll of 420 cm. Tile prinlary reinor is gold-coated silicon carbide. It carries two focal plane instnmlents kept at a temperattu-e of 6 K (-450°F) by 170 litres
42
of liquid helium. The helium supply will last for 550 days of observations. Akari is expected to provide a significant advance over the results from the earlier U S / U K / N L / R A S mission (1983-004A). The Far-Infrared Surveyor (FIS) covers fore wavelength bands: 50-89, 60-110, 110-180 and 140-180 gin. The detectiilg CCD pixels are made of GeGa, each coveting 27 arc-sec in the shorter wavelength bands, and 44 arc-sec ha the loilger bands, the pixels being sampled at a rate of about 20 Hz. The InfraRed Camera (IRC) consists of tl~-ee cameras: one (NIR) coveting the waveleilgth band of 1.7-5.5 gin, another (MIR-S) coveting 5.8-14.1gm and the MIR-L covering 12.4-26.5 gin. The NIR carries a CCD alxay of 512 x 412 haSb pixels, w M e the M IRs can-y 256 x 256, SiAs pixels. Each of the tl~-ee detectors has a field-of-view of about 10 x 10 arc-rain.
2006-005B Solar Sail
21 February [0.05 yr]
Kagoshima SC (JP)
Mu 5
692
299
98.19
94.52
Kagoshima SC (JP)
Mu 5
711
299
98.19
94.72
14700
506
51.52
274.21
Solar Sail is a Japanese civil satellite.
2006-005C CUTE-1.7 + A P D
21 February [0.98 yr]
CUTE-1.7 is a picosatellite of 3.6 kg mass, constructed by Tokyo Technology students.
2006-006A Arabsat 4A
28 February (24 March)
Baikomu- SC (KZ)
Proton-Bfiz
Arabsat 4A is a geostationary communications satellite of the Arabsat consorfium. The 3.3 tonne (with fuel) satellite carried 24 C-band and 16 Ku-band transponders to provide voice, video and internet services to all Arab comatries, after parkiilg over 26°E. It did not reach the geostationary orbit altitude, because the transfer manoeuvre only led to an apogee of 14700 ken, instead of the usual 36 000 ken. Arabsat 4A was deliberately deorbited after it was decided that rescue was impractical.
2006-007A SpainSat
11 March [>1 Myr]
Guiana SC (GF)
Ariane 5 ECA
35765
35740
0.04
1434.40
SpainSat is a Spanish military geostationary communications satellite. The 3.7 toime (with fuel) satellite carries 13 X-band and one Ka-band transponders. It will be parked over 30°W.
2006-007B Hotbird 7A
11 March [>1 Myr]
Guiana SC (GF)
Aiiane 5 ECA
35594
35593
0.10
1426.27
Hot Bird 7A is a European geostationary communications satellite. The 4.1 tonne (with fuel) satellite will provide video and interact services to Etu-ope tlu-ough its 38 Ku-band transponders after parldng over 13°E.
2006-008A Sr-SA (Sr-SFWD)
22 March [ 24 yr]
Vandenberg AFB (US)
Pegasus XL
4552
301
105.62
137.04
Space Technology 5-A is the first of tluee microsatellite missions (of the N A S A New Milleimium Program) to demonstrate a highly capability small satellite constellation. Each, with a mass of 25 kg and 20 W power, is of octagoilul shape (53 cm x 48 cm) and referred to as a 'full service' satellite capable of orbit/attitude manoeuvre and radio links. In all, about 10 innovative, minialmized technologically advanced vehicles will be tested during the 90-day operatioilul span. Among them are variable emittance coatings (to heat when cold and cool when hot), metal oxide logic circuits that can operate at 0.5 volts, minia~-e magnetometers, and miniature spiimiilg Stua-sensors. They will orbit in a 'striilg of pearls' fomlation. After success with this mission, the hope is to launch many such microsatellites to gain a better tuMerstanding of space weather impacts. The Project Scientist is James A. Slavin at NASA's God&rd Space Flight Center.
2006-008B SZ-SB (SZ-SMZD)
22 March [25 yr]
Vandenberg AFB (US)
Pegasus XL
4548
302
105.62
137.01
Vandenberg AFB (US)
Pegasus XL
4554
302
105.63
137.08
Baikonm- SC (KZ)
Soyuz SL-4 (A-2)
227
192
51.64
88.70
STS-B is the second of the tl~-ee ST5 microsatellite missions. 2006-008C Sr-SC (Sr-SAFr)
22 March [24 yr]
ST5-C is the third of the tlu-ee ST5 microsatellite missions. 2006-009A Soyuz TMA-8
30 March [0.28 yr]
Soyuz TMA-8 is a Russian automatic passenger craft. The spaceship delivered astronauts Vinogradov Williams (US) and Marcos Pontes (BR) to the International Space Station. It clocked automatically with the Zarya module of the ISS at 0719 UT oi1 1 April 2006, and delivered the ash-onauts to the station. The Brazilian will stay oi1 the ISS for only eight days, the two others for several months. The previously clocked Soyuz TMA- 7 will depart the station on 8 April, along with the Brazilian and two loilg-resident ash-oiluuts.
43
No. 11: The Next Generation of Scientific Balloon Missions (ed. P.C. Agarwal), pp. 2001-2148.
No. 6: Space Weather Prediction: Applications and Validation (ed. T. Obara), pp. 1115-1266.
No. 12: Atmospheric Remote Sensing: Earth's Surface, Tropsphere, Stratosphere and Mesosphere - II (ed. J.P. Burrows, K.-U. Eichmann & E.J. Llewellyn), pp. 2149-2322.
No. 7: Reconnection at Sun and in Magnetospheres (ed. J. Buechner & X. Deng), pp. 1267-1404.
Other Publications
No. 8: Particle Acceleration: Space Plasma Physics: Solar Radiation and the Earth's Atmosphere and Climate (ed. T.H. Zurbuchen, D.F. Smart, X. Blanco-Cano & J. Lastovicka), pp. 1405-1652.
ot to be missed: Mars in their Eyes the catalogue (of 80 pp.) for an exhibition arranged by Colin Pillinger of cartoons related to the many attempts to secure information about the 'Red Planet'. Published in 2006 by the Cartoon Museum in London for the exhibition 'Mars in Their Eyes' at the Cartoon Museum, and shown in part at the Royal Society of London, 3-6 July 2006. The exhibition (and catalogue) includes a cartoon by the General Editor published in Space Research Today No. 164.
N
No. 9: Space Life Sciences: Flight Measurements, Calibration of Detectors and Environmental Models for Radiation Analysis (ed. L. Heilbronn & G. de Angelis), pp. 16531830. No. 10: Astrophysics (ed. R. Battison, M.A. Shea, C. Rakowski & S. Chatterjee), pp. 18312000.
SATELLITE AND SPACE PROBE LAUNCHES (21 December 2005 - 30 March 2006)
(The source of information for satellites 2005-047A to 2006-009A is the ESA/ESOC DISCOS database.) COSPAR Designation
Launch Date
National Name
[Life Time]/ (Descent Date)
2005 21 December [0.51 yr]
2005-047A ProgressM-55
Launch Site
Launch Vehicle
Initial Orbital Elements Apogee (kin)
Baikonm SC (KZ)
Soyuz SL-d(A-2)
327
Perigee (kin)
218
Incl. (deg)
51.64
Period (n]in)
89.97
Progress-M 55 is a Russian automatic cargo craft. The 5.7 tonne craft (includiilg 880 kg of propellant) carried 210 kg of water, 83 kg of air and 1.4 tonnes of equipment and spare parts to file International Space Station. Some of file propellant will be transferred to file ISS for its manoeuveriilg tlmlsters. The spacecraft docked wifll file PIRS module of file ISS automatically at 1956 UT on 23 December 2005, and delivered file cargo.
2005-048A Gonets-DIMI
21 December [17 600 yr]
Plesetsk (RU)
Cosnlos SL-8 (C-l)
1456
1437
82.47
114.82
Gonets-DIMI is a Russian low-altitude communications satellite, file first of a fleet of 12 satellites in fore- planes. The 250 kg, 40 W craft is expected to sel~ce some 30 Russian agencies and organizations wifll elnail and short messages. An earlier fleet of six Gonets-D1 satellites bud sei~ced in flais role in file 1990s.
2005-048B Cosmos (Rodnik)
2416
21 December [17 700 yr]
Plesetsk (RU)
Cosnlos SL-8 (C-l)
Rodnik, also known as Cosmos 2416, is a Russian inilitary conmmnications satellite.
41
1448
1438
82.47
114.74
2005-049A Insat 4A
21 December [>1 Myr]
Guiana SC (GF)
Aiiane 5
35814
35758
0.05
1436.08
Insat 4A is an Indian geostationary COlnmtmicalioias satellite. The 3.1 toime, 5.5 kW satellite canies 12 140 W Ku-band transponders and 12 63 W C-band transponders to provide Direct-to Home (DTH) data and TV seI~cices to India and neighbouring comltfies, after parldng over 83°E.
2005-048B Meteosat 9
21 December [>1 Myr]
Guiana SC (GF)
Aiiane 5
35645
35641
1.86
1428.79
Meteosat 9 is a Etu-opean geostatioilary weafller satellite (a 2 nd Generation Meteosat MSG 2), wifll operational control by tile EUMETSAT organization. The two tonne, spinstabilized craft carries two main insti~nents: a Spiimiilg Enhanced Visible and InfraRed hnager (SEVIRI) fllut will provide images taken in fotu- visible and eight infrared charmels every 15 ininutes, at a resolution of 1 kin in visible light and 3 kill in infrared, and a Geostationary Earth Rucliation Budget experinlent (GERB) fllut will monitor tile energy balance between tile incolning solar flux and tile outgoiilg infrared radiation. The craft will be reilamed Meteosat 9 when it becomes operatioilul in Jtule 2006, after parldilg over 0.0° longitude. (There have been eight spacecraft in tile first generationMeteosat series)
2005-050A Cosmos 2417
25 December [> 1 Myr]
Baikomu- SC (KZ)
Proton SL-12 (D-l-e)
19122
19112
64.87
675.25
Cosmos 2417, 2418 and 2419 (also known as GLONASS 798, 2419 and 714) are tile latest flaree additions to tile Russian GLONASS inilitary navigatioilul fleet. They will be positioned in Slot-3.
2005-050B Cosmos 2418
25 December [>1 Myr]
Baikomu- SC (KZ)
Proton SL-12 (D-l-e)
19132
19112
64.86
675.43
Cosmos 2417, 2418 and 2419 (also known as GLONASS 798, 2419 and 714) are tile latest flaree additions to tile Russian GLONASS inilitary navigatioilul fleet. They will be positioned in Slot-3.
2005-050C Cosmos 2419
25 December [>1 Myr]
Baikomu- SC (KZ)
Proton SL-12 (D-l-e)
19124
19119
64.86
675.42
Cosmos 2417, 2418 and 2419 (GLONASS 798, 2419 and 714) are tile latest fluee additions to tile Russian GLONASS inilitary navigational fleet. They will be positioned in Slot-3.
2005-051A Giove-A
28 December [>1 Myr]
Baikonm SC (KZ)
Soyuz SL-4 (A-2)
23258
23011
56.05
840.98
GIOVE-A (Galileo In-Orbit Validation Element) is a Etu-opean (ESA) navigational satellite. Tile 600 kg satellite is tile first of a planned fleet of 30 Galileo satellites to operate independently of tile American GPS and tile Russian GLONASS fleets, fllough quite compatible wifll eifller. The ESA fleet may involve teclmical/fiilancial participation by India and Chiila. Unlike tile GPS and GLONASS, which are trader inilitary control, tile Galileo fleet will be wholly civilian-controlled, wifll global access guaranteed to tile public ("except in direst enlergencies") and providing a one-nletre resolution, comparable to tile resolution of tile other fleets fllat is available to flleir inilitary aufllorities. The full Galileo fleet will be completed by 2010.
2005-052A A M C 23
29 December [>1 Myr]
Baikonm SC (KZ)
Proton-Briz
35792
35776
0.06
1436.00
A M S 23 (wifll a pre-latulch 1lame of WorldSat 3), is an American geostatioilary communications satellite for SES Global. The five tonne craft carries 20 high-power Ku-band, and 18 C-band transponders to provide voice, video and intemet sei%ces to tile Asia-Pacific region after parldilg over 172°E. 2006
2006-001A New Horizons
19 January [escape orbit]
Kennedy SC (US)
Atlas V 551
0
0
0
0
New Horizons is an American (NASA) planetary probe directed toward Pluto and ofller bodies in the Kuiper Belt. It will have a close encotulter wifll Jupiter in February 2007 to obtain a gravity-assisted velocity boost and fllen make a irine-year Clalise to reach Pluto (and its satellite Chmon) by about 2016. Tile 450 kg (including fuel), tfiaxially stabilized craft wifll 16 tliln-inanoeuveriilg hydrazine flarusters, carries six inoilitors all powered by an RTG (Ruclioisotope Themloelectlic Generator) usiilg 11 kg of plutonium.
2006-002A Daiehi
24 January [>1 Myr]
Tanegashinla SC (JP)
H-IIA 202
697
5482
98.21
97.17
A L O S (AdvancedLand Observing Satellite), also known as Daiehi, is a Japanese (JAXA) remote sensiilg spacecraft. Tile fotu--tonne satellite cames fluee iiastlamlents for cartography and for iluhli-al resotu-ce monitoriilg.
2006-003A Eehostar 10
15 February [>1 Myr]
Sea Latulch (US)
Zenit -3
357890
357842
0.04
1436.12
Eehostar 10 is a US geostationary communications satellite. Tile 4.3 tonne (wifll fuel) satellite carries several Ku-band transponders to provide clirect-to-home transmissions of voice, video and intemet sei~cices, flarough 10 uplink and 49 dowlllhlk spot beams, after parkiilg over 110° W.
2006-004A MTSat-2
18 February [>1 Myr]
Tanegashilna (JP)
H-IIA 202
35797
35775
0.04
1436.09
MTSat 2 is a Japanese (JAXA) geostatioilary weafller satellite. The 1250 kg (dry mass), 2.7 kW box-shaped (2.4 Ill X 2.6 Ill X 2.6 Ill) satellite cam es an imaging telescope, backed by detectors for five wavelengfll channels: (1) visible band at 0.55-0.80 gin, detected by silicon photovoltaic detectors at a spatial resolution of 1.25 ]call; (2) 10.3-11.3 gnl infrared chumlel (IR1) wifll a HgCdTe photoconductive detector. (3) 11.5-12.5 gm charmel (IR2) with anofller HgCdTe detector; (d) 6.5-7.0 gm water vapom charmel (IR3) also wifll a HgCdTe detector; (5) 3.5-4.0 gm near-infiared chumlel wifll an InSb photovoltaic detector. All infiared charmels provide a spatial resolution of 5.0 kan. The imagery will provide weafller data/wamiilgs, after tile satellite has been parked over 145° E. The satellite will also relay ground weafller data from many stations to tile Meteorological Satellite Center (MSC) in Japan.
2006-005A Akari
21 February [ 62 yr]
Kagoshilna SC (JP)
Mu 5
710
695
98.20
98.82
Akari, also known by its pre-latulch name Astro-F, is a Japanese (JAXA/ISAS) astrophysics inission. Tile 955 kg satellite carries a Ritchey-Chretien, f/6.1 infrared telescope wifll 67 cm aper/~e and a focal leilgfll of 420 cm. Tile prinlary reinor is gold-coated silicon carbide. It carries two focal plane instnmlents kept at a temperattu-e of 6 K (-450°F) by 170 litres
42
of liquid helium. The helium supply will last for 550 days of observations. Akari is expected to provide a significant advance over the results from the earlier U S / U K / N L / R A S mission (1983-004A). The Far-Infrared Surveyor (FIS) covers fore wavelength bands: 50-89, 60-110, 110-180 and 140-180 gin. The detectiilg CCD pixels are made of GeGa, each coveting 27 arc-sec in the shorter wavelength bands, and 44 arc-sec ha the loilger bands, the pixels being sampled at a rate of about 20 Hz. The InfraRed Camera (IRC) consists of tl~-ee cameras: one (NIR) coveting the waveleilgth band of 1.7-5.5 gin, another (MIR-S) coveting 5.8-14.1gm and the MIR-L covering 12.4-26.5 gin. The NIR carries a CCD alxay of 512 x 412 haSb pixels, w M e the M IRs can-y 256 x 256, SiAs pixels. Each of the tl~-ee detectors has a field-of-view of about 10 x 10 arc-rain.
2006-005B Solar Sail
21 February [0.05 yr]
Kagoshima SC (JP)
Mu 5
692
299
98.19
94.52
Kagoshima SC (JP)
Mu 5
711
299
98.19
94.72
14700
506
51.52
274.21
Solar Sail is a Japanese civil satellite.
2006-005C CUTE-1.7 + A P D
21 February [0.98 yr]
CUTE-1.7 is a picosatellite of 3.6 kg mass, constructed by Tokyo Technology students.
2006-006A Arabsat 4A
28 February (24 March)
Baikomu- SC (KZ)
Proton-Bfiz
Arabsat 4A is a geostationary communications satellite of the Arabsat consorfium. The 3.3 tonne (with fuel) satellite carried 24 C-band and 16 Ku-band transponders to provide voice, video and internet services to all Arab comatries, after parkiilg over 26°E. It did not reach the geostationary orbit altitude, because the transfer manoeuvre only led to an apogee of 14700 ken, instead of the usual 36 000 ken. Arabsat 4A was deliberately deorbited after it was decided that rescue was impractical.
2006-007A SpainSat
11 March [>1 Myr]
Guiana SC (GF)
Ariane 5 ECA
35765
35740
0.04
1434.40
SpainSat is a Spanish military geostationary communications satellite. The 3.7 toime (with fuel) satellite carries 13 X-band and one Ka-band transponders. It will be parked over 30°W.
2006-007B Hotbird 7A
11 March [>1 Myr]
Guiana SC (GF)
Aiiane 5 ECA
35594
35593
0.10
1426.27
Hot Bird 7A is a European geostationary communications satellite. The 4.1 tonne (with fuel) satellite will provide video and interact services to Etu-ope tlu-ough its 38 Ku-band transponders after parldng over 13°E.
2006-008A Sr-SA (Sr-SFWD)
22 March [ 24 yr]
Vandenberg AFB (US)
Pegasus XL
4552
301
105.62
137.04
Space Technology 5-A is the first of tluee microsatellite missions (of the N A S A New Milleimium Program) to demonstrate a highly capability small satellite constellation. Each, with a mass of 25 kg and 20 W power, is of octagoilul shape (53 cm x 48 cm) and referred to as a 'full service' satellite capable of orbit/attitude manoeuvre and radio links. In all, about 10 innovative, minialmized technologically advanced vehicles will be tested during the 90-day operatioilul span. Among them are variable emittance coatings (to heat when cold and cool when hot), metal oxide logic circuits that can operate at 0.5 volts, minia~-e magnetometers, and miniature spiimiilg Stua-sensors. They will orbit in a 'striilg of pearls' fomlation. After success with this mission, the hope is to launch many such microsatellites to gain a better tuMerstanding of space weather impacts. The Project Scientist is James A. Slavin at NASA's God&rd Space Flight Center.
2006-008B SZ-SB (SZ-SMZD)
22 March [25 yr]
Vandenberg AFB (US)
Pegasus XL
4548
302
105.62
137.01
Vandenberg AFB (US)
Pegasus XL
4554
302
105.63
137.08
Baikonm- SC (KZ)
Soyuz SL-4 (A-2)
227
192
51.64
88.70
STS-B is the second of the tl~-ee ST5 microsatellite missions. 2006-008C Sr-SC (Sr-SAFr)
22 March [24 yr]
ST5-C is the third of the tlu-ee ST5 microsatellite missions. 2006-009A Soyuz TMA-8
30 March [0.28 yr]
Soyuz TMA-8 is a Russian automatic passenger craft. The spaceship delivered astronauts Vinogradov Williams (US) and Marcos Pontes (BR) to the International Space Station. It clocked automatically with the Zarya module of the ISS at 0719 UT oi1 1 April 2006, and delivered the ash-onauts to the station. The Brazilian will stay oi1 the ISS for only eight days, the two others for several months. The previously clocked Soyuz TMA- 7 will depart the station on 8 April, along with the Brazilian and two loilg-resident ash-oiluuts.
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