[JSR] Jonathan's Space Report, No. 772

Jonathan McDowell jcm at planet4589.com
Sun Dec 8 16:35:09 EST 2019


Jonathan's Space Report
No. 772                                                        2019 Dec 8 Somerville, MA
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

International Space Station
---------------------------

Expedition 61 continues.

On Nov 20 the J-SSOD No. 12 deployer, delivered on HTV 8,
was moved outside the Kibo airlock with the JEM RMS
robot arm. Three cubesats were ejected:
 RWASAT-1, built by the University of Tokyo in collaboration with Rwanda's Ministry of Trade and Industry;
 NARSSCube-1 from the Egyptian Space Agency; and
 AQT-D from the University of Tokyo which is testing a water thruster.

On Nov 22 Parmitano and Morgan carried out spacewalk EVA-60, the second in the series to
repair the cooling system of the AMS-02 particle physics experiment.
The Quest airlock was depressurized from 1200 to 1835 UTC, and the hatch was opened at 1201 UTC
and closed at 1833 UTC. The astronauts made cuts in cooling pipes, depressurizing the
old cooling system and preparing for installation of the new pump.

On Nov 29 the Progress MS-12 cargo ship undocked from the Pirs module at 1025 UTC, performed
a deorbit burn at 1339 UTC and entered the atmosphere over the South Pacific at 1411 UTC.
Its debris impacted the ocean at about 1419 UTC.

On Dec 2 Parmitano and Morgan carried out spacewalk EVA-61. The airlock was depressurized
from 1127 to 1733 UTC. They carried the 158 kg Upgraded Tracker Thermal Pump Systme
(UTTPS) to the AMS-02 experiment and installed it there, connecting fluid lines.

On Dec 5 SpaceX launched Dragon CRS-19 on its way to the ISS. The Falcon 9 first stage landed
on the OCISLY droneship. The second stage reportedly remained in orbit for several hours,
possibly changing its inclination before deorbiting southwest of Australia. Unfortunately
no TLEs are available for it. I suspect the stage's mission was to simulate a GEO 3-burn deployment
mission.
 In Dragon's trunk are:
  HISUI (Hyperspectral Imager Suite) for Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry;
    to be installed at EFU 8 on the JEM Exposed Facility. Mass about 600 kg; I believe it
    was developed by Japan Space Systems.
  Li-Ion battery/Adapter Plate, to replaced one that failed after installation.
 In the cabin are:
  RiTS (Robotic Tool Stowage), a box that can store both of the RELL leak locators, to
   be EVA-installed outside ISS.
  Cubesats CIRiS (Utah State), CryoCube-1 (NASA KSC), QARMAN (Von Karman Inst,, Belgium),
   SORTIE (Astra LLC/UNMC), EdgeCube (Sonoma State U), MakerSat 1 (NW Nazarene U), and
   AztechSat-1 (UPAEP, Puebla, Mexico).

On Dec 6 Roskosmos launched Progress MS-13 from Baykonur. Both cargo
ships (Dragon and Progress) are scheduled to arrive at ISS in the next
few days.

On Dec 5 at 1840 UTC the S.S. Roger Chaffee (Cygnus NG-11) lowered its
orbit from 462 x 469 km to 212 x 376 km; on Dec 6, probably about 1620
UTC, it was deorbited over the south Pacific with impact near 140W 45S
at about 1655 UTC.  NG-11 arrived at ISS Apr 19 and left on Aug 6,
spending time demonstrating extended operations.


Beidou
-------

China launched two more Beidou navigation satellites on Nov 23. Beidou 50 and 51
are satellites M19 and M20 in the Beidou-3 medium Earth orbit series.
Meanwhile, Beidou 49 has been found in its target inclined geosynchronous orbit (IGSO).

Kosmos-2542
-----------

Russia launched a Soyuz-2-1V on Nov 25. The Blok I second stage reached a 289 x 364 km x 97.9 deg
orbit; the Volga third stage then fired to reach a 367 x 857 km x 97.9 deg orbit and deployed
at least one payload. It's not entirely clear if the two objects in the higher orbit
are payload and Volga stage, or two payloads with the Volga having deorbited itself. However
Russian press statements imply only a single payload, with a mission to observe other satelites.

Ariane VA250
------------

Arianespace flight VA250 used launch vehicle Ariane 5 L5108. The
payloads were TIBA-1, a 5600 kg AirbusDS Eurostar 3000 Ka-band satellite
for the Egyptian Space Agency, and  Inmarsat GX5, a 4007 kg Thales
Alenia Spacebus 4000B2 Ka-band satellite for Inmarsat's Global Xpress
fleet.

Tiba is the Arabic name for the ancient city known in English as Thebes
and in ancient Egyptian as Waset. It's unclear why the satellite's name
is always rendered in upper case in English transliteration.

PSLV-C47/Cartosat-3
--------------------

ISRO launched PSLV C47 from Sriharikota on Nov 27 to place the Cartosat-3 high resolution
imaging satellite in sun-sync orbit. Cartosat-3's main camera has a resolution of 0.25m.
The PS4 fourth stage also deployed the Meshbed 3U cubesat, an antenna test satellite
for Analytical Space of Cambridge, MA, and a dozen Planet SuperDove imaging cubesats.

GF-12
-----

China launched the Shanghai-built Gao Fen 12 high resolution SAR radar satellite on Nov 27.

Electron 10
-----------

Rocket Lab's tenth mission, dubbed 'Running Out Of Fingers', was
launched from New Zealand on Dec 6. The main payload was the 75 kg ALE-2
for Astro Live Experiences (Tokyo), which plans to create artificial
meteors for entertainment. Several small PocketQube payloads were also
put in orbit. The PQ sats are smaller than a 1U cubesat; a 1P is 0.25
kg, 0.05m cube. The PQ deployers were developed by Alba Orbital of
Glasgow, and ejected:

   NOOR 1A and 1B, 3P satellites with communications test payloads for Stara Space of Los Angeles, built by Alba Orbital.
   SMOG-P, a 1P from Budapest Univ. of Tech and Economics, mapping radio-frequency `pollution' from terrestrial emitters
   ATL-1, a 2P from ATL Ltd of Csapas, Hungary, also with a spectrum monitoring payload.
   FossaSat, a 1P from Fossa Systems of Madrid.
   TRSI-Sat, a 1P from Paul Kocyla of Aachen, formerly of STADOKO and now operating as 'TRSI Club' and 'My Radar'.

The first stage performed a controlled reentry and impacted the ocean.
The second stage reached a 180 x 409 km orbit at 0827 UTC. At apogee at
0908 UTC, the kick stage fired to a 398 x 415 km orbit and deployed
ALE-2.  It appears another small burn may have been done at 0916 UTC,
with the PQs deployed to an orbit with a 50 km lower perigee at 0918
UTC.
   
KZ-1A launches
---------------

On Dec 7 two Kuaizhou-1A rockets were launched from Taiyuan within 6
hours. The first, KZ-1A Y2, placed the Jilin-1 GaoFen 2B imaging
satellite in 1000LTDN sun-sync  orbit for Chuangguang Satellite. The
second put six small satellites in 1600 LTDN sun-sync orbit: HEDE-2A/2B
with AIS payloads for HEDE Aerospace's Tian Xingzhe (Skywalker)
constellation; Tianyi-16 and 17 remote sensing satellites for Tianyi
Research;  and Tianqi-4A/4B with IoT relay payloads for Guodian Gaokeji
YG.

Table of Recent Orbital Launches
 ----------------------------------
Date UT       Name            Launch Vehicle        Site            Mission       INTL.   Catalog  Perigee Apogee  Incl   Notes

Nov  2 1359   S.S. Alan Bean              Antares 230+       MARS LA0       Cargo      71A S44701    186 x   257 x 51.6
Nov  3 0322   Gao Fen 7          )        Chang Zheng 4B     Taiyuan LC9    Imaging    72A S44703    489 x   518 x 97.5 1030LT SSO
              Huangpu-1          )                                          Imaging?   72C S44706    485 x   505 x 97.5
              Dianfeng           )                                          Imaging    72D S44705    485 x   505 x 97.5
              Sudan Kexue Shiyan )                                          Tech       72B S44704    487 x   504 x 97.5
Nov  4 1743   Beidou DW49                 Chang Zheng 3B     Xichang        Navigation 73A S44709  35674 x 35887 x 58.7
Nov 11 1456   Starlink 1007    )
                 to            )                                                      74A  S44713    298 x   303 x 53.0
              Starlink 1017    )          Falcon 9           Canaveral SLC40 Comms     to
              Starlink 1019    )                                                      74BM S44772    298 x   303 x 53.0
                 to            )
              Starlink 1065    )
              Starlink 1067    )
              Starlink 1068    )
Nov 13 0340   Jilin-1 Gaofen 02A          Kuaizhou-1A        Jiuquan        Imaging    75A S44777    532 x   546 x 97.5 1000LT SSO
Nov 13 0635   Ningxia-1 01   )            Chang Zheng 6      Taiyuan        Sigint     76A S44779    886 x   898 x 45.0
              Ningxia-1 02   )                                              Sigint     76B S44780    886 x   898 x 45.0
              Ningxia-1 03   )                                              Sigint     76C S44781    886 x   898 x 45.0
              Ningxia-1 04   )                                              Sigint     76D S44782    886 x   898 x 45.0
              Ningxia-1 05   )                                              Sigint     76E S44783    886 x   898 x 45.0
Nov 17 1000   KL-Alpha-A )                Kuaizhou-1A        Jiuquan        Comms      77A S44785   1044 x  1058 x 88.9
              KL-Alpha-B )                                                  Comms      77B S44786   1045 x  1432 x 88.8
Nov 20 0850   RWASAT-1                                       ISS, LEO       Tech     98-67QV?        411 x   420 x 51.6
Nov 20 0910   NARSSCube-1                                    ISS, LEO       Tech     98-67QW?        411 x   420 x 51.6
Nov 20 0925   AQT-D                                          ISS, LEO       Tech     98-67QX?        411 x   420 x 51.6
Nov 23 0055   Beidou DW50 )               Chang Zheng 3B     Xichang LC3    Navigation 78A S44793  21533 x 22193 x 55.0
              Beidou DW51 )                                                 Navigation 78B S44794  21533 x 22193 x 55.0
Nov 25 1752   Kosmos-2542?                Soyuz-2-1V         Plesetsk LC43/4 Tech      79A S44797    383 x   863 x 97.9
Nov 26 2123   TIBA-1       )              Ariane 5ECA        Kourou ELA3    Comms      80A S44800    259 x 35753 x  5.0
              Inmarsat GX5 )                                                Comms      80B S44801    256 x 35719 x  5.0
Nov 27 0358   Cartosat-3 )                PSLV-XL            Sriharikota SLP Imaging   81A S44804    500 x   519 x 97.5 0930LT
              Meshbed    )                                                  Tech       81C S44806    500 x   517 x 97.5
              Flock 4p-1 )                                                  Imaging    81L S44814    500 x   517 x 97.5
              Flock 4p-2 )                                                  Imaging    81K S44813    500 x   517 x 97.5
              Flock 4p-3 )                                                  Imaging    81J S44812    500 x   517 x 97.5
              Flock 4p-4 )                                                  Imaging    81J S44811    500 x   517 x 97.5
              Flock 4p-5 )                                                  Imaging    81Q S44818    500 x   517 x 97.5
              Flock 4p-6 )                                                  Imaging    81P S44817    500 x   517 x 97.5
              Flock 4p-7 )                                                  Imaging    81N S44816    500 x   517 x 97.5
              Flock 4p-8 )                                                  Imaging    81M S44815    500 x   517 x 97.5
              Flock 4p-9 )                                                  Imaging    81D S44807    500 x   517 x 97.5
              Flock 4p-10)                                                  Imaging    81E S44808    500 x   517 x 97.5
              Flock 4p-11)                                                  Imaging    81F S44809    500 x   517 x 97.5
              Flock 4p-12)                                                  Imaging    81G S44810    500 x   517 x 97.5
Nov 27 2352   Gao Fen 12                  Chang Zheng 4C     Taiyuan        Radar      82A S44819    595 x   599 x 97.9 0700LT
Dec  5 1729   Dragon CRS-19               Falcon 9           Canaveral SLC40 Cargo     83A S44821    203 x   378 x 51.7
Dec  6 0818   ALE-2     )                 Electron           Mahia LC1       Tech      84A S44824    397 x   415 x 97.0
              NOOR 1A   )                                                    Com       84
              NOOR 1B   )                                                    Com       84
              SMOG-P    )                                                    Sigint    84
              TRSI-Sat  )                                                    Tech      84
              FossaSat-1)                                                    Tech      84
              ATL-1     )                                                    Sigint/Tech 84
Dec  6 0934   Progress MS-13              Soyuz-2-1A         Baykonur LC31   Cargo     85A S44833    186 x   219 x 51.6
Dec  7 0255   Jilin-1 Gaofen 02B          Kuaizhou-1A        Taiyuan         Imaging   86B S44837    531 x   544 x 97.5
Dec  7 0852   HEDE-2A   )                 Kuaizhou-1A        Taiyuan         Comms     87  S44839    495 x   511 x 97.4
              HEDE-2B   )                                                    Comms     87
              Tianqi-4A )                                                    Comms     87
              Tianqi-4B )                                                    Comms     87
              Tianyi-16 )                                                    Imaging   87
              Tianyi-17 )                                                    Imaging   87

Table of Recent Suborbital Launches
-----------------------------------


Date UT       Payload/Flt Name Launch Vehicle      Site                  Mission    Apogee/km    Target

Nov 15 0935   TEXUS 56          VSB-30               Kiruna              Micrograv     256       ESRANGE
Nov 16 1402   RV                Agni 2               Kalam Island        Test          600?      Indian O.
Nov 22 1030?  RV                DF-41                Taiyuan             Test         1000?      Gobi Desert
Nov 22 1519   SL-14             SpaceLoft XL         Spaceport America   Micrograv      92       White Sands?
Nov 26 0743   ICI 5             Terrer Imp.Malemute  Svalbard            Ionosphere    253       Arctic
Nov 28        Topol-E RV        Topol'               Kapustin Yar        Reentry test 1000?      Balkhash
Nov 28 0759   RV                DPRK MLRS            Ryonpo              Test           97       Sea of Japan
Nov 28 0759   RV                DPRK MLRS            Ryonpo              Test           97       Sea of Japan
Nov 30 1350   Agni 3 RV         Agni 3               Kalam Island        Test          500?      Indian O.


.-------------------------------------------------------------------------.
|  Jonathan McDowell                 |                                    |
|  Somerville MA 02143               |  inter : planet4589 at gmail       |
|  USA                               |  twitter: @planet4589              |
|                                                                         |
| JSR: https://www.planet4589.org/jsr.html                                 |
| Back issues:  https://www.planet4589.org/space/jsr/back                  |
| Subscribe/unsub: https://www.planet4589.org/mailman/listinfo/jsr         |
'-------------------------------------------------------------------------'



More information about the JSR mailing list