[JSR] Jonathan's Space Report, No. 824

Jonathan McDowell jcm at planet4589.com
Mon Sep 25 14:13:52 EDT 2023


Jonathan's Space Report
No. 824                                                       2023 Sep 25      Somerville, MA
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

Expedition 69 continues.

On Aug 24 at 1500 UTC, the ISS made a space debris avoidance maneuver using
the Zvezda engines. 

Progress MS-24 docked at the aft Zvezda port at 0345:23 UTC Aug 25.

Dragon C210 (Endurance) was launched on its third mission, Crew-7, on Aug 26.
Crew are Jasmin Mogbheli (NASA, commander), Andreas Mogensen (ESA, pilot),
Satoshi Furukawa (JAXA, MS1), Konstantin Borisov (Roskosmos, MS2).
Endurance docked at IDA-3/PMA-3 at 1316 UTC Aug 27.

Dragon C206 (Endeavour) undocked from IDA-2/PMA-2 at 1105 UTC Sep 3 with
the Crew-6 team of Stephen Bowen, Warren Hoburg, Sultan Al Neyadi and
Andrey Fedyaev.  Endeavour splashed down in the Jacksonville recovery
area near 80.3W 30.9N at 0417:23 UTC. The Dragon trunk was left in a 401 x 409 km
orbit.

The Soyuz MS-24 spaceship, factory no. 11F732 No. 755, callsign Antares,
ISS mission 70S, was launched at 1544:35 UTC from Baykonur Area 31  on a
Soyuz-2-1a rocket, and separated from the third stage in orbit at
1553:24 UTC. Crew are Oleg Kononenko (Roskosmos, KDR), Nikolai Chub
(Roskosmos, BI1) and Loral O'Hara (NASA, BI2).
Soyuz MS-24 docked with the ISS at 1853:32 UTC on Sep 15.

Chinese Space Station
----------------------

The Tianzhou-5 cargo ship undocked from the Tianhe forward port at 0846 UTC Sep 11
and was deorbited the next day, reentering over the Pacific near 175E 14S at 0113 UTC
Sep 12.

Gushenxing-1
-------------

The 8th flight of Xinghe Dongli Hangtian's Gushenxing-1 rocket continued the
vehicle's 100% success rate. It placed in orbit Changguang's wide field
imaging satellite Jilin-1 Kuanfu 02A. The KF02 series is lighter than
KF01, with a mass of only 230 kg but a resolution of 0.5m over a swath
of 150 km. The satellite was co-sponsored by Hong Kong U. of Science and
Technology and also called Xianggang keda-Xiongbin yi hao (HKUST -
Xiongbin-1).

The rocket's 9th flight was the first of the 'Gushenxing-1 Haishexing'
variant (Ceres-1 Sea Launcher, or Ceres-1S), launched from the DEFU15002
barge just offshore the city of Haiyang  on Sep 5 with four IoT
satellites in the Tianqi series for Guodian Gaokeji.

The 10th flight, serial Y11, was launched on Sep 21 from Jiuquan but ended in failure.
The payload was the Jilin-1 GaoFen 04B satellite for Changguang.

Starlink
--------

Starlink Group 6-11 (22 sats) was launched from Canaveral on Aug 27.
Starlink Group 6-13 (22 sats) was launched from Canaveral on Sep 1.
Starlink Group 6-12 (21 sats) was launched from Kennedy Space Center on Sep 4.
Starlink Group 6-14 (22 sats) was launched from Canaveral on Sep 9.
Starlink Group 7-2 (21 sats) was launched from Vandenberg on Sep 12.
Starlink Group 6-16 (22 sats) was launched from Canaveral on Sep 16.
Starlink Group 6-17 (22 sats) was launched from Canaveral on Sep 20.
Starlink Group 6-18 (22 sats) was launched from Canaveral on Sep 24.
Starlink Group 7-3 (21 sats) was launched from Vandenberg on Sep 25.

Chandrayaan-3
-------------

My own estimate of the Chandrayaan-3 landing site, based on comparing
the LROC maps at ASU with the landing site images released by ISRO, is
32.3189E 69.3733S +/- 0.0020 deg. This is in close agreement with
estimates by Indian social media users and with the slightly less
precise value of 32.319E 69.373S reported by ISRO. 

Note that this is NOT the `lunar south pole'. Indeed, since the ecliptic
axial tilt of the Moon is only 1.5 deg compared to Earth's 23.4 deg,
it's not even the `lunar antarctic' which would only be, by analogy with
terrestrial definition, the region south of 88.5S. However, it is by far
the most extreme latitude of any lunar soft landing to date.

The rover was deployed the day after landing and operated until Sep 2
when it was put in hibernation for the cold lunar night. As of Sep 25,
it had not reawakened.

On Sep 2 at 2121 UTC the Vikram lander fired its engines for a 'hop'
experiment, reaching 0.4 metres apolune and 0.4 metres range. This recalls
a similar experiment done by NASA's Surveyor 6 on 1967 Nov 17.

SAST launches
------------

The first triplet of Yaogan 39 satellites was launched on Aug 31 to the
same 500 km, 35 deg orbit used by the Yaogan 35 and 36 triplets.
A second triplet went up on Sep 17.

The Yaogan 33-03 radar satellite was launched on Sep 6 to 0030 LTDN SSO.

Three Yaogan 40 satellites were launched on Sep 10 aboard a Chang Zheng 6A
with a stretched fairing. 



Aditya-L1
---------

India's Aditya-L1 solar physics spacecraft was launched on Sep 2 to an elliptical
Earth orbit. It will use its own propulsion to reach the Sun-Earth L1 point towards
the end of 2023. On Sep 18 the orbit was boosted to over 1.1 million km apogee
to begin the coast to L1.

SDA-0B
------

The US Space Development Agency's Tranche 0 launch 2 mission flew from
Vandenberg on Sep 2. Ten Lockheed Martin/Tyvak Wildfire (T0TL) data
relay sats and one York Space Systems Checkmate data relay sat were
aboard as part of the Transport Layer, and two SpaceX/Leidos BB missile
tracking satellites flew as part of the Tracking Layer. The Falcon 9
second stage was deorbited south of South Africa around 1658 UTC.

XRISM and SLIM
--------------

JAXA launched H-IIA flight F47 on Sep 6. The second stage reached a 550 km orbit and
deployed the XRISM X-ray astronomy observatory; it then restarted and delivered the SLIM
lunar lander to a 500 x 98000 km orbit.

XRISM is a replacement for the failed Hitomi, and carries an X-ray microcalorimeter cooled
to a temperature of 0.05 K. This camera will proved high spectral resolution data on
cosmic X-ray sources. The observatory is confirmed to have deployed its solar panels
and is communicating with the ground.

SLIM is a JAXA test of precision-location lunar landing. The spacecraft will use 
its own propulsion to raise its orbit, perform a lunar flyby and then coast to
a high apogee before returning to a weak lunar capture, a low lunar orbit and
finally a soft-landing attempt.

SILENT BARKER
-------------

ULA launched  Atlas V 551, serial AV-102, from Cape Canaveral pad 41 on Sep 10, carrying a joint 
NRO/Space Force mission, SILENT BARKER, with three sats to monitor
other sats in GEO. The three-burn Centaur mission placed the payloads directly in near-GEO.

VICTUS NOX
----------

Firefly Aerospace launched its third Alpha rocket on Sep 15, carrying the VICTUS NOX payload
for the Space Force. The payload was placed in a 476 x 531 km sun-sync orbit with 18:04 local
time descending node; the second stage then was deorbited over the northern Pacific.

Electron
----------

On Sep 19 Rocket Lab's 41st Electron launch ended in failure. It appears stage 2 did not ignite.
The Capella Space radar sat payload was lost.

OSIRIS-REX
----------

The OSIRIS-REX asteroid sampler, returning from Bennu, entered the Earth's gravitational sphere
at 2200 UTC Sep 21 on a 22 x -33339 km x 43.3 deg hyperbolic orbit. The sample return
capsule separated at 1042 UTC Sep 24 and entered the Earth's atmosphere at 1442 UTC
at a velocity of 12.71 km/s. After deploying a parachute the capsule landed in the Utah
Test and Training Range at 113.240W 40.372N. MMeanwhile at 1102 UTC the main spacecraft's
divert burn changed its hyperbola to 773 x -34105 km x 44.4 deg. The spacecraft,
renamed OSIRIS-APEX, will return to a 0.50 x 1.03 AU solar orbit en route to asteroid Apophis.


Table of Recent Orbital Launches
 ----------------------------------

Date UT       Name			     Launch Vehicle	 Site		 Mission  INTL.  Catalog  Perigee Apogee  Incl	 Notes
Aug  2 0031   S.S. Laurel Clark                Antares 230+               MARS LA0A        Cargo   110A  177 x 304 x 51.6
Aug  3 0347   Fengyun 3-06                     Chang Zheng 4C             Jiuquan          Weather 111A  801 x  809 x 98.8
Aug  3 0500   Galaxy 37                        Falcon 9                   Canaveral LC40   Comms   112A 143 x 56147 x 24.6
Aug  7 0241   Starlink Group 6-8               Falcon 9                   Canaveral LC40   Comms   113   283 x  292 x 43.0
Aug  7 1319   Glonass-K2 No. 13L               Soyuz-2-1B/Fregat          Plesetsk         Nav     114A  19133 x 19156 x 64.8
Aug  8 0357   Starlink Group 6-20              Falcon 9                   Vandenberg SLC4E Comms   115   281 x 292 x 43.0
Aug  8 2253   Huanjing Jianzai 2-06            Chang Zheng 2C             Taiyuan          Imaging 116A  487 x 502 x 97.4
Aug 10 0403   Xiguang 1-01                     Gushenxing-1               Jiuquan LC43/95A Imaging 117
              Xingchi-1B                                                                   Imaging 117
              Henan Ligong 1                                                               Imaging 117
              Xi'an Hangtou 88                                                             Imaging 117
              Xi'an Hangtou 96                                                             Imaging 117
              Xi'an Hangtou 104                                                            Imaging 117
              Xi'an Hangtou 112                                                            Imaging 117
Aug 10 2310   Luna-25                          Soyuz-2-1B/Fregat          Vostochniy PU1S  Lunar   118A  340?x400000?x49?
Aug 11 0517   Starlink Group 6-9               Falcon 9                   Canaveral LC40   Comms   119   283 x  292 x 43.0
Aug 12 1726   Ludi Tance 4A                    Chang Zheng 3B             Xichang          Radar   120A  184 x 35818 x 28.6
Aug 14 0532   Jiaotong 6                       Kuaizhou-1A                Xichang          Comms   121A  693 x 704 x 45.0
              Jiaotong 7                                                                   Comms   121B
              Jiaotong 8                                                                   Comms   121C
              Jiaotong 9                                                                   Comms   121D
              Jiaotong 10                                                                  Comms   121E
Aug 14 1500?  Kelpie-2?                                                ION 11, SSO         Comms  84BY   599 x 698 x 98.0
Aug 17 0336   Starlink Group 6-10              Falcon 9                   Canaveral LC40   Comms   122   283 x 292 x 43.0
Aug 20 1745   Gao Fen 12-04                    Chang Zheng 4C             Jiuquan          Radar   123A  596 x 601 x 97.9
Aug 22 0937   Starlink Group 7-1               Falcon 9                   Vandenberg SLC4E Comms   124   283 x 294 x 53.1
Aug 23 0108   Progress MS-24                   Soyuz-2-1a                 Baykonur LC31    Cargo   125A  188 x 224 x 51.7
Aug 23 1850?  Manligyeong-1 F2                 Cheonlima-1                Sohae            Imaging F07  -5000? x 500 x 97?
Aug 23 2345   Capella 11                       Electron                   Mahia LC1B       Radar   126A  638 x 653 x 53.0
Aug 25 0459   Jilin-1 Kuanfu 02A               Gushenxing-1               Jiuquan          Imaging 127A  529 x 546 x 97.6
Aug 26 0727   Dragon Crew-7                    Falcon 9                   Kennedy LC39A  Spaceship 128A  210 x 248 x 51.6
Aug 27 0105   Starlink Group 6-11              Falcon 9                   Canaveral LC40  Comms    129   283 x 291 x 43.0
Aug 31 0736   Yaogan 39 hao 01 zu 01 xing      Chang Zheng 2D             Xichang         Sigint?  130A  490 x 503 x 35.0
              Yaogan 39 hao 01 zu 02 xing                                                 Sigint?  130
              Yaogan 39 hao 01 zu 03 xing                                                 Sigint?  130
Sep  1 0221   Starlink Group 6-13              Falcon 9                   Canaveral LC40  Comms    131   283 x 292 x 43.0
Sep  2 0620   Aditya-L1                        PSLV-XL                   Satish Dhawan FLP Solar   132   242 x 19450 x 19.2
Sep  2 1425   Wildfire-01                      Falcon 9                   Vandenberg SLC4E Comms   133   942 x 948 x 8l.0
              Wildfire-02                                                                  Comms   133   942 x 948 x 8l.0
              Wildfire-03                                                                  Comms   133   942 x 948 x 8l.0
              Wildfire-04                                                                  Comms   133   942 x 948 x 8l.0
              Wildfire-05                                                                  Comms   133   942 x 948 x 8l.0
              Wildfire-06                                                                  Comms   133   942 x 948 x 8l.0
              Wildfire-07                                                                  Comms   133   942 x 948 x 8l.0
              Wildfire-08                                                                  Comms   133   942 x 948 x 8l.0
              Wildfire-09                                                                  Comms   133   942 x 948 x 8l.0
              Wildfire-10                                                                  Comms   133   942 x 948 x 8l.0
              Checkmate 10                                                                 Comms   133   942 x 948 x 8l.0
              BB 3                                                                      Early Warn 133   942 x 948 x 8l.0
              BB 4                                                                      Early Warn 133   942 x 948 x 8l.0
Sep  4 0247   Starlink Group 6-12               Falcon 9                  Kennedy LC39A    Comms   134   283 x 292 x 43.0
Sep  5 0934   Tianqi-21                         Gushenxing-1HSX    DEFU 15002, Haiyang     Comms   135A  786 x 803 x 50.0
              Tianqi-22                                                                    Comms   135B  786 x 803 x 50.0
              Tianqi-23                                                                    Comms   135C  786 x 803 x 50.0
              Tianqi-24                                                                    Comms   135D  786 x 803 x 50.0
Sep  6 1814   Yaogan 33-03                      Chang Zheng 4C             Jiuquan         Radar   136A  680 x 688 x 98.2
Sep  6 2342   XRISM                             H-IIA                      Tanegashima   Astronomy 137A  567 x 581 x 31.0
              SLIM                                                                     Lunar probe 137D  560 x 97819 x 31.1
Sep  9 0312   Starlink Group 6-14               Falcon 9                   Canaveral LC40  Comms   138   283 x 292 x 43.0
Sep 10 0430   Yaogan 40-01                      Chang Zheng 6A             Taiyuan        Sigint?  139A  797 x 812 x 86.0
              Yaogan 40-02                                                                Sigint?  139C
              Yaogan 40-03                                                                Sigint?  139E
Sep 10 1247   USA 346                           Atlas V 551                Canaveral LC41 Surveill 140A 35800? x 36100? x 0   
              USA 347                                                                     Surveill 140B
              USA 348                                                                     Surveill 140C
Sep 12 0657   Starlink Group 7-2                Falcon 9                   Vandenberg SLC4E Comms  141  284 x 295 x 53.1
Sep 15 0228   VICTUS NOX                        Alpha                      Vandenberg SLC2W Tech   142A 476 x 531 x 97.3
Sep 15 1544   Soyuz MS-24                       Soyuz-2-1a                 Baykonur LC31 Spaceship 143A 197 x 228 x 51.6
Sep 16 0338   Starlink Group 6-16               Falcon 9                   Canaveral LC40  Comms   144  283 x 292 x 43.0
Sep 17 0413   Yaogan 39-01                      Chang Zheng 2D             Xichang LC3     Sigint  145A 487 x 500 x 35.0
              Yaogan 39-02                                                                 Sigint  145C?
              Yaogan 39-03                                                                 Sigint  145E?
Sep 19 0655   Capella 12                        Electron                   Mahia 1B        Radar   F08  -6120 x 132 x 51.1
Sep 20 0338   Starlink Group 6-17               Falcon 9                   Canaveral LC40  Comms   146  283 x 292 x 43.0
Sep 21 0459   Jilin-1 GF04B                     Gushenxing-1               Jiuquan         Imaging F09 -6200 x 100? x 97
Sep 24 0338   Starlink Group 6-18               Falcon 9                   Canaveral LC40  Comms   147  283 x 292 x 43.0
Sep 25 0848   Starlink Group 7-2                Falcon 9                   Vandenberg SLC4E Comms  148  284 x 295 x 53.1

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

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

Aug 10 1517   Galactic 02       Spaceship Two       Sp. America EBR3     Tourist        88       Sp. America
Aug 16 1021   ROCKSAT-X         Terrier Imp.Mal.    Wallops I. LA2       Education     Unk       Atlantic
Aug 17 1000   RockOn            Terrier Imp.Orion   Wallops I. LA2       Education     117       Atlantic
Sep  6 0826   GT247             Minuteman 3         Vandenberg LF10      Test         1300?      Kwajalein
Sep  8 1522   Galactic 03       Spaceship Two       Sp. America EBR3     Tourist        88       Sp. America

.-------------------------------------------------------------------------.
|  Jonathan McDowell                 |                                    |
|  Somerville MA 02143               |  inter : planet4589 at gmail       |
|  USA                               |  twitter: @planet4589              |
|                                                                         |
| JSR: https://www.planet4589.org/jsr.html                                 |
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