Jonathan's Space Report No. 791 2021 Apr 20 Somerville, MA --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- International Space Station --------------------------- On Apr 5 at 1030 UTC the Dragon spaceship Resilience undocked from the IDA-2/PMA-2 docking port on the ISS Harmony module, backed off 60 metres, and redocked with the IDA-3/PMA-3 port on the same module's zenith side. On Apr 9 at 0742 UTC the Soyuz MS-18 spaceship was launched from Baykonur carrying Oleg Novitskiy, Pyotr Dubrov and Mark Vande Hei. It docked with the ISS Rassvet module at 1105:06 UTC the same day. On Apr 17 at 0134 UTC Soyuz MS-17 undocked from the Poisk module with astronauts Ryzhikov, Kud-Sverchkov and Rubins. After a deorbit burn at 0401 UTC the descent module landed in Kazakhstan at 0455 UTC. Expedition 65, under the command of Shannon Walker, formally began when Soyuz MS-17 undocked. As of Apr 22 the ISS visiting vehicle list was: Zvezda aft: Progress MS-14 Pirs: Progress MS-16 Poisk: - Rassvet: Soyuz MS-18 IDA-2/PMA-2: - IDA-3/PMA-3: Dragon C207 (Resilience) Unity nadir: Cygnus NG-15 (S.S. Katherine Johnson) Harmony nadir: - OneWeb ------ On 2021 Mar 25 Starsem launched a Soyuz-2-1b from the Russian eastern launch site of Vostochniy, placing the fifth set of OneWeb satellites in a 433 x 445 km x 87.4 deg parking orbit. Gao Fen 12-02 ------------- On Mar 30 China's SAST launched a CZ-4C placing the second GF-12 radar satellite in orbit. Unisat-7 -------- The Gauss srl Unisat-7 host satellite released its tiny payloads on Mar 25. Shiyan 9 -------- China made the second launch of the CZ-7A on Mar 11, following a launch failure on the first such mission. The payload, Shiyan 9, was placed in geotransfer orbit. It seems likely that this is a test mission intended to remain in that orbit, perhaps making radiation measurements, and no apogee burn to geonsynchronous orbit was planned. (This item was inadvertently omitted from JSR 790). Shiyan 6 -------- The third Shiyan 6 satellite was launched on Apr 8 from Taiyuan. The satellite went to a higher orbit than the two previous Shiyan 6 missions. The purpose of the missions is unclear. Electron 19 ----------- Rocket Lab's Electron mission 19 was launched from Mahia on Mar 22 placing in orbit several small satellites: BlackSky Global 9 (also called BlackSky 7), a 55 kg imaging sat RAAF M2 A and B, a pair of 0.2 x 0.2 x 0.3m satellites for the Royal Australian Air Force with AIS payloads and formation flying tests. The satellites were deployed attached and will separate later. Myriota 7, a 3U cubesat for IoT data relay for Myriota (Australia). Also called Tyvak-0152. Centauri 3, a 6U cubesat for IoT data relay for Fleet (Australia). Also called Tyvak-0210. Veery Hatchling v0.2, a 1U test satellite for Care Weather Technologies (US) Gunsmoke-J, a communications satellite for the US Army SMDC; a similar sat is awaiting deployment from ISS. The Electron kick stage also carries the Photon Pathstone payload with test components for the planned Capstone mission. Starlink --------- Starlink mission V1.0-L23 flew from Canaveral on Apr 7, with 60 more satellites. The first stage landed on the OCISLY. I have a new web page with detailed statistics and orbit histories for the Starlink satellites: https://planet4589.org/space/stats/star/starstats.html MEV-2 ----- The Space Logistics Services/Northrop Grumman MEV-2 satellite docked with the Intelsat 10-02 satellite at 1734 UTC on Apr 12. The docked satellites are in GEO at 1.0W; MEV-2 will provide orbit control to extend IS 10-02's useful life. Reentries --------- The Falcon 9 second stage from the Mar 4 Starlink mission, mentioned in JSR 790, reentered over Oregon and Washington on Mar 26 at 0400 UTC. It was widely observed from the US Pacific Northwest and the Vancouver area, and a COPV pressure vessel was found largely intact in eastern Washington state. Ingenuity --------- The Ingenuity Mars Helicopter made its first flight at about 0734:19 UTC on Apr 19. It took off from the newly named Wright Brothers Field (77.45102 E, 18.44486N in Jezero Crater, Mars; ICAO designator JZRO) and reached 3 metres altitude before landing at the same spot 38 seconds later. Errata ------ In JSR 790, the EVA-72 hatch opening time should have read 1136 UTC, not 1336 UTC. Note that Hirogari is another name for OPUSAT-II. Table of Recent Orbital Launches ---------------------------------- Date UT Name Launch Vehicle Site Mission INTL. Catalog Perigee Apogee Incl Notes Mar 4 0825 Starlink 2068 ) Falcon 9 Kennedy LC39A Comms 17A S47222 259 x 280 x 53.1 Starlink 2107 ) Starlink 2116 ) Starlink 2125-2126) Starlink 2129 ) Starlink 2131-2132) Starlink 2140-2144) Starlink 2146-2150) Starlink 2152 ) Starlink 2154 ) Starlink 2156-2164) Starlink 2168-2172) Starlink 2174-2185) Starlink 2189 ) Starlink 2192-2198) Starlink 2209-2213) Starlink 2223 ) Mar 11 0813 Starlink 2257 ) Falcon 9 Canaveral LC40 Comms 18A S47787 258 x 278 x 53.1 Starlink 2314-2315) Starlink 2319 ) Starlink 2322 ) Starlink 2334 ) Starlink 2338 ) Starlink 2341 ) Starlink 2347 ) Starlink 2373 ) Starlink 2377 ) Starlink 2379-2396) Starlink 2399-2403) Starlink 2406-2411) Starlink 2413 ) Starlink 2415-2416) Starlink 2419-2420) Starlink 2422-2427) Starlink 2429 ) Starlink 2431-2435) Starlink 2446 ) Starlink 2453 ) Starlink 2456 ) Mar 11 1330? EP9 ISS, LEO Garbage scow 9867RZ S47853 417 x 422 x 51.6 Mar 11 1751 Shiyan 9 Chang Zheng 7A Wenchang LC201 Tech 19A S47851 250 x35836 x 19.5 Mar 13 0219 Yaogan 31 hao 04 zu 01 xing) Chang Zheng 4C Jiuquan Sigint 20A S47854 1092 x 1098 x 63.4 Yaogan 31 hao 04 zu 02 xing) Sigint 20B S47855 1090 x 1096 x 63.4 Yaogan 31 hao 04 zu 03 xing) Sigint 20C S47856 1090 x 1096 x 63.4 Mar 14 1001 Starlink 2258 ) Falcon 9 KSC LC39A Comms 21 Starlink 2280 ) Starlink 2291 ) Starlink 2293 ) Starlink 2304 ) Starlink 2310 ) Starlink 2320-2321) Starlink 2323-2324) Starlink 2326-2333) Starlink 2335-2337) Starlink 2339-2340) Starlink 2342-2346) Starlink 2348-2372) Starlink 2374-2376) Starlink 2378 ) Starlink 2397 ) Starlink 2398 ) Starlink 2405 ) Mar 14 1120 Hirogari ) ISS, LEO Tech 9867SG S47930 419 x 420 x 51.6 GuaraniSat-1) Tech 9867SH? 419 x 420 x 51.6 Maya-2 ) Tech 9867SA? 419 x 420 x 51.6 Tsuru ) Tech 9867SD S47927 419 x 420 x 51.6 RSP-1 ) Tech 9867SB S47925 419 x 420 x 51.6 Mar 14 1150 Nichirin ISS, LEO Tech 9867SF? 419 x 420 x 51.6 Mar 14 1430 TAU-SAT-01 ISS, LEO Tech 9867SC S47926 419 x 420 x 51.6 Mar 14 1500 Sanko ISS, LEO Tech 9867SE S47928 419 x 420 x 51.6 Mar 22 0607 CAS500-1 Soyuz-2-1a/Fregat Baykonur LC31 Imaging 22A S47932 495 x 510 x 97.4 GRUS 1B Imaging 22B S47933 579 x 605 x 97.7 GRUS 1C Imaging 22C S47934 579 x 605 x 97.7 GRUS 1D Imaging 22D S47935 579 x 605 x 97.7 GRUS 1E Imaging 22E S47936 579 x 605 x 97.7 ELSA-d Tech 22N S47944 535 x 558 x 97.6 DMSat-1 Imaging 22J S47940 534 x 560 x 97.6 Najm-1 Imaging 22R? S47947 534 x 558 x 97.6 Unisat-7 Tech 22P S47945 534 x 560 x 97.6 Kepler-6 (Rocinante) Comms 22Z S49755 535 x 563 x 97.6 Kepler-7 (C3PO) Comms 22T S47949 535 x 563 x 97.6 NanoSatC-Br 2 Sci 22 KMSL Mgrav. 22U S47950 535 x 563 x 97.6 CANYVAL-C Tech 22 Hiber 3 Comms 22L S47942 535 x 563 x 97.6 Beesat 5 Tech 22AM? S48083 535 x 565 x 97.6 Beesat 6 Tech 22AB? S47957 535 x 565 x 97.6 Beesat 7 Tech 22AN? S48084 535 x 565 x 97.6 Beesat 8 Tech 22AP? S48085 535 x 565 x 97.6 SAMSON 1 Tech 22F? S47937 534 x 565 x 97.6 SAMSON 2 Tech 22H? S47939 534 x 565 x 97.6 SAMSON 3 Tech 22M? S47943 534 x 565 x 97.6 Lacunasat 2b Tech 22S S47948 535 x 563 x 97.6 3B5GSAT Comms 22Y S47954 535 x 563 x 97.6 ChallengeOne Tech 22AA S47956 534 x 566 x 97.6 GRB-Alpha Astron 22AD S47959 534 x 565 x 97.6 WildTrackCube-SIMBA Comms 22 KSU-Cubesat Tech 22Y S47965 534 x 565 x 97.6 OrbiKraft-Zorkiy Tech 22AE S47960 534 x 565 x 97.6 NIU VsHE-DZZ Imaging 22W S47952 534 x 565 x 97.6 Sirius-DZZ Imaging 22V S47951 534 x 565 x 97.6 Mar 22 0830 Lawkanat 1 ISS, LEO Imaging 9867SJ S47976 417 x 421 x 51.6 Mar 22 2230 Black Sky Global Electron Mahia LC1A Imaging 23G S47971 449 x 460 x 45.0 Photon Pathstone Tech 23H S47972 448 x 458 x 45.0 Centauri 3 Comms 23B S47966 549 x 557 x 45.0 Myriota 7 Comms 23D S47968 545 x 557 x 45.0 RAAF M2 A/B Comms 23C S47967 546 x 558 x 45.0 Gunsmoke-J Comms 23E S47969 544 x 557 x 45.0 Veery Hatchling Tech 23A S47965 540 x 557 x 45.0 Mar 24 0828 Starlink 1647 Falcon 9 Canaveral LC40 Comms 24A 258 x 281 x 53.0 Starlink 2087 Starlink 2153 Starlink 2216 Starlink 2218 Starlink 2226 Starlink 2229 Starlink 2239 Starlink 2243 Starlink 2254 Starlink 2259-2268 Starlink 2270-2273 Starlink 2277-2279 Starlink 2281-2290 Starlink 2292 Starlink 2294-2303 Starlink 2305-2309 Starlink 2311-2313 Starlink 2316-2318 Starlink 2325 Mar 25 0247 OneWeb SL0101 Soyuz-2-1b/Fregat Vostochniy PU1S Comms 25A S48049- 433 x 445 x 87.4 OneWeb SL0107-0108 25AK S48075 OneWeb SL0112-0113 OneWeb SL0115-0116 OneWeb SL0148-0164 OneWeb SL0166-0175 OneWeb SL0177-0178 Mar 25 BCCSAT-1 Unisat-7, LEO Imaging 22AK S48041 536 x 559 x 97.6 FEES Comms 22AL?S48082 536 x 559 x 97.6 DIY-1 Tech 22AH S47963 532 x 559 x 97.6 SMOG-1 Sigint 22AJ S47964 532 x 559 x 97.6 STECCO Calib 22AG S47962 534 x 558 x 97.6 Mar 30 2245 Gao Fen 12-02 Chang Zheng 4C Jiuquan Radar 26A S48079 594 x 600 x 97.8 Apr 6 2100? Jackie (AC-10a Probe 5) AC-10a, LEO Calib 19-022P 462 x 475 x 51.6 Apr 7 1634 Starlink 2048 Falcon 9 Canaveral LC40 Comms 27A S48092 261 x 280 x 53.0 Starlink 2404 Starlink 2412 Starlink 2414 Starlink 2417-2418 Starlink 2421 Starlink 2428 Starlink 2430 Starlink 2436-2440 Starlink 2442-2445 Starlink 2447-2452 Starlink 2454-2455 Starlink 2458-2460 Starlink 2462-2469 Starlink 2471-2476 Starlink 2478-2493 Starlink 2503 Apr 8 2301 Shiyan 6-03 Chang Zheng 4B Taiyuan Imaging? 28A S48157 992 x 1001 x 99.5 Apr 9 0742 Soyuz MS-18 Soyuz-2-1a Baykonur Spaceship 29A S48159 192 x 228 x 51.6 Table of Recent Suborbital Launches ----------------------------------- Date UT Payload/Flt Name Launch Vehicle Site Mission Apogee/km Target Feb 3 RV Ghaznavi Somniani? Test 80? Arabian Sea? Feb 4 ABM Target B-611? Taiyuan Test 200? Urumqi Feb 4 Interceptor DF-21? Urumqi? Interceptor 100? Takla Makan Feb 5 0905 OS-X6B OS-X6B Jiuquan? Test 300 Jiuquan? Feb 9 2330 USN RV Trident II Sub, 76W 28N Op. Test 1000? S Atlantic Feb 24 0749 GT237GM Minuteman III Vandenberg LF10 Op. Test 1300? Kwajalein Feb 27 HE RV Zulfiqar Sanaa? Weapon 150? Riyadh Mar 3 Chem. release Terr.Terr.Oriole Wallops Ionosphere 300? Atlantic Mar 12 1345 SOUREX RH-560 Mk III Satish Dhawan Atmosphere 300? Bay of Bengal Apr 14 1651 NS-15 New Shepard West Texas Test 106 West Texas Apr 19 0830 SHIELDS Black Brant IX White Sands UV Astron 285 White Sands .-------------------------------------------------------------------------. | 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 | '-------------------------------------------------------------------------'