GCAT Release History

ReleaseDateNotes
LVDB 2.02010 Oct 28Added 1950s Soviet missiles from Asif Siddiqi
LVDB 2.12011 Nov 17general update
LVDB 2.22014 Aug 25Added many new Soviet ICBM launches provided by a Russian source, general update
LVDB 2.32014 Oct 6Added a number of launches from El Arenosillo, Spain, and assorted launch times for US missiles, revised analysis of locations of Redstone launches.
LVDB 2.42014 Nov 11with more data on Soviet launches.
LVDB 2.52015 Jan 12
LVDB 2.62015 Jul 16
LVDB 2.72015 Dec 22with new USSR launch time data from Andrey Krasil'nikov
LVDB 2.82016 Dec 30
LVDB 2.92017 Sep 7
LVDB 2.102017 Dec 28
LVDB 2.112019 Dec 24there were multiple unversioned minor data updates in 2017-2020
LVDB 2.122020 Jun 14Changed launch site codes
GCAT 1.0.12020 Jun 19Pre-release with supporting files only: Orgs, Sites, Platforms
GCAT 1.0.22020 Aug 9Pre-release with supporting files and launch lists, supersedes LVDB
GCAT 1.1.02020 Aug 23First full release with object catalogs
GCAT 1.1.12020 Aug 23Added omitted documentation (intro/orbits.html)
GCAT 1.1.22020 Aug 23Fixed a few typos and incorrect links
GCAT 1.1.32020 Aug 28Added some Chinese missile bases to Sites file, minor doc updates
GCAT 1.1.42020 Sep 1Added new section DERIVED CATALOGS with new catalog `currentcat'. Updated OX flags for lost objects.
GCAT 1.1.52020 Sep 1Changed the structure of 'currentcat' to fix some issues.
GCAT 1.1.62020 Sep 25Added new field "Ac" (active satellite flag) to `currentcat'
GCAT 1.1.72020 Dec 30Added new derived catalog LAUNCHLOG to replace old launchlog.txt, and new intro section on U launches
GCAT 1.1.82021 Jan 23Added TF and ATT columns to payload catalogs and updated possible values for MVR column
GCAT 1.1.92021 Mar 13Added support for 'D' descriptor for cubesat deployers in byte 2 of SatType
GCAT 1.1.102021 Apr 4Added Starlink failure codes to SatType byte 8
GCAT 1.2.02021 Jul 21Introduced 'NomCode' nomenclature code support (with only a few values filled)
GCAT 1.2.12021 Aug 17Added new phase type 'C' for in-orbit collisions (intro/phases.html) and new launch designation 'UNK' for unknown objects (intro/desig.html)
GCAT 1.2.22021 Oct 17Added new crossindex for deepcat entries, added REFLT status code for relaunched objects, changed LO status code to include object's new catalog number
GCAT 1.2.32021 Nov 30Added column-description documentation for derived (currentcat, launchlog) tables.
GCAT 1.2.42022 Jan 18Added new column 'plane' in payload catalogs to record constellation planes
GCAT 1.2.52022 Feb 14Added parent and sep date columns to 'currentcat' to help generate debris history plots
GCAT 1.2.62022 Feb 15Added persistent analyst objects to currentcat, and documentation of analyst objects to intro.
GCAT 1.2.72022 Feb 16Added SatType field to derived catalog 'launchlog' and updated documentation.
GCAT 1.2.82022 Mar 24Changed meaning of SatType byte 4 value 'K'
GCAT 1.2.92022 Mar 25Added C3 and SpE values to special (U) launch table
GCAT 1.2.102022 Apr 20Added orbital period to derived file 'currentcat'
GCAT 1.2.112022 Apr 28Added lower case 'c' option in sat type for objects with newly-declassified orbital data, see type.html
GCAT 1.2.122022 Jun 11Minor documentation corrections
GCAT 1.2.132022 Sep 12Added geosync orbit catalog
GCAT 1.3.02022 Sep 25Added launch service codes and launch profile codes
GCAT 1.3.12022 Sep 26LEO upper boundary changed to 2000 km (was previously 2 hour period)
GCAT 1.3.22022 Dec 2SatType bytes 11 and 12 defined.
GCAT 1.3.32022 Dec 26CurrentCat added Owner and State fields, current owners for defunct sats updated
GCAT 1.3.42023 Mar 27Added missing documention to phases.html about OI, OE cases.
GCAT 1.4.02023 Apr 13Changed suborbital targeted reentry values from 'R' to 'S' to distinguish from uncontrolled reentry
GCAT 1.5.02023 Sep 22Changed status value EVA to EVA RP and for spacesuits, TFR E changed to EVA DP (repress, depress)
GCAT 1.5.12023 Oct 1Added status byte 6 value of G for generic cargo accounting, and clarified use of values for all stations
GCAT 1.5.22023 Oct 6Added status values TO (LO from small bodies) and LOA (extraterrestrial REFLT, LO attached), RET changed to TFR IN
GCAT 1.5.42023 Oct 24Added Owner and State fields to (derived) launchlog file.
GCAT 1.5.52024 May 5Added Orbit Payload (OPAY) column to launch lists