[JSR] Jonathan's Space Report, No. 786
Jonathan McDowell
jcm at planet4589.com
Sat Nov 21 22:34:36 EST 2020
Jonathan's Space Report
No. 786 2020 Nov 22 Somerville, MA
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International Space Station
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Expedition 64 is now underway under the command of Sergey Ryzhikov.
The Nanoracks NRCSD-19 payloads delivered to the ISS on Cygnus NG-14
were deployed on Nov 5. One correction: Djara is a Lemur satellite developed by Spire
Global, but it is operated by the Australian Office of National
Intelligence to test an FPGA supercomputing chip in space.
The SpaceX Crew-1 mission was launched at 0027 UTC on Nov 16 from
Kennedy Space Center with Mike Hopkins, Victor Glover, Soichi Noguchi
and Shannon Walker. Crew Dragon capsule C207 'Resilience' entered orbit
and separated from the Falcon 9 second stage at 0039 UTC, beginning orbit
manuevers to rendezvous with the ISS. Resilience docked with the IDA-2 port on ISS
at 0401 UTC Nov 17 and the crew boarded ISS at 0602 UTC.
On Nov 18 astronauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Sergey Kud-Sverchkov carried
out the first ever spacewalk from the Poisk module, VKD-47. All
previous Russian ISS spacewalks were from Pirs, and in the 11 years
since Poisk's launch its airlock had lain dormant. Now the Pirs module
is scheduled to be removed from the ISS, so Poisk's airlock is being
brought into service.
I count `depress(urized) activities' (DPA) from the point where the
airlock pressure reaches 50 mbar. By this rule, Nov 18 saw two DPAs,
which I label VKD-47a and VKD-47. Roskosmos counts from first hatch open
to last hatch close, and considers VKD-47 as a single `vykhod' (EVA, in
NASA jargon). The timeline:
1446 UTC: Poisk airlock first depressurization begins
1453 UTC: Poisk depressurized below 50 mbar, begin VKD-47a (my rule)
1512 UTC: Poisk airlock hatch open, begin VKD-47 (Roskosmos rule)
The astronauts inspected the hatch seals.
1520 UTC: Poisk airlock hatch closed
1523 UTC: Airlock repressurized above 50 mbar, end VKD-47a (my rule)
1527 UTC: Airlock repress stopped at 350 mbar
1539 UTC: Poisk airlock second depressurization begins
1544 UTC: Airlock below 50 mbar, begin VKD-47 (my rule)
1555 UTC: Poisk airlock hatch open again
1606 UTC: Kud-Sverchkov egress airlock
1616 UTC: Ryzhikov egress airlock with pressurized container for new flow regulator
1739 UTC Zarya Flow regulator No. 1 replacement abandoned; could not open container
1816 UTC Pressurized container returned to airlock
1923 UTC Transit-B antenna cable relocated from Pirs to Poisk.
2015 UTC Retrieve old Impakt exterior sample plate on Zvezda
2030 UTC Install new Impakt exterior sample plate on Zvezda
2054 UTC Jettison of two decontamination towels
2134 UTC Ryzhikov ingress
2145 UTC Kud-Sverchkov ingress
2159 UTC Poisk airlock hatch closed
2205 UTC Airlock repressurization above 50 mbar
[Spacewalk underway at this writing; to be updated].
VKD-47a depress time: 30m
VKD-47a hatch open time: 8m
VKD-47 depress time: (JCM rule) 6h21m
VKD-47 hatch open time: 6h04m
VKD-47 Ryzhikov time outside: 5h18m
VKD-47 Kud-Sverchkov time outside: 5h39m
VKD-47 'official' Roskosmos time 6h47m48s
(1st hatch open to 2nd hatch close):
GPS III SV-04
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The fourth GPS Block 3 satellite was launched on Nov 5 on a Falcon 9. Launch had
been delayed because of engine contamination issues. The first stage, B1062, landed on OCISLY.
CZ-6
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The fourth Chang Zheng 6 launch, CZ-6 Y3, flew from Taiyuan on Nov 6 and placed a cluster of small
satellites in 1030 LT sun-synchronous orbit.
Ten of the payloads were imaging satellites for the Uruguayan/Argentine Satellogic company.
The other three are:
BY70-03, an amateur radio satellite. Its full name is
Zhongguo qing shaonian kepu weixing bayi 03 xing 'Taiyuan hao',
which means Chinese Youth Science Satellite BY-03 'Taiyuan'. Students
from Taiyuan Jinshan Middle School helped build it.
Tianyan 05 is also called Dianzi keji daxue hao weixing, or more loosely translated, UESTC
Satellite, after the Univ. of Electronic Science and Technology (Dianzi keji daxue) in
Chengdu. The sat was built by Weina (Minospace) and Guoxing Aerospace; it has an imager
and a THz `6G' experimental communications payload.
Tianyan 05 uses the MN50 bus. The satellite has the additional alternate name Xingshidai-12.
Beihang Kongshi Weixing yi hao (Beihang Konghsi 1 satellite) carries technology payloads.
It was built by Tianyi (which calls it TY-20)
and BUAA (Beijing Hangkong Hangtian Daxue, Beijing U of Aero. and Astro).
It includes a ThrustMe NPT30 electric propulsion system.
Galactic Energy
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Galactic Energy (Beijing) has developed a small solid launch vehicle, Gushenxing-1 ("Ceres-1")
using demilitarized solid motors, probably from the DF-21 missile.
The three solid stages are 1.4, 1.4 and 1.2 metres in diameter; a fourth liquid-propellant stage
is used for orbit insertion. Gunshenxing-1 Y1 was launched on Nov 7 from Jiuquan, reaching orbit
successfully with the Tianqi-11 satellite for the Guodian Gaokeji company.
PSLV
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ISRO launched its second PSLV-DL on Nov 7, placing in orbit the EOS-1 radar satellite.
EOS-1 was formerly called RISAT-2BR2, and follows on from earlier RISAT satellites.
Co-passengers included the R2 test satellite for NanoAvionics of Vilnius, four SpireGlobal Lemur-2
satellites, and four Kleos Scouting Mission satellites for commercial signals intelligence
for Kleos Space of Luxembourg.
Tiantong-1-02
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China's second Tiantong satellite, Tiantong 1 hao 02 xing, was launched
on Nov 12 to geotransfer orbit. The satellite has an S-band antenna for
communications by mobile users.
NROL-101
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United Launch Alliance flew Atlas V mission AV-090 on Nov 13 from Cape
Canaveral into a orbit with an inclination of around 55 to 60 degrees.
AV-090 was an Atlas V 531 variant, using the new Northrop Grummann
(formerly Hercules) GEM 63 solid boosters for the first time. The launch
was for the US National Reconnaissance Office and was designated
NROL-101. The payload was USA 310, a secret NRO satellite. Observations
of the Centaur propellant dump over the western US suggested that the
orbit was a medium altitude one and it was soon discovered by Marco
Langbroek and Cees Bassa in a highly unusual 11033 x 11068 km, 58 degree
orbit. The satellite therefore does not appear to be one of an existing
series, and its mission is at present unclear.
Vega VV17
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The Arianespace Vega has suffered its second failure. Launched
northwards from the Centre Spatial Guyanais, Vega's three solid stages
appear to have worked correctly. However, the liquid propellant AVUM
fourth stage malfunctioned at the beginning of its burn, losing attitude
control. Arianespace reports that control system cables were connected
to the wrong sockets during assembly. The AVUM and its attached payloads
presumably fell in the Arctic, just possibly making it as far as the
coast of Yakutia.
Since the orbit would have had a perigee not much less than zero, maybe
around -500 km, I am giving the launch a 'U' ('uncataloged) designation:
2020-U01. I use these designations for launches which are marginally
orbital, and therefore 'interesting' in my opinion. Launches which fall
further short of orbit get 'F' (failed to orbit) designations. The list
of 'U' launches is at https://planet4589.org/space/gcat/data/ldes/U.html
The payloads of VV17 were the Spanish imaging satellite SARSAT-Ingenio
and the French Taranis scientific satellite, which would have studied
lightning sprites and related phenomena.
Electron 16
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The Electron 16 launch `Return to Sender' took off from New Zealand on Nov 20,
placing a cluster of small satellites in a 1440 local time sun-synchronous orbit:
Alchemy and Augury (DragRacer A and B): two 6U satellites from TriSept Corp, Millenium Space and
Tethers Unlimited. Alchemy has a 70-metre-long `Terminator Tape' drag tether to make it reenter
quickly; Augury does not have the tape and will be used as a control, decaying normally.
As I understand it the two satellites were deployed attached to each other. It is not
clear when they will separate or when the tether will be deployed;
BRO-2 and BRO-3 for Unseen Labs, 6U satellites providing commercial radio spectrum monitoring;
Te Waka Amiorangi o Aotearoa (APSS-1), a 1U satellite for the Auckland Program for Space Studies
of the University of Auckland. It carries a Langmuir probe to study possible ionospheric
precursors to earthquakes;
SpaceBEE 22 to 45, a set of twenty-four 0.25U communications satellites for Swarm Technologies.
Sentinel-6
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SpaceX launched the European Union's `Sentinel 6 Michael Freilich'
oceanographic satellite on Nov 21 from Vandenberg AFB. Sentinel-6
carries the Poseidon-4 sea surface height radar altimeter, continuing
the series begun by TOPEX-Posideon satellite and continued by the Jason
series Poseidon is developed by ESA and CNES; the satellite calso
carries NASA/JPL equipment for orbit determination and GNSS radio
occultation. The satellite is named in honor of American oceanographer
Michael Freilich (1954-2020).
The Falcon 9 first stage returned to Vandenberg, landing at Landing Zone 4. The second stage
was left in an orbit slightly below the payload.
AC-10a
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The Aerocube 10a satellite released its fourth passive atmospheric probe on around Nov 18.
Table of Recent Orbital Launches
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Date UT Name Launch Vehicle Site Mission INTL. Catalog Perigee Apogee Incl Notes
Oct 25 1908 Glonass-K No. 15L Soyuz-2-1B/Fregat Plesetsk LC43/4 Navigation 75A S46805 19125 x 19150 x 64.8
Oct 26 1519 Yaogan 30 hao 07 zu 01 xing) Chang Zheng 2C Xichang Sigint 76A S46807 589 x 604 x 35.0
Yaogan 30 hao 07 zu 01 xing) Sigint 76B S46808 589 x 604 x 35.0
Yaogan 30 hao 07 zu 01 xing) Sigint 76C S46809 589 x 604 x 35.0
Tianqi Xingzuo 06 ) Comms 76D S46810 589 x 604 x 35.0
Oct 28 2121 CE-SAT-IIB ) Electron Mahia LC1 Imaging 77F S46818 508 x 524 x 97.5
Flock 4e'-1 ) Imaging 77A S46813 511 x 528 x 97.5
Flock 4e'-2 ) Imaging 77H S46820 511 x 528 x 97.5
Flock 4e'-3 ) Imaging 77G S46819 511 x 528 x 97.5
Flock 4e'-4 ) Imaging 77J S46821 511 x 528 x 97.5
Flock 4e'-5 ) Imaging 77E S46817 511 x 528 x 97.5
Flock 4e'-6 ) Imaging 77K S46822 511 x 528 x 97.5
Flock 4e'-7 ) Imaging 77B S46814 505 x 528 x 97.5
Flock 4e'-8 ) Imaging 77D S46816 507 x 524 x 97.5
Flock 4e'-9 ) Imaging 77C S46815 505 x 525 x 97.5
Nov 5 0905 Bobcat-1) ISS, LEO Tech 98067
SPOC ) Imaging 98067
Nov 5 1040 Neutron-1 ISS, LEO Sci 98067
Nov 5 1215 Djara ISS, LEO Tech 98067
Nov 5 1315 Descent ) ISS, LEO Tech 98067
SAT-TLA 1 ) Tech 98067
Lemur-2-Unnamed) Com/Met 98067
Nov 5 2324 GPS III SV-04 Falcon 9 Canaveral LC40 Nav 78A S46826 402 x 20183 x 55.0
Nov 6 0318 Nusat-9 (Alice) ) Chang Zheng 6 Taiyuan Imaging 79A?S46827 465 x 473 x 97.3
Nusat-10 (Caroline) ) Imaging 79
Nusat-11 (Cora) ) Imaging 79
Nusat-12 (Dorothy) ) Imaging 79
Nusat-13 (Emmy) ) Imaging 79
Nusat-14 (Hedy) ) Imaging 79
Nusat-15 (Katherine) ) Imaging 79
Nusat-16 (Lise) ) Imaging 79
Nusat-17 (Mary) ) Imaging 79
Nusat-18 (Vera) ) Imaging 79
Taiyuan BY70-3 ) Comms 79
Beihang Kongshi 1 ) Comms 79
Tianyan 05 ) Imaging 79
Nov 7 0712 Tianqi-11 Gushenxing-1 Jiuquan Comms 80A S46904 485 x 501 x 97.4
Nov 7 0941 EOS-1 ) PSLV-DL Satish Dhawan FLP Imaging 81A 568 x 576 x 36.9
Lemur-2-Ozarak ) Com/Met 81D 565 x 578 x 36.9
Lemur-2-Jindra ) Com/Met 81E 565 x 578 x 36.9
Lemur-2-Wallace ) Com/Met 81F 565 x 576 x 36.9
Lemur-2-Jeremiah) Com/Met 81G 565 x 576 x 36.9
R2 ) Tech 81
KSM-1A ) Sigint 81
KSM-1B ) Sigint 81
KSM-1C ) Sigint 81
KSM-1D ) Sigint 81
Nov 12 1559 Tiantong-1 02 Chang Zheng 3B Xichang Comms 82A S46917 170 x 35820 x 28.4
Nov 13 2332 USA 310 Atlas V 531 Canaveral SLC41 Radar? 83A S46918 11033 x 11068 x 58.5
Nov 16 0027 Resilience Falcon 9 Kennedy LC39A Spaceship 84A S46920 189 x 208 x 51.6
Nov 17 0152 SEOSAT-Ingenio) Vega CSG Imaging U01 A09651 -500? x 250?x 98.5
Taranis ) Science U01 A09652 -500? x 250?x 98.5
Nov 18? AC-10a Probe 04 AC-10a, LEO Science 19-22N S46928 469 x 482 x 51.6
Nov 20 0220 Augury ) Electron Mahia LC1 Tech 85 S46931? 501 x 521 x 97.4
Alchemy ) Tech 85
BRO-2 ) Sigint 85
BRO-3 ) Sigint 85
Te Waka Amiorangi o Aotearoa) Sci 85
SpaceBEE 22 to 45 ) Comms 85
Nov 21 1717 Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich Falcon 9 Vandenberg SLC4E Oceanog. 86A S46984 1308 x 1327 x 66.0
Table of Recent Suborbital Launches
-----------------------------------
Date UT Payload/Flt Name Launch Vehicle Site Mission Apogee/km Target
Oct 1 Black Dagger Boosted Zombie Fort Wingate? Target 100? White Sands
Oct 13 1336 NS-13 New Shepard W Texas Test 106 W Texas
Oct 29 0727 GT236GM Minuteman 3 Vandenberg LF09 Op. Test 1300? Kwajalein
Nov 2 1040 DEUCE 3 Black Brant IX White Sands UV Astron 285 White Sands
Nov 17 0550 FTM-44 Target ICBM-T2? Meck, Kwajalein Target 1000? Pacific (intercepted)
Nov 17 0605? FTM-44 KV SM-3 Block IIA DDG-18, Pacific Interceptor 200? FTM-44 interception
.-------------------------------------------------------------------------.
| Jonathan McDowell | |
| Somerville MA 02143 | inter : planet4589 at gmail |
| USA | twitter: @planet4589 |
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