9.3: Geostationary Orbit Catalog

The GEO catalog lists objects in or near geosynchronous orbit.

Objects are entered in the GEO catalog if at any time in their careers their orbital period is in the near-geosynchronous ring (NGEO) between 23 hours (1380 min) and 25 hours (1500 min).

The first file, the index, gives the time the object entered NGEO, and the different locations the object was stationed at.

• (1) NORAD number

• (2) COSPAR designation

• (3) Name

• (4) Estimated time object first entered NGEO, with period between 23 and 25 hours. Any reader who can supply more accurate times, e.g. times of liquid apogee motor burns, is requested to contact me. In many cases times are estimated from interpolating available archival orbital data.

• (5) Estimated time object ceased operations or left NGEO, whichever was earlier.

• (6) List of longitudes and dates. Brief relocations and on-orbit checkout periods are not always included.

The second file gives latest available orbital information. Fields are:

• (1) NORAD number

• (2) COSPAR designation

• (3) Name

• (4) Alternate (e.g. prelaunch) name

• (5) Julian date of orbital data

• (6) Gregorian date and time (UTC) of orbital data

• (7) GEO status code

  Explanation of GEO status codes: We define the drift rate as the rate of change of longitude assuming a pure Keplerian orbit.

  • GEO: drift rate < 0.05 deg/day, inclination less than 10 deg, eccentricity less than 0.2.

  • Synch: drift rate < 0.05 deg/day but inc more than 10 deg or ecc. greater than 0.2.

  • Drift: drift rate from 0.05 deg/day to 10.0 deg/day.

  • Out: drift rate more than 10 deg/day.

• Orbital period, minutes

• Perigee x apogee (km) x inclination (deg)

• Longitude of ascending node, deg

• Geostationary longitude, deg E or W

• Drift rate in degrees/day

Geostationary Orbit Catalog: Index

Geostationary Orbit Catalog: Current orbits