* Astronomy

Blobrana · L

RE: SAR-Lupe 3 Satellite

Blobrana · L

Third SAR-Lupe satellite launched successfully into its orbit
Automatic Identification System (AIS) for receiving ship signals also on board the COSMOS launcher for OHB

A Russian Cosmos 3M carrier lifted off on schedule from the Russian Plesetsk space centre, south of Archangelsk, in the early hours of this morning at 1:51 hours CET. On board it was carrying the third SAR-Lupe radar satellite, which it successfully released into its intended orbit around half an hour later. Preliminary signs of life from the satellite were picked up by the Kerguelen ground station in the southern Indian Ocean. As planned, direct contacts were established between the control center and the satellite 92 minutes into the mission. Preliminary tests have confirmed that the third SAR-Lupe satellite is also working properly. Accordingly, work commenced on putting it into operation last night.
Satellite control is currently in the hands of the German Space Agency DLR in Oberpfaffenhofen. The ground station of the German Armed Forces in Gelsdorf is tracking the satellite at the same time and will assume operative responsibility for it in around four weeks at which point in time the radar will start collecting SAR radar images.
The COSMOS-3M also carried an Automatic Identification System (AIS) for ships on board. OHB and LuxSpace Sarl, a company owned by OHB Technology AG, are working on the validation of this and following systems. OHB is building seven new ORBCOMM satellites in which the AIS will be implemented for the US Coast Guard for global monitoring of shipping traffic.

Source

Blobrana · L

Expand (83kb, 630 x 390)

TLE Data

OBJECT A
1 32283U 07053A   07305.37174140  .00002720  00000-0  10000-3 0    36
2 32283 098.1547 111.3892 0020829 220.6799 233.5908 15.28734815    54

-- Edited by Blobrana at 11:57, 2007-11-01

Blobrana · L

A Russian Kosmos-3M carrier rocket with the SAR-Lupe 3 German satellite, was successfully launched from the Plesetsk spaceport, at at 3:51 MST.

"Launch was realised from the first launcher at the Plesetsk spaceport by combat crews of space troops under the management of the chief of the spaceport of Major General Oleg Ostapenko" - RF Aleksey Zolotukhin, chief of a service of information and social bonds of space troops.

According to the information, obtained by the information service of the Russian space troops the launch of the carrier rocket was carried out normally. At 3:58 MST a sigal from the Kosmos-3M carrier rocket was acquired by the GITSIU KS tracking station in Titov, the SAR-Lupe 3 spacecraft will automatically enter orbit at 4:20 MST out of range of the radio visibility of the ground-based control complex. After deployment the satellite will be handed over to the customer.

Source Novosti

-- Edited by Blobrana at 12:19, 2007-11-01

Blobrana · L

Bremen-based space technology company OHB-System AG dispatched the third SAR-Lupe satellite yesterday evening at 10:00 pm. Its immediate destination is the IABG satellite testing centre, where space conditions can be simulated to a very large extent. There it will undergo a final series of intensive testing over a period of some eight weeks, after which it will be deemed fit for lift-off from the Russian launch pad in Plesetzk.
The launch of the third radar satellite in the SAR-Lupe system has been scheduled for November 1, 2007. Like its two predecessors, it will be placed in its low-earth orbit on board a Russian COSMOS 3M.
The first two SAR-Lupe satellites have been orbiting since December 19, 2006 and July 2, 2007, respectively. They are supplying high-resolution images and operating very successfully and reliably.

Source

According to the Russian Aerospace Agency the launch dat has been confirmed as November 1, 2007 at 03:51 44 sec, with a second launch opportunity on November 2, 03:52 09 sec.

Blobrana · L

A Russian Kosmos-3M liquid-fuelled two-stage rocket will launch the SAR-Lupe 3 spacecraft from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russia, into Earth orbit on November 1st. The SAR-Lupe 3 satellite is the third in a series of five German radar reconnaissance satellites.
The Kosmos-3M booster has been designed to lift a payload of up to 1500 kg into low, medium, and high orbits.

"The launch of a Kosmos-3M carrier rocket with a SAR-Lupe satellite has been scheduled for November 1" - Statement by the defence ministry.