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Classification of Geosynchronous Objects

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Classification of Geosynchronous Objects esoc European Space Operations Centre Robert-Bosch-Strasse 5 D-64293 Darmstadt Germany T +49 (0)6151 900 www.esa.int CLASSIFICATION OF GEOSYNCHRONOUS OBJECTS Produced with the DISCOS Database Prepared by T. Flohrer & S. Frey Reference GEN-DB-LOG-00195-OPS-GR Issue 18 Revision 0 Date of Issue 3 June 2016 Status ISSUED Document Type TN European Space Agency Agence spatiale europeenne´ Abstract This is a status report on geosynchronous objects as of 1 January 2016. Based on orbital data in ESA’s DISCOS database and on orbital data provided by KIAM the situation near the geostationary ring is analysed. From 1434 objects for which orbital data are available (of which 2 are outdated, i.e. the last available state dates back to 180 or more days before the reference date), 471 are actively controlled, 747 are drifting above, below or through GEO, 190 are in a libration orbit and 15 are in a highly inclined orbit. For 11 objects the status could not be determined. Furthermore, there are 50 uncontrolled objects without orbital data (of which 44 have not been cata- logued). Thus the total number of known objects in the geostationary region is 1484. In issue 18 the previously used definition of ”near the geostationary ring” has been slightly adapted. If you detect any error or if you have any comment or question please contact: Tim Flohrer, PhD European Space Agency European Space Operations Center Space Debris Office (OPS-GR) Robert-Bosch-Str. 5 64293 Darmstadt, Germany Tel.: +49-6151-903058 E-mail: tim.fl[email protected] Page 1 / 178 European Space Agency CLASSIFICATION OF GEOSYNCHRONOUS OBJECTS Agence spatiale europeenne´ Date 3 June 2016 Issue 18 Rev 0 Table of contents 1 Introduction 3 2 Sources 4 2.1 USSTRATCOM Two-Line Elements (TLEs) . 4 2.2 Keldysh Institute for Applied Mathematics (KIAM) . 4 3 List of Geosynchronous Objects 8 4 Objects with Ephemeris 39 4.1 Satellites under Longitude and Inclination Control (E-W and N-S Control) . 41 4.2 Satellites under Longitude Control (only E-W Control) . 64 4.3 Satellites in a Controlled Drift Orbit . 74 4.4 Objects in a Drift Orbit . 75 4.5 Objects in a Libration Orbit around the Eastern Stable Point . 125 4.6 Objects in a Libration Orbit around the Western Stable Point . 134 4.7 Objects in a Libration Orbit around both Stable Points . 138 4.8 Objects in Highly Inclined Orbits . 145 4.9 Objects of Indeterminate Status . 147 5 Objects without Ephemeris 152 5.1 Catalogued Objects . 152 5.2 Uncatalogued Objects . 152 6 Figures 154 7 Summary 160 8 Acknowledgements 162 Page 2 / 178 European Space Agency CLASSIFICATION OF GEOSYNCHRONOUS OBJECTS Agence spatiale europeenne´ Date 3 June 2016 Issue 18 Rev 0 1 Introduction All objects that are catalogued in ESA’s DISCOS Database (Database and Information System Charac- terising Objects in Space) and residing at the reference epoch within either of the orbital classes GEO, EGO and IGO (see table 1 for the class definitions) are listed in this document. The main purpose is to classify all the objects residing in the former two orbital classes according to different categories (top level: controlled, drifting and librating). Table 1: Orbital classes defined by a combination of inclination i [deg], semi-major axis a [km], eccentric- ity e, perigee height hp [km] and apogee height ha [km]. As they are non-exclusive, orbits are assigned according to the order given here. Additionally, the IADC GEO protected region [1] defined by latitude f [deg] and altitude h [km] is given. Orbit Description Definition GEO Geostationary Orbit i 2 [0, 25] hp 2 [35586, 35986] ha 2 [35586, 35986] EGO Extended Geostationary Orbit i 2 [0, 25] a 2 [37948, 46380] e 2 [0, 0.25] IGO Inclined Geosynchronous Orbit i 2 [25, 180] a 2 [37948, 46380] e 2 [0, 0.25] GEOIADC IADC GEO Protected Region f 2 [−15, 15] h 2 [35586, 35986] The document is structured as follows. Section 2 describes the sources being used to compile this report and section 3 gives an overview of all the catalogued objects. Detailed information about the objects is given in section 4 and 5 for objects where orbital data is available and where no orbital data is avail- able respectively. Figures are presented in section 6 to visualize the data and section 7 summarises the findings. Page 3 / 178 European Space Agency CLASSIFICATION OF GEOSYNCHRONOUS OBJECTS Agence spatiale europeenne´ Date 3 June 2016 Issue 18 Rev 0 2 Sources Subsequently, each source contributing to this report is presented. 2.1 USSTRATCOM Two-Line Elements (TLEs) The basic source of information are the USSTRATCOM Two-Line Elements (TLEs). The DISCOS Database [2] is updated at regular intervals by ESOC’s Space Debris Office. The accuracy of TLE is limited. At the geostationary altitude, TLE are provided on a regular basis, and are mainly for objects larger than about 1 meter in size. TLE for smaller objects are provided rather sporadically. It should be noted that also some of the derived parameters like libration period and libration amplitude may in some cases be subject to a limited accuracy. For further information about the method of classification please refer to Classification of Geostationary Objects [3]. Eight different classifications are distinguished: C1 objects under longitude and inclination control (E-W as well as N-S control) – the longitude is nearly constant and the inclination is smaller than 0.3 degrees, C2 objects under longitude control (only E-W control) – the longitude is nearly constant but the inclination is higher than 0.3 degrees, D objects in a drift orbit, L1 objects in a libration orbit around the Eastern stable point (longitude 75 degrees East), L2 objects in a libration orbit around the Western stable point (longitude 105 degreesWest), L3 objects in a libration orbit around both stable points, I objects in highly inclined orbits with inclination larger than 25.0 degrees, Ind objects of indeterminate status. The frame in which the mean orbital elements are expressed for objects from this source is the true equator, mean equinox (TEME) frame. The catalogue number is given as the source id (S-ID). 2.2 Keldysh Institute for Applied Mathematics (KIAM) This source provides orbital data derived from ground-based optical observations. Data are provided only for objects for which no USSTRATCOM TLEs are published. Orbits given in this report are pro- duced from measurements obtained in 2015 and prepared by Vladimir Agapov, Keldysh Institute for Applied Mathematics, Moscow (KIAM). They are a joint product of the wide cooperation of organiza- tions including: • Center on collection, processing and analysis of information on space debris at the Keldysh Insti- tute of Applied Mathematics of the Russian Academy of Sciences (KIAM RAS, Moscow, Russia), Page 4 / 178 European Space Agency CLASSIFICATION OF GEOSYNCHRONOUS OBJECTS Agence spatiale europeenne´ Date 3 June 2016 Issue 18 Rev 0 • International scientific observation facilities network (ISON) coordinated by KIAM RAS and in- cluding the following observatories: – Ussuriysk Astrophysical Observatory of the Far East branch of the RAS (Gornotayozhnoye, Primorsky Krai, Russia), – Zvenigorod observatory of the Astronomy Institute of the RAS (INASAN) (Moscow oblast, Russia), – Crimean Astrophysical Observatory (Nauchny), – Ulugbek Astronomical Observatory (Kitab facilitiy, Qashqadaryo Province, Uzbekistan), – Observation facilities operated by the ”Astronomical Scientific Center”, JSC: ∗ Artem (Primorsky Krai, Russia), ∗ Blagoveshchensk (Amur region, Russia), ∗ Kislovodsk observatory (Karachaevo-Cherkesskaya Republic, Russia), ∗ Lesosibirsk (Krasnoyarsky Krai, Russia), ∗ Milkovo (Kamchatka Krai, Russia), – Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory of the Armenian Academy of Sciences (Byurakan, Ar- menia), – Andrushivka Observatory (Zhytomyrs’ka oblast, Ukraine), – National observatory of Bolivia (Tarija, Bolivia), – Sayan Solar Observatory of the Institute of Solar-Terrestrial Physics of the Siberian branch of the RAS (Mondy, Republic of Buryatia, Russia), – Observation facility of the PGU (Tiraspol), – Odessa State University Astronomical Observatory (Mayaki, Odes’ka oblast, Ukraine), – Derenovka observation facility of Laboratory of space researches, Uzhhorod National Uni- versity (Zakarpats’ka oblast, Ukraine), – Chuguyev observation facility of the Astronomy scientific and research institute of Kharkov national university (Kharkiv’ska oblast, Ukraine), – Cosala´ observation facility of the The Autonomous University of Sinaloa (Universidad Autonoma´ de Sinaloa, UAS, Mexico), – Khureltogoot observatory of the The Research Centre of Astronomy and Geophysics of the Mongolian Academy of Sciences, – Observatory ”Peak Terskol” of the International Center for Astronomical, Medical and Eco- logical Research (Kabardino-Balkaria Republic, Russia), – E.Kharadze Abastumani Astrophysical Observatory of Ilia State University (Abastumani, Adigeni District, Georgia), – Mul’ta observation facility (Altai Republic, Russia), – Observatory of Altai State Pedagogical University (Barnaul, Altaisky Krai). • Astronomical Institute of the University of Bern, partner of ISON, operating the Zimmerwald observatory (Switzerland) and, for space debris observation, the ESA 1m telescope at the optical ground station (OGS), Izana,˜ Tenerife, Spain, • Telescope Fabra ROA Montsec (TFRM) operated by the Reial Academia` de Ciencies` i Arts de Barcelona - Observatori Fabra, the Real Instituto y Observatorio de la Armada (ROA) and the Departament d’Astronomia i Meteorologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Spain. Page 5 / 178 European Space Agency CLASSIFICATION OF GEOSYNCHRONOUS OBJECTS Agence spatiale europeenne´ Date 3 June 2016 Issue 18 Rev 0 Table 2: Objects with information initially provided by KIAM with corresponging S-ID and later as- signed international designation by the USSTRATCOM. S-ID COSPAR Name Page UI089 1968-081R Titan IIIC stage 3 fragmentation debris p. 113 UI094 1997-040A PAS 6 p. 75 UI099 1977-092K Ekran 2 fragmentation debris p. 109 UI153 2008-006C Proton-M/Briz-M fourth stage (Briz-M) p. 76 UI163 2010-006B Proton-M/Briz-M fourth stage (Briz-M) p. 75 UU065 2002-040E Meteosat 8 (MSG 1) operational debris (SEVIRI Cooler Cover) p.
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