Classification of Geosynchrono
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ESA UNCLASSIFIED - Limited Distribution ! esoc European Space Operations Centre Robert-Bosch-Strasse 5 D-64293 Darmstadt Germany T +49 (0)6151 900 F +31 (0)6151 90495 www.esa.int TECHNICAL NOTE Classification of Geosynchronous objects. Prepared by ESA Space Debris Office Reference GEN-DB-LOG-00270-OPS-SD Issue/Revision 21.0 Date of Issue 19 July 2019 Status Issued ESA UNCLASSIFIED - Limited Distribution ! Page 2/234 Classification of Geosynchronous objects. Issue Date 19 July 2019 Ref GEN-DB-LOG-00270-OPS-SD ESA UNCLASSIFIED - Limited Distribution ! Abstract This is a status report on (near) geosynchronous objects as of 1 January 2019. 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 From 1578 objects for which orbital data are available (of which 14 are outdated, i.e. the last available state dates back to 180 or more days before the reference date), 529 are actively controlled, 831 are drifting above, below or through GEO, 195 are in a libration orbit and 21 are in a highly inclined orbit. For 2 object the status could not be determined. Furthermore, there are 60 uncontrolled objects without orbital data (of which 55 have not been catalogued). Thus the total number of known objects in the geostationary region is 1638. Finally, there are 130 rocket bodies crossing GEO. If you detect any error or if you have any comment or question please contact: Stijn Lemmens European Space Agency European Space Operations Center Space Debris Office (OPS-GR) Robert-Bosch-Str. 5 64293 Darmstadt, Germany Tel.: +49-6151-902634 E-mail: [email protected] Page 3/234 Classification of Geosynchronous objects. Issue Date 19 July 2019 Ref GEN-DB-LOG-00270-OPS-SD ESA UNCLASSIFIED - Limited Distribution ! Table of contents 1 Introduction .................................................. 6 2 Sources ..................................................... 7 2.1 USSTRATCOM Two-Line Elements (TLEs) . 7 2.2 JSC Vimpel Space Data . 7 2.3 Keldysh Institute for Applied Mathematics (KIAM) . 7 3 List of Geosynchronous Objects ..................................... 10 4 Objects with Ephemeris ........................................... 50 4.1 Satellites under Longitude and Inclination Control (E-W and N-S Control) . 51 4.2 Satellites under Longitude Control (only E-W Control) . 83 4.3 Satellites in a Controlled Drift Orbit . 96 4.4 Objects in a Drift Orbit . 97 4.5 Objects in a Libration Orbit around the Eastern Stable Point . 167 4.6 Objects in a Libration Orbit around the Western Stable Point . 178 4.7 Objects in a Libration Orbit around both Stable Points . 182 4.8 Objects in Highly Inclined Orbits . 191 4.9 Objects of Indeterminate Status . 193 4.10 Rocket Bodies crossing Geostationary Orbits . 194 5 Objects without Ephemeris ........................................205 5.1 Catalogued Objects . .205 5.2 Uncatalogued Objects . .205 6 Figures ......................................................208 7 Summary ....................................................216 8 Acknowledgements .............................................. 217 Page 4/234 Classification of Geosynchronous objects. Issue Date 19 July 2019 Ref GEN-DB-LOG-00270-OPS-SD ESA UNCLASSIFIED - Limited Distribution ! Page 5/234 Classification of Geosynchronous objects. Issue Date 19 July 2019 Ref GEN-DB-LOG-00270-OPS-SD ESA UNCLASSIFIED - Limited Distribution ! 1 INTRODUCTION All objects that are catalogued in ESA’s DISCOS Database (Database and Information System Characterising Objects in Space) and residing at the reference date within one of the orbital classes GEO, IGO and EGO (see table 1 for the class definitions) are listed in this document. The main purpose is to classify all the objects residing in the first two orbital classes according to different categories (top level: controlled, drifting and librating). In addition, all objects that are catalogued in DISCOS as rocket bodies and were crossing the GEO protected region during the calendar year prior to the reference date are listed as well. The reference date for this report is 1 January 2019. Table 1: Orbital classes defined by a combination of inclination i [deg], semi-major axis a [km], eccentricity 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 Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee (IADC) GEO protected region [1] defined by latitude φ [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] IGO Inclined Geosynchronous Orbit i 2 [25; 180] a 2 [37948; 46380] e 2 [0; 0:25] EGO Extended Geostationary Orbit i 2 [0; 25] a 2 [37948; 46380] e 2 [0; 0:25] GEOIADC IADC GEO Protected Region φ 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 available respectively. Figures are presented in section 6 to visualize the data and section 7 summarises the findings. Page 6/234 Classification of Geosynchronous objects. Issue Date 19 July 2019 Ref GEN-DB-LOG-00270-OPS-SD ESA UNCLASSIFIED - Limited Distribution ! 2 SOURCES Subsequently, each source contributing to this report is presented in a separate section. They are ordered by priority in case an object appears in multiple sources. From these sources, the report exhibits the categorisation of objects based on observed orbital patterns. Nine 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 generally less than 0:3 degrees (however control at larger angles within one year is accepted as well), C2 objects under longitude control (only E-W control) – the longitude is nearly constant but the inclination is generally greater than 0:3 degrees, C4 objects maintaining a drift orbit near or inside GEOIADC, 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 degrees West), L3 objects in a libration orbit around both stable points, I objects in highly inclined orbits with inclination greater than 25:0 degrees, X objects crossing the GEO protected region, Ind objects of indeterminate status. 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 with this source. 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 accu- racy. For further information about the method of classification please refer to Classification of Geostationary Objects [3]. 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 JSC Vimpel Space Data This source of data is a bulletin prepared jointly by the data-analysis centre of near-Earth space monitoring (DAC NESM) of JSC Vimpel Interstate Corporation and KIAM. Orbital data are obtained from optical information of JSC Vimpel, KIAM, JSC Astronomical Scientific Center, and the International Space Observation Network (ISON) and their partners. The DISCOS Database [2] is updated at regular intervals by ESOC’s Space Debris Office with this source. The content of the data is specialised to objects in near-Earth orbit with long, i.e. above 200 minutes, periods not covered in the TLE data source. When using orbital elements, they are expressed for objects from this source in the Earth Mean Equator and Equinox at 12:00 Terrestrial Time on 1 January 2000 frame (J2000). The catalogue number is given as the source id (S-ID). 2.3 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 produced from measure- Page 7/234 Classification of Geosynchronous objects. Issue Date 19 July 2019 Ref GEN-DB-LOG-00270-OPS-SD ESA UNCLASSIFIED - Limited Distribution ! ments obtained in 2017 and prepared by Vladimir Agapov, Keldysh Institute for Applied Mathematics, Moscow (KIAM), but not updated in 2018. The orbits are a joint product of the wide cooperation of organizations in- cluding: • Center on collection, processing and analysis of information on space debris at the Keldysh Institute of Applied Mathematics of the Russian Academy of Sciences (KIAM RAS, Moscow, Russia), • International scientific observation facilities network (ISON) coordinated by KIAM RAS and other obser- vatories operated by Russian scientific and industry organizations: – Ussuriysk Astrophysical Observatory of the Far East branch of the RAS (Gornotayozhnoye, Primorsky Krai, Russia), – Zvenigorod observatory of the Astronomy