Vol. 39 No.4, January 2014 Editor: Jos Heyman FBIS In this issue: Satellite Update 3 Cancelled Projects: X-33 4 News Apstar-9 2 AsiaSat-9 7 ICESat-2 7 ISS 7 KSC launch Pad 39A 6 L2 and L3 Missions 2 Mars One 7 NROL-39 6 Panasonic 6 Robonaut-2 3 SGDC 2 SOAR 7 Soyuz 2-1v/Volga 7 TDRS-L 5 Tupac Katari-1 2 TIROS SPACE INFORMATION SGDC 86 Barnevelder Bend, Southern River WA 6110, Australia Tel + 61 8 9398 1322 Brazil has ordered a civil-military communications satellite from Thales Alenia Space using the (e-mail: [email protected]) Spacebus 4000 platform. The Tiros Space Information (TSI) - News Bulletin is published to promote the scientific exploration and To be known as the Satélite Geoestacionário de Defesa e Comunicações Estratégicas (SGDC) commercial application of space through the dissemination of current news and historical facts. (for Geostationary and Defense and Strategic Communications Satellite), it will carry 50 Ka In doing so, Tiros Space Information continues the traditions of the Western Australian Branch of the band transponders. Apart from the military applications, the satellite will also be used to extend Astronautical Society of Australia (1973-1975) and the Astronautical Society of Western Australia (ASWA) internet communications throughout Brazil. (1975-2006). Launch by an Ariane 5 launch vehicle is expected in 2017. The News Bulletin can be received worldwide by e-mail subscription only. Subscriptions can be requested by sending an e-mail address to [email protected]. Tiros Space Information reserves the right to refuse any subscription request without the need to provide a reason. All opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Editor or Apstar-9 Tiros Space Information. All material contained in this publication may be reproduced provided due acknowledgment is made. APT Satellite Communications of Hong Kong has ordered the Apstar-9 satellite for launch in late 2015. The satellite will be based on the DFH 4 platform and will carry 32 C band and 14 Ku band Calling card... transponders. A CZ 3B launch vehicle will place the satellite in a geostationary orbit at 142 oE. I suppose I only got myself to blame. Readers will remember that in the past I have grumbled about the quality of the mission press L2 and L3 Missions kits issued by NASA – information not being up to date and quickly copied from previous sources. The European Space Agency has selected two scientific missions to study the hot and energetic universe and search for elusive gravitational waves as the next missions in its Cosmic Vision Well, NASA has finally taken action. Science programme. When I was looking for the Press Kit for the ISS Expeditions 37 and 38 (in order to use the list For now identified as L2, the first mission will be an advanced X-ray observatory to examine of experiments that was contained in the previous ISS press kits to update my data files) I got how and why ordinary matter assembles into the galaxies and galactic clusters as well as how this message: black holes grow and influence their surroundings. Press Kits after Expedition 36 will no longer be available. The latest station mission information including science, spacewalks, spacecraft launches and landings will be The second mission, identified as L3, will study gravity in the universe, searching for ripples in available throughout the Space Station section. the fabric of space-time created by celestial objects with very strong gravity, such as pairs of merging black holes. True, if you go to the website that is – more or less – devoted to the International Space Station, Launch dates for the two missions are at least ten years in the future. there is an irregular mention of the experiments that the crew has worked on, but, in my honest opinion, that is not a viable replacement for the previously published full list. Tupac Katari-1 At this point it is also worthwhile to reflect that the daily update on ISS activities that was issued for so many years, disappeared after the author, a retired NASA employee, passed away. Tupac Katari-1, Bolivia’s first satellite, is scheduled for launch on 20 December 2013 by a CZ 3B/E launch vehicle from Xichang. Surely the media folks at NASA can do better. Built by Great Wall Industry Corp. of China, and based on the DFH 4 platform, the satellite will be fitted with 26 Ku-band, 2 C-band and 2 Ka-band transponders. Its orbital location will be Jos Heyman 87.2 oW. The satellite is named in honour of Tupac Katari, a Bolivian 18th century indigenous leader who fought for national independence. Tiros Space Information – News Bulletin, January 2014, page 2 Satellite Update 2013 066M Triton-1 21-Nov-2013 Dnepr 1 Netherl. Technology 2013 066N Delfi-n3Xt 21-Nov-2013 Dnepr 1 Netherl. Technology 2013 066P Dove-3 21-Nov-2013 Dnepr 1 USA Technology Launches in November 2013 2013 066Q GOMX-1 21-Nov-2013 Dnepr 1 Denm. Technology 2013 066R BRITE-PL-1 21-Nov-2013 Dnepr 1 Poland Technology Int.Des. Name Launch Launch vehicle Country Notes 2013 066AJ BPA-3 21-Nov-2013 Dnepr 1 Ukraine Technology date 2013 066* CubeBug-2 21-Nov-2013 Dnepr 1 Argent. Technology 2013 060A MOM 5-Nov-2013 PSLV-XL India Mars orbiter 2013 066* UWE-2 21-Nov-2013 Dnepr 1 Germ. Technology 2013 061A Soyuz TMA-11M 7-Nov-2013 Soyuz FG Russia Crewed 2013 066* Wren 21-Nov-2013 Dnepr 1 Germ. Technology 2013 062A Raduga 1M-3 11-Nov-2013 Proton M/Briz M Russia Communications 2013 066* ZACube-1 21-Nov-2013 Dnepr 1 S.Africa Technology 2013 063A MAVEN 18-Nov-2013 Atlas V-401 USA Lunar orbiter 2013 066* Velox P-2 21-Nov-2013 Dnepr 1 Singp. Technology 1998 067DA PicoDragon 19-Nov-2013 --- Vietnam Technology 2013 066* CINEMA-2 21-Nov-2013 Dnepr 1 S.Korea Technology 1998 067DB Ardusat-1 19-Nov-2013 --- USA Technology 2013 066* CINEMA-3 21-Nov-2013 Dnepr 1 S.Korea Technology 1998 067DC Ardusat-X 19-Nov-2013 --- USA Technology 2013 066* NEE 02 Krysaor 21-Nov-2013 Dnepr 1 Ecuador Technology 1998 067DD TechEdSat-3 20-Nov-2013 --- USA Technology 2013 066* HumSat-D 21-Nov-2013 Dnepr 1 Spain Technology 2013 064A STPSat-3 20-Nov-2013 Minotaur-1 USA Technology 2013 066* ICube 21-Nov-2013 Dnepr 1 Pakist. Technology 2013 064J SENSE-1 20-Nov-2013 Minotaur-1 USA Technology 2013 066* PUCPSat-1 21-Nov-2013 Dnepr 1 Peru Technology 2013 064N SENSE-2 20-Nov-2013 Minotaur-1 USA Technology 2013 066* HINCube 21-Nov-2013 Dnepr 1 Norway Technology 2013 064* ORSES 20-Nov-2013 Minotaur-1 USA Technology 2013 066* First-MOVE 21-Nov-2013 Dnepr 1 Germ. Technology 2013 064* ORS Tech-1 20-Nov-2013 Minotaur-1 USA Technology 2013 066* OPTOS 21-Nov-2013 Dnepr 1 Spain Technology 2013 064* ORS Tech-2 20-Nov-2013 Minotaur-1 USA Technology 2013 066* FUNCube-1 21-Nov-2013 Dnepr 1 UK Technology 2013 064* Firefly 20-Nov-2013 Minotaur-1 USA Technology 2013 066* $50Sat 21-Nov-2013 Dnepr 1 USA Technology 2013 064* STARE-B 20-Nov-2013 Minotaur-1 USA Technology 2013 066* Beakersat-1 21-Nov-2013 Dnepr 1 USA Technology 2013 064* Black Knight-1 20-Nov-2013 Minotaur-1 USA Technology 2013 066* Dove-4 21-Nov-2013 Dnepr 1 USA Technology 2013 064* NPS-SCAT 20-Nov-2013 Minotaur-1 USA Technology 2013 066* Pocket PUCP 21-Nov-2013 Dnepr 1 USA Technology 2013 064* COPPER 20-Nov-2013 Minotaur-1 USA Technology 2013 066* QBScout-1 21-Nov-2013 Dnepr 1 USA Technology 2013 064* SPA-1 Trailblazer 20-Nov-2013 Minotaur-1 USA Technology 2013 067A Swarm-A 22-Nov-2013 Rokot/Briz KM ESA Ionospheric 2013 064* Vermont Lunar 20-Nov-2013 Minotaur-1 USA Technology 2013 067B Swarm-B 22-Nov-2013 Rokot/Briz KM ESA Ionospheric Cubesat 2013 067C Swarm-C 22-Nov-2013 Rokot/Briz KM ESA Ionospheric 2013 064* Prometheus-1 20-Nov-2013 Minotaur-1 USA Technology 2013 068A Shiyan-5 25-Nov-2013 CZ 2D China Technology 2013 064* Prometheus-2 20-Nov-2013 Minotaur-1 USA Technology 2013 069A Progress M-21M 25-Nov-2013 Soyuz U Russia Crewed support 2013 064* Prometheus-3 20-Nov-2013 Minotaur-1 USA Technology *The Int. Des. has not yet been assigned or confirmed. 2013 064* Prometheus-4 20-Nov-2013 Minotaur-1 USA Technology 2013 064* Prometheus-5 20-Nov-2013 Minotaur-1 USA Technology 2013 064* Prometheus-6 20-Nov-2013 Minotaur-1 USA Technology Other updates 2013 064* Prometheus-7 20-Nov-2013 Minotaur-1 USA Technology 2013 064* Prometheus-8 20-Nov-2013 Minotaur-1 USA Technology Int. Des. Name No tes 2013 064* Swampsat 20-Nov-2013 Minotaur-1 USA Technology 2009 013A GOCE Re-entered 11 November 2013 2013 064* CAPE-2 20-Nov-2013 Minotaur-1 USA Technology 2013 025A Soyuz TMA- Undocked on 10 November 2013 and re-entered on 11 November 2013 064* Dragonsat-1 20-Nov-2013 Minotaur-1 USA Technology 09M 2013. 2013 064* KYSat-2 20-Nov-2013 Minotaur-1 USA Technology 2013 027A ATV-4 Undocked on 28 October 2013 and re-entered on 2 November 2013 2013 064* T3JSat 20-Nov-2013 Minotaur-1 USA Technology 2013 064* ChargerSat-1 20-Nov-2013 Minotaur-1 USA Technology 2013 064* Ho'oponopono-2 20-Nov-2013 Minotaur-1 USA Technology Robonaut 2 2013 064* ORS-3 20-Nov-2013 Minotaur-1 USA Technology 2013 065A YW-19 20-Nov-2013 CZ 4C China Remote sensing NASA has announced that Robonaut 2, the robot sent to the International Space Station in 2013 066A AprizeSat-7 21-Nov-2013 Dnepr 1 USA Navigational February 2011, will receive legs that will allow him to climb whilst performing maintenance tasks 2013 066C SkySat-1 21-Nov-2013 Dnepr 1 USA Earth observation outside the space station.