| Date: | 1998-06-05 20:00:00 | |
| Sender: | John J. Degnan <> Hiroo Kunimori <kuni@crl.go.jp>> | |
| Subject: | [SLR-Mail] No. 121: launch of WESTPAC | |
| Author: | John J. Degnan | |
| Content: | ******************************************************************************** SLR Electronic Mail 1998-06-05 20:00:00 UTC Message No. 121 ******************************************************************************** Author: John J. Degnan Subject: launch of WESTPAC pearlman@cfa.harvard.edu (Mike Pearlman), dcarter@eib1.gsfc.nasa.gov (Dave Carter), schlueter@wvax1.wettzell.ifag.de (Wolfgang Schleuter), ats@ast.cam.ac.uk (Andrew Sinclair), GURTNER@aiub.unibe.ch (Werner Gurtner), JohnLuck@auslig.gov.au, ron.noomen@lr.tudelft.nl (Ron Noomen), eanes@csr.utexas.edu (Richard Eanes), pjs@astro.as.utexas.edu (Peter Shelus), kuni@crl.go.jp (Hiroo Kunimori), yangfm@center.shao.ac.cn, jmb@ltpmail.gsfc.nasa.gov (John Bosworth), noll@cddis.gsfc.nasa.gov (Carey Noll), dsmith@ltpmail.gsfc.nasa.gov (Dave Smith) I have received the attached communication from Dr. Hiroo Kunimori regarding the upcoming launch of the WESTPAC geodetic satellite on approximately June 23. This mission had been coordinated previously with the Subcommission under a variety of names (i.e., WPLTN-1 and WPLS). This is a dedicated SLR satellite, and I urge the global SLR tracking stations to support the mission to the best of their abilities. Following the post-launch phase of intensive tracking, the satellite should revert to an operational tracking priority comparable to the Starlette or Stella satellites, based on our normal CSTG criteria of altitude and inclination, unless directed otherwise by the Subcommission at a later date. Technical or scientific questions regarding the WESTPAC mission, not answered in the attached cummunication from the WPLTN, should be directed to Dr. Kunimori. Sincerely, John J. Degnan Chairperson CSTG SLR/LLR Subcommission >Return-Path: >Date: Fri, 5 Jun 1998 17:23:34 +0900 (JST) >X-Sender: kuni@huygens.crl.go.jp >To: jjd@ltpmail.gsfc.nasa.gov (John Degnan) >From: Hiroo Kunimori >Subject: launch of WESTPAC > >To Dr.John Degnan >The chairman of CSTG SLR subcommission > >Dear John, > >I am writing this on behalf of WPLTN member country executives. >The following is the message to SLR community addressing the coming launch of >WESTPAC and request to support the mission. >The text include concise information in accordance with Mission Support Plan >guideline as much as possible and a pointer for additional information to the >WEB page. >Could you please circulate this to the steering committee members or may I do >by the early next week ? >I will follow your designation. > >Best regards, >Hiroo > > >--------------------------- >Dear Colleagues, > > As was presented at the SLR workshop in Shanghai, China in September 1996, >and recently the CSTG SLR subcommission in Nice, France in April, 1998, we are >pleased to address that the launch preparation of the WESTPAC is fulfilled in >accordance with a final schedule. The satellite is housed in a main satellite, >RESURS-01-N4 at Baikanur station and waiting for launch. The launch window will >be on June 23 (and June 24 as a reserved date). We describe the objectives, >main parameters and protocols of this mission in the following text and ask all >of the possible SLR station to join tracking of the WESTPAC. >We will generate a TIRV and send you (directly or through CDDIS and EDC) as >soon as launch is successful. >Then, the separation of WESTPAC satellite from main satellite will be executed >in the time so that most of key stations is ready to observe at night with sun >illumination condition. The TIRV will be updated and sent you as timely manner >as accuracy improved as the SLR data input to the mission control center. >Thank you in advance for supporting the WESTPAC mission. Additional >information on the WESTPAC will be forthcoming as next action/operations is >necessary. > > >Hiroo Kunimori >Secretary of Western Pacific Laser Tracking Network, >On behalf of steering committee of the Western Pacific Laser Tracking Network > >=========Description of WESTPAC missions============ > >1. Name of the mission >The common name of satellite was referred initially in the design phase, >WPLTN-1 or WPLS, is now called WESTPAC. >The satellite owner is registered as Australia and the launch will be made by >Russian Space Agency. >The general information of the WESTPAC was reported in Laser Ranging Newsletter >SLR/LLR subcommission of the CSTG, pp.25-27, May 1996 and >The picture and related information can be seen on >http://www.auslig.gov.au/orroral/wpltn/westpac.htm. > >2. Scientific and Technical Points of Contact for the Mission >-RISDE (Russian Institute of Space Device Engineering) >e-mail:natali@ricimi.msk.su, >-WESTPAC Operation centers: LOAC (Laser Operational Analysis Center) of MCC >(Mission Control Center), Russian Space Agency >e-mail: CNSS@mcc.rsa.ru (Data Transmission only) >-Secretary of WPLTN >Hiroo Kunimori, KSP office, Communications Research Laboratory >e-mail: kuni@crl.go.jp > >3. Objectives > >The WESTPAC is a very small, dense, spherical geodetic satellite. >The distinguishing features of WESTPAC include: >-Only a singlle corner-cube will reflect on any shot so that we demonstrate SLR >accurate measurement by minimum CoM (Center of Mass) correction error and >provide not only a conventional geodetic satellite for long arc solution but >also, an ideal target for short arc solution from multiple SLR stations >simultaneously; >- Its response will be optimized for 1.54 micron wavelength, to provide one of >the fully eye-safe ranging target in the future. >- The corner cube design and material will assume the Fizeau effect influence >on the light velocity aberration and good test for an another relativity >application to SLR. > >4. Intended launch scenario and planned dates > >The WESTPAC satellite will be launched as a piggyback load by the RESURS-O1 N 4 >launching; the planned launch dates are June 23-24,1998. The planned orbit >parameters are: > > 101.306530 Tdr, min > 820727.000 He,m > 239.225020 Le,deg > 7202.07600 a,km > 0.00120 e > 98.7524 i,deg > 131.960000 OMEGA,deg > 66.60 w, deg > 846020.000 Hmax,m > 819960.000 Hmin,m > >5. Intended mission duration: > 10 years > >6. Requirements for tracking during the mission phases: > >Immediately after launch during a period of one month all the global SLR >network stations will be asked to track the WESTPAC satellite, to establish >orbit and the data flow. >In the operational phase of the mission, the required rate and duration of >observations will be one pass in two days for a mean of 12 SLR stations well >distributed across the globe; observation during 10 minutes for each pass in >order to produce an orbit prediction error of an order of 50 m RMS in a >prediction cycle. > >7. TIRV ,Time-bias and data stream to support the Mission. >TIRV Generation by LORC of MCC in the same way as in the case of the Russian >Zeya project and Distribution through via the EDC and CDDIS, as well as >directly sent to the stations, if required. >Time bias Generation by both LORC of MCC and RGO and distribution of >TBF-format through RGO. >Data collection from every station using the traditional scheme, via the EDC >and CDDIS, or directly to the MCC, if necessary ,via the E-mail. > >8. Identification >COSPAR #: TBD >SIC #: TBD >NORAD #: TBD >To be registered immediately after launch > >9. NORMAL POINT BIN SIZE: 15 sec > >10 Obtaining data for special investigations >Station which holds a full rate data in the station will be requested later to >send MERIT-II format to MCC (or through EDC or CDDIS) for the investigation of >the Fizeau effect. > > >11. Further information listed below will be available at the home page in crl >in the near future. > >-The Spin, mass, and dimensions. >-Signature of the satellite Characteristic >-Optical parameters of the WESTPAC satellite. >-Accuracy parameters of the WESTPAC satellite. >-Total RMS error st , systematic correction Dc in mm by SLR at l=1.54 mm >-Investigation of the possible Fizeau effect influence on the light velocity >aberration compensation. >-Efficiency parameters of the WESTPAC satellite. >-Mean probable return signal level ns and maximum return signal level n s max >(in photoelectrons) by ranging at l=0.532mm. >-Mean probable return signal level ns and maximum return signal level n s max >(in photoelectrons) by ranging at l=1.54 mm >-SLR station parameters used for the WESTPAC satellite return signal strength > calculation >Attachment1 : Adaptation of basic LOAC software for the support of the WESTPAC >Mission, >Attachment2: Comparison of LOAC and other Centers results on the real SLR data >processing > >=============================================== > > > > > >=============================================================== > >Hiroo Kunimori$B!!9q?9M5@8(J >Satellite Laser Ranging Program Manager >Keystone Project Team, Communications Research Laboratory >4-2-1 Nukui-Kita Koganei, Tokyo 184-8795 Japan >Tel:81-423-27-7559, Fax:81-423-27-6077 >E-mail:kuni@crl.go.jp > > [Mailed From: John Degnan ******************************************************************************** |