Subject: [SLR-Mail] No. 792: ILRS Mission Support for H2A- LRE
From: Mike Pearlman <###FROM###>

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SLR Electronic Mail          2001-08-01 20:20:00 UTC           Message No. 792 
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Author: Mike Pearlman
Subject: ILRS Mission Support for H2A- LRE

Dear Colleagues:

The ILRS Governing Board has approved a one-month tracking campaign 
on the NASDA H2A-LRE satellite starting immediately after launch,
presently scheduled for August 25. The campaign will support the
initial NASDA requirements and will permit us to evaluate data
quantity, quality, and usefulness. The level of further support will
then be determined. The SLR Mission Support Request is included 
below.


The mission is a test of a new launch vehicle for the transfer of
satellites into geosynchronous orbit. The SLR tracking will help
evaluate the trajectory of the transfer vehicle. Tracking will (1)
provide a means of calibrating SLR systems over a broad range of
distances, (2) help monitor vehicle spin rates and (3) support tests
on the degradation of  low-cost BK-7 cubes on the array. This 
mission, with its highly eccentric orbit, will also be used to refine 
current air drag and gravity field models. 

Details on the LRE satellite and the mission can be found at NASDA 
web site:

           http://god.tksc.nasda.go.jp/lr/lre.html

>From an ILRS point of view, H2A-LRE will also test our ability to
track highly eccentric orbits. Although the orbit will range from 250
km to 36,000 km, it is anticipated that a mix of the SLR stations
should be able to track most of the orbit.   

A review on the progress of the H2A-LRE tracking will be held in
Toulouse at the Missions Working Group Meeting. A decision on further
support will be made at the Governing Board Meeting on Thursday
evening, September 20.  

Special requests from NASDA for this mission include:

1. Immediate availability of as much SLR data as possible during the
first revolution; stations in North and South America will be
in darkness;

2. Visual position (relative to the IRV prediction) as seen by those
stations with tracking cameras; short message on estimated magnitude
and rough offset angle of LRE and nearby the rocket body;

To accommodate this mission, we will set the LRE priority and
observation period as a function of altitude to avoid crowding out
other high priority satellites. 

In early August, field stations will be requested to perform tests to
verify prediction and tracking capability. 

Your support on this new mission is greatly appreciated.

Best regards,

Mike Pearlman
Director, ILRS Central Bureau
 

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