world spacecraft digest by jos heyman 2012 … · laser relativity satellite ... the 1 kg satellite...

WORLD SPACECRAFT DIGEST by Jos Heyman 2012 Version: 5 March 2016 © Copyright Jos Heyman

2012 001A (38046) Name: Zi Yuan 3-1 Country: China Launch date: 9 January 2011 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Taiyuan Launch vehicle: CZ 4B

Orbit: 496 x 508 km, inclination: 97.5°

Earth resources satellite developed and built by the China Academy of Space Technology. The 2650 kg satellite carried an electro-optical imaging payload comprising three pointing forward, down and aft. The ground-facing camera had a resolution of 2.5 meters. In addition the satellite carried an infrared spectrometer.

2012 001A (38047) Name: VesselSat-2 Country: Luxembourg Launch date: 9 January 2011 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Taiyuan Launch vehicle: CZ 4B

Orbit: 488 x 501 km, inclination: 97.5° Maritime tracking satellite as described for 2011 058C. Also known as Orbcomm FM-43.

2012 002A (38049) Name: Feng Yun 2-F Country: China Launch date: 13 January 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Xichang Launch vehicle: CZ 3A

Orbit: geostationary at 112°E Meteorological satellite as described for 1997 029A but with improvements that extended the design life to four years. The 1390 kg spacecraft carried instruments for visible and infrared high-resolution cloud imagery and for monitoring space weather.

2012 003A (38070) Name: WGS-4 Country: USA Launch date: 20 January 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Cape Canaveral Launch vehicle: Delta 4 M+ (5,4)

Orbit: geostationary at 123°W Military communications satellite as described for 2007 046A. It was the first of the so called Block 2 satellites which incorporated improvements over the previous three satellites. These improvements offered better communication facilities with unmanned aerial reconnaissance vehicles. Also known as USA-233. The satellite was later placed over the Indian Ocean at 88oE.

2012 004A (38073) Name: Progress M-14M Country: Russia Launch date: 25 January 2012 Re-entry: 28 April 2012 Launch site: Baikonour Launch vehicle: Soyuz U

Orbit: 378 x 405 km, inclination: 51.6° Cargo transfer spacecraft as described for 2008 060A. Progress M-14M docked at the Pirs nadir port of ISS (1998 067A) on 27 January 2012. The flight was also known as ISS-46P. The spacecraft undocked on 19 April 2012.

2012 005A (38075) Name: Navid Country: Iran Launch date: 3 February 2012 Re-entry: 2 April 2012 Launch site: Semnan Launch vehicle: Safir 2


Navid was a 50 kg satellite designed and built by students at the Sharif University of Technology. Its objective was weather forecasting and natural disaster management.

2012 006A (38077) Name: LARES Country: Italy Launch date: 13 February 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Kourou Launch vehicle: Vega


LAser Relativity Satellite (LARES) was an Italian satellite covered with 92 laser retroreflectors to test part of Albert Einstein's theory of General Relativity. Earth based stations bounced laser off the 390 kg satellite to precisely measure the time it takes the beams to travel between the ground and spacecraft as it passed overhead in an experiment with the Lense-Thirring effect. LARES will remain in orbit for over 25,000 years. LARES was supported by the LARES Avionics and Harness Subsystem (A&H/SS) which was built by Temis S.r.l. and carried systems for environmental data acquisition, satellites’ separation and telemetry transmission. The 300 kg instrument package remained attached to the launch vehicle’s AVUM upper stage (2012 006K). It also controlled the release f the secondary payloads. This was the first launch of the Vega. The AtmoCube, OUFTI-1 and SwissCube 2, which at one stage were scheduled to be launched, were not ready in time.

2012 006B (38078) Name: AIMaSat Country: Italy Launch date: 13 February 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Kourou Launch vehicle: Vega


The ALma MAter SATellite (AlMaSat), a student satellite with a mass of 25 kg developed by the University of Bologna, Italy, tested the Micropropulsion System (MPS), a cold-gas propulsion system.

2012 006C (38079) Name: e-st@r Country: Italy Launch date: 13 February 2012 Re-entry: 16 January 2015 Launch site: Kourou Launch vehicle: Vega


The Educational SaTellite @ politecnico di toRino (e-st@r), developed at the Universitu di Torino, Italy, demonstrated an active 3-axis Attitude Determination and Control system including an inertial measurement unit. The satellite had a mass of 1 kg.

2012 006D (38080) Name: Goliat Country: Rumania Launch date: 13 February 2012 Re-entry: 31 December 2014 Launch site: Kourou Launch vehicle: Vega


Goliat was a 1 kg satellite built at the University of Bucharest, Rumania, for imaging the Earth surface using a digital camera and in-situ measurement of radiation dose and micrometeoroid flux.

2012 006E (38081) Name: MaSat-1 Country: Hungary Launch date: 13 February 2012 Re-entry: 9 Januuary 2015 Launch site: Kourou Launch vehicle: Vega


MagyarSat (MaSat)-1, the first indigenous Hungarian satellite, was developed and built by students of the Technical University of Budapest. The 1 kg satellite provided telemetric data at the amateur radio wavelength (437.345 MHz). It was also known as Oscar-72 and MO-72.

2012 006F (38082) Name: XaTcobeo Country: Spain Launch date: 13 February 2012 Re-entry: 31 August 2014 Launch site: Kourou Launch vehicle: Vega


XaTcobeo was built at the University of Vigo, Spain and carried a software defined reconfigurable radio (SRAD), a system for measuring the amount of ionizing radiation (RDS) as well as an experimental solar panel deployment system (PDM). It had a mass of 1 kg.

2012 006G (38083) Name: PW Sat Country: Poland Launch date: 13 February 2012 Re-entry: 28 October 2014 Launch site: Kourou Launch vehicle: Vega


The 1 kg PW-Sat satellite was built at the Politechniki Warszawskiej, Poland deployed a solar sail in space.

2012 006H (38084) Name: ROBUSTA Country: France Launch date: 13 February 2012 Re-entry: 28 January 2015 Launch site: Kourou Launch vehicle: Vega


ROBUSTA (Radiation on Bipolar Test for University Satellite Application) was a project of the University of Montpellier II, France, which checked the deterioration in flight of electronic components based on bipolar transistors when exposed to space radiation environment. The satellite had a mass of 1 kg.

2012 006J (38085) Name: UniCubeSat GG Country: Italy Launch date: 13 February 2012 Re-entry: 16 February 2015 Launch site: Kourou Launch vehicle: Vega


UniCubeSat GG was developed by the GAUSS astrodynamics group of the Sapienza University of Rome. It deployed two booms to demonstrate gravity-gradient stabilization on a picosatellite. Each boom carried a solar panel at its end to generate electrical power. The satellite had a mass of 1 kg.

2012 007A (38087) Name: SES-4 Country: Luxembourg Launch date: 14 February 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Baikonour Launch vehicle: Proton M/Briz M

Orbit: geostationary at 22°W

SES-4 was a communications satellite owned by SES New Skies. Originally known as NSS-14, it was built by Space Systems/Loral using the LS-1300 platform and was fitted with 52 C band transponders and 72 Ku band transponders. It had a mass of 6180 kg.

2012 008A (38091) Name: Beidou 2-G5 Country: China Launch date: 24 February 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Xichang Launch vehicle: CZ 3C

Orbit: geostationary at 59°E Navigational satellite in the Compass system as described for 2007 011A.

2012 009A (38093) Name: MUOS-1 Country: USA Launch date: 24 February 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Cape Canaveral Launch vehicle: Atlas V-551

Orbit: geostationary at ?°

The Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) network of communications satellites provided the US military services with Ultra High Frequency (UHF) communications capabilities. A replacement of the UHF Follow-On (UFO) system, the 6740 kg MUOS included new capabilities and enhanced mobility, access, capacity, and quality of service. It was intended primarily for mobile users and will reach forces inside urban buildings and under heavy jungle foliage. The five satellites were built by Lockheed Martin and four will be located in geostationary orbit over 23oW, 72oE, 172oE and 100oW. The fifth satellite was a spare. The programme was being managed by the US Navy. The first launch was originally envisaged for 2007 but was delayed because of funding restrictions.

2012 010A (38096) Name: ATV-3 Int.Agency: ESA Launch date: 23 March 2012 Re-entry: 3 October 2012 Launch site: Kourou Launch vehicle: Ariane 5 ATV Orbit: 378 x 399 km, inclination: 51.6o

Cargo spacecraft as described for 2008 008A. The spacecraft was named Edoardo Amaldi. The payload consisted of: 1. 3150 kg of propellant for reboost and attitude control; 2. 860 kg of refuelling propellant for the station’s propulsion system; 3. 285 kg of water; 4. 100 kg of oxygen and nitrogen (air); and 5. 2200 kg of dry supplies. This made a total of 6595 kg. On 28 March 2012 ATV-3 docked at the rear port of the Zvezda module of ISS (1998 067A). ATV-3 undocked on 28 September 2012.

2012 011A (38098) Name: Intelsat-22 Int. Agency: Intelsat Launch date: 25 March 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Baikonour Launch vehicle: Proton M/Briz M

Orbit: geostationary at 72°E

Communications satellite owned by Intelsat and built by Boeing using the BSS-702B platform. The 6199 kg satellite was fitted with 48 C- and 24 Ku-band transponders for customers in Africa, Asia, Europe and the Middle East. It also carried a specialized UHF payload for the Australian Defence Force.

2012 012A (38101) Name: Kosmos-2479 Country: Russia Launch date: 30 March 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Baikonour Launch vehicle: Proton K/DM2

Orbit: geostationary at 90°E Oko military early warning satellite as described for 1972 072A. This was the final Proton K/DM2 launch.

2012 013A (38107) Name: Apstar-7 Country: Hong Kong Launch date: 31 March 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Xichang Launch vehicle: CZ 3B/E

Orbit: geostationary at 76.5°E

Communications satellite owned by Hong Kong’s APT Satellite Holdings and built by Thales Alenia Space using the Spacebus 4000C2 platform. The 5054 kg satellite carried 28 C-band and 28 Ku-band transponders.

2012 014A (38109) Name: Topaz-2 Country: USA Launch date: 3 April 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Vandenberg Launch vehicle: Delta 4 M+ (5,2)

Orbit: 1076 x 1101 km, inclination: 123° Also known as NROL-25 and USA-234, this was probably a Topaz radar imaging satellite as described for 2010 046A.

--- Name: ORS/SL6 Country: USA Launch date: 5 April 2012 Re-entry: n.a. Launch site: White Sands Launch vehicle: Spaceloft XL Orbit: sub-orbital to 117 km

The SL6 mission carried seven military technology payloads in the Operational Responsive Space (ORS) programme: 1. Global Positioning Metric Tracking System to record the position of the rocket throughout its flight,

designed by the Florida Institute of technology; 2. Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast, developed by the Federal Aviation Administration and

the New Mexico Space Grant Consortium, to independently obtain GPS data and transfer it through the telemetry string to the ground;

3. a low-cost camera demonstrator; 4. NASA’s "DroidSat," built of the Android phone technology, to record the separation events on the

rocket; 5. Hard Mount, to measure environmental conditions, such as vibration encountered by hardware during

flight and recovery; 6. Isolated Data Logger Experiments, also to measure environmental conditions, such as vibration

encountered by hardware during flight and recovery; and 7. Inertial Measurement Unit, provided the University of Texas at Austin, using commercial, off-the-shelf

technology, to acquire data from liftoff through re-entry. The launch took place from the Spaceport America.

--- Name: Kwangmyongsong-3 Country: North Korea Launch date: 12 April 2012 Re-entry: n.a. Launch site: Sohae Launch vehicle: Unha-3 Orbit: failed to orbit

Kwangmyongsong-3 was announced as 100 kg a polar-orbiting Earth observation satellite fitted with a camera enabling it to send back pictures and other observational data over a period of two years. The satellite failed to achieve orbit as the launch vehicle broke into four parts at an altitude of 120 km and after 90 seconds and fell into the Yellow Sea.

2012 015A (38222) Name: Progress M-15M Country: Russia Launch date: 20 April 2012 Re-entry: 20 August 2012 Launch site: Baikonour Launch vehicle: Soyuz U

Orbit: 388 x 401 km, inclination: 57.6° Cargo transfer spacecraft as described for 2008 060A. Progress M-15M docked at the Pirs nadir port of ISS (1998 067A) on 22 April 2012. The flight was also known as ISS-47P. The spacecraft undocked on 22 July 2012 when it retreated approximately 160 km to test the Kurs-NA advanced autopilot rendezvous system. The first attempt to redock at the Pirs nadir port on 23 July 2012 was aborted at a distance of 3 km due to a computer failure. The spacecraft was then placed in a parking orbit about 485 km away to allow the docking of HTV-3 (2012 038A) on 27 July 2012, before another attempt, this time successful, was made on 28 July 2012. The spacecraft undocked again on 30 July 2012 after which it conducted the Khlopushka experiment from 14 August 2012 and the Radar-Progress experiment from 15 to 20 August 2012.

2012 016A (38245) Name: Yahsat 1-B Country: United Arab Emirates Launch date: 23 April 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Baikonour Launch vehicle: Proton M/Briz M


Communications satellite as described for 2011 016B.

2012 017A (38248) Name: RISAT-1 Country: India Launch date: 26 April 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Sriharikota Launch vehicle: PSLV XL


The Radar Imaging Satellite (RISAT)-1 was an imaging satellite utilising an active C-band SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) imager. The objective of RISAT was to establish all-weather as well as the day-and-night SAR observation capability in applications such as agriculture, forestry, soil moisture, geology, sea ice, coastal monitoring, object identification, and flood monitoring. The 1850 kg satellite was developed, manufactured and integrated by ISRO.

2012 018A (38250) Name: Beidou 2-M3 Country: China Launch date: 29 April 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Xichang Launch vehicle: CZ 3B/E

Orbit: 21460 x 21594 km, inclination: 55.1° Navigational satellite in the Compass system as described for 2007 011A.

2012 018B (38251) Name: Beidou 2-M4 Country: China Launch date: 29 April 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Xichang Launch vehicle: CZ 3B/E

Orbit: 21452 x 21603 km, inclination: 55.1° Navigational satellite in the Compass system as described for 2007 011A. This was the first time that two of these satellites were launched on a single launch vehicle.

2012 019A (38254) Name: AEHF-2 Country: USA Launch date: 4 May 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Cape Canaveral Launch vehicle: Atlas V-531


Military communications satellite as described for 2010 039A. Also known as USA-235. In December 2015 it was relocated at 19oE.

2012 020A (38256) Name: Tianhui-1B Country: China Launch date: 6 May 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Jiuquan Launch vehicle: CZ 2D

Orbit: 490 x 506 km, inclination: 97.3° Earth observation satellite as described for 2010 040A. In January 2016 it was moved to 20.3oE.

2012 021A (38257) Name: YW-14 Country: China Launch date: 10 May 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Taiyuan Launch vehicle: CZ 4B


Earth observation satellite as described for 2006 015A. Was also known as Jian Bing 11-1.

2012 021B (38258) Name: Tiantuo-1 Country: China Launch date: 10 May 2012 Re-entry: 3 November 2014 Launch site: Taiyuan Launch vehicle: CZ 4B


Tiantuo (TT)-1 was s a 9.3 kg satellite built by the National University of Defense Technology (NUDT). The satellite performed experiments on optical imaging, detection of on-orbit atomic oxygen intensity and receiving signals from the marine Automatic Identification System (AIS).

2012 022A (38291) Name: Soyuz TMA-04M Country: Russia Launch date: 15 May 2012 Re-entry: 17 September 2012 Launch site: Baikonour Launch vehicle: Soyuz FG

Orbit: 391 x 406 km, inclination: 51.6° Crewed spaceflight with cosmonauts C. Padalka (Cmdr.), J. Acaba (USA) (Fl. Eng.) and S. Revin (Fl. Eng) using a modified Soyuz TMA spacecraft as described for 2010 052A. The mission was also known as ISS-30S and the call sign was Altair. They were members of the thirty first permanent crew (EX-31) and later the thirty second permanent crew (EX-32) for ISS. The spacecraft docked at the Poisk docking port of ISS (1998 067A) on 17 May 2012. The spacecraft undocked on 17 September 2012. Their mission lasted 124 days, 23 hours, 52 minutes.

2012 023A (38331) Name: JC Sat-13 Country: Japan Launch date: 15 May 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Kourou Launch vehicle: Ariane 5ECA


Communications satellite owned by SKY Perfect JSAT Corporation and built by Lockheed Martin using the A2100AX platform. The 4528 kg satellite was fitted with 44 Ku band transponders. It was renamed as JC Sat-4B once operational.

2012 023B (38332) Name: Vinasat-2 Country: Vietnam Launch date: 15 May 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Kourou Launch vehicle: Ariane 5ECA


Communications satellite owned by Vietnam and built by Lockheed Martin using the A2100A platform. The 2969 kg satellite carried 24 Ku band transponders.

2012 024A (38335) Name: Kosmos-2480 Country: Russia Launch date: 17 May 2012 Re-entry: 24 September 2012 Launch site: Plesetsk Launch vehicle: Soyuz U

Orbit: 216 x 247 km, inclination: 81.4° Yantar 4KS2 military reconnaissance satellite as described for 2004 038A.

2012 025A (38337) Name: GCOM-W1 Country: Japan Launch date: 17 May 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Tanegashima Launch vehicle: H 2A-202


The objective of Global Change Observation Mission 1st Water (GCOM-W1), also known as Shizuku, was to track precipitation and the water cycle around the world. The 1991 kg satellite was fitted with the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer 2 (AMSR2) to observe precipitation, vapor amounts, wind velocity above the ocean, sea water temperature, water levels on land areas, ocean ice area, and snow depths.

2012 025B (38338) Name: Arirang-3 Country: South Korea Launch date: 17 May 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Tanegashima Launch vehicle: H 2A-202


Also known as Korean Multi-purpose Satellite (Kompsat)-3, Arirang-3 was a lightweight Earth observation satellite developed by the Korea Aerospace Research Institute KARI. The 800 kg satellite provided high-resolution electro-optical (EO) images required for geographical information systems (GIS) and other environmental, agricultural and oceanographic monitoring applications. It continued the operation of the Arirang-1 (1999 070A) and -2 (2006 031A) satellites.

2012 025C (38339) Name: SDS-4 Country: Japan Launch date: 17 May 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Tanegashima Launch vehicle: H 2A-202


The Small Demonstration Satellite (SDS)-4) was a 50 kg technology experiment satellite developed by JAXA that carried four technology validation experiments: 1. FHP On-orbit Experiment (FOX) to validate new orbit flat heat pipes for future thermal control systems

for satellites; 2. In-flight experiment of Space Materials using THERME (IST) to characterize the degradation of

thermal control materials, using the component THERME provided by the French space agency; 3. QCM (Quartz Crystal Microbalance (QCM) to characterize a quartz microbalance developed by the

scientific division of JAXA (ISAS), a component that will be useful to develop future sensors that will measure internal contamination; and

4. SPAISE (Space-based Automatic Identification System Experiment (SPAISE), an experiment of receiving signals AIS (Automatic Identification System) from ships, with two dedicated antennas.

2012 025D (38340) Name: Horyu-2 Country: Japan Launch date: 17 May 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Tanegashima Launch vehicle: H 2A-202


Horyu-2 was a 7 kg satellite built by Kyusyu Institute of Technology to test an experimental high-voltage solar array system and observe spacecraft charging effects caused by it.

2012 026A (38342) Name: Nimiq-6 Country: Canada Launch date: 17 May 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Baikonour Launch vehicle: Proton M/Briz M


Communications satellite owned by Telesat. Using a LS-1300 platform the satellite was built by Space Systems/Loral and was fitted with 32 Ku band transponders. It had a mass of 4500 kg.

2012 027A (38348) Name: Dragon C-2+ Country: USA Launch date: 22 May 2012 Re-entry: 31 May 2012 Launch site: Cape Canaveral Launch vehicle: Falcon 9

Orbit: 382 x 396 km, inclination:51.6°

The Dragon C-2+ flight combined the objectives of the Dragon C-3 flight in the original Dragon C-2 flight. The original objective for Dragon C-2 was to only approach the space station and test communications and rendezvous systems before retreating and returning to Earth. The C-3 flight would actually travel to the station and link up. The 4200 kg spacecraft, as described for 2010 066A, reached the space station on 24 May 2012 when it approached ISS (1998 067A) at a distance of 10 m before being grappled, on 25 May 2012 by the space station’s Canadarm and docked at the Harmony module. The spacecraft carried a payload of 520 kg in the pressurized cabin, comprising 306 kg of food and other crew provisions, 21 kg for the Nanorack Cubelabs-9 experiment, 123 kg miscellaneous cargo, 10 kg computer supplies and 60 kg packaging material and 660 kg, comprising 143 kg crew items, 93 kg payloads, 345 kg systems hardware, 39 kg spacewalk hardware and 40 kg packaging on the return flight. On 31 May 2012 the spacecraft undocked after being docked for 6 days. About four hours after undocking the spacecraft performed the seven minutes de-orbit burn following which the spacecraft entered the Earth’s atmosphere for a splash down in the Pacific Ocean 450 km off the Californian coast. Originally it had been intended for the flight to also carry two second generation Orbcomm satellites, as described for 2012 054B, which would have been deployed in the first 72 hours of flight but these had been deleted in December 2011 on the insistence of NASA.

2012 027B (38349) Name: Celestis-11 Country: USA Launch date: 22 May 2012 Re-entry: 27 June 2012 Launch site: Cape Canaveral Launch vehicle: Falcon 9 Orbit: 272 x 331 km, inclination: 51.6o Funeral capsule as described for 1997 017B. Also known as New Frontier Flight, it carried ashes of more than 300 people from 18 countries. It also carried a 5 cm cross made from the 3.5 m cross that was carried around the world by Arthur Bessitt, a Christian preacher from the United States. Celestis-11 remained attached to the Falcon 9 upper stage.

--- Name: Fajr Country: Iran Launch date: 23 May 2012 Re-entry: n.a. Launch site: Semnan (?) Launch vehicle: Safir 1B (?) Orbit: failed to orbit Based on intelligence data and other media reports, Iran may have attempted to launch a Fajr satellite, as described for 2015 006A, on 23 May 2012 or a date close to that.

2012 028A (38352) Name: Zhongxing-2A Country: China Launch date: 26 May 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Xichang Launch vehicle: CZ 3B/E

Orbit: geostationary at 98.3°E Military communications satellite based on the DFH-4 platform and fitted with Ku band transponders. Also known as Shen Tong (ST)-2A.

2012 029A (38354) Name: YW-15 Country: China Launch date: 29 May 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Taiyuan Launch vehicle: CZ 4C

Orbit: 1201 x 1207 km, inclination: 100.1° Earth observation satellite as described for 2006 015A. It was also known as Jian Bing 9-2.

2012 030A (38356) Name: Intelsat-19 Int. Agency: Intelsat Launch date: 1 June 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Odyssey Launch vehicle: Zenit 3SL


The 5600 kg Intelsat-19 satellite was owned by Intelsat and was built by Space Systems/Loral using the LS-1300 platform. The satellite carried 34 Ku-band transponders and 24 C-band transponders. The launch platform was located at 154oW. One of the solar wings was damaged during deployment, thereby reducing the capacity of the satellite.

2012 031A (38358) Name: NuSTAR Country: USA Launch date: 13 June 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Kwajalein Launch vehicle: Pegasus XL


The 360 kg Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) observed high energy X-rays to investigate the distribution of black holes. It also mapped radioactive material in young supernovae remnants as well as study the origins of cosmic rays and the extreme physics around collapsed stars. The satellite carried an advanced telescope consisting of two sets of 133 concentric shells of mirrors, which were shaped from flexible glass similar to that found in laptop screens. Because X-rays require large focusing distances, or focal lengths, the telescope had a lengthy 10 m mast, which unfolded a week after launch. The telescope was 500 times more sensitive than previous instruments that were used to detect black holes. A laser metrology system monitored the mast alignment. The satellite was the 11th mission in NASA’s Small Explorer programme and was also known as SMEX-11 and Explorer-93.

2012 032A (38461) Name: Shenzhou-9 Country: China Launch date: 16 June 2012 Re-entry: 29 June 2012 Launch site: Jiuquan Launch vehicle: CZ 2F


Crewed spaceflight with space navigators Jing Haipeng (Commander), Liu Wang, Liu Yang (Operators) using a Shenzhou spacecraft as described for 1999 061A. Liu Yang was the first Chinese woman in space. It docked with Tiangong-1 (2011 053A) on 18 June 2012. Shenzhou-9 undocked again on 24 June 2012 following which the crew tested manual docking by moving away from the space station to a distance of approximately 400 m in maneuvers that lasted 93 minutes. The manual docking was performed by Liu Wang. The spacecraft undocked again on 28 June 2012 and landed the next day in Inner Mongolia after a mission duration of 12 days, 15 hours, 25 minutes.

2012 033A (38466) Name: SDS 3-5 Country: USA Launch date: 20 June 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Cape Canaveral Launch vehicle: Atlas V-401

Orbit: geostationary at 30.4°W Military data relay satellite as described for 1996 038A. It was also known as USA-236, Drake and NROL-38. In March 2013 it was moved to 10oW.

2012 034A (38528) Name: Orion-6 Country: USA Launch date: 28 June 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Cape Canaveral Launch vehicle: Delta 4 Heavy

Orbit: geostationary at 97°E Military electronic intelligence gathering satellite as described for 1995 022A. Also known as NROL-15 and USA-237. In November 2012 it was observed at 49.5oE. In March 2013 it was moved to 53oE.

2012 035A (38551) Name: Echostar-17 Country: USA Launch date: 19 June 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Kourou Launch vehicle: Ariane 5ECA

Orbit: geostationary at 107.1°W

Originally known as Jupiter-1 and Spaceway and owned by Hughes Network Systems, Echostar-17 was built by Space Systems/Loral using the LS-1300 platform. The 6637 kg satellite was fitted with Ka band transponders that provided 60 beams.

2012 035B (38552) Name: Meteosat-10 Int. Agency: Eumetsat Launch date: 19 June 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Kourou Launch vehicle: Ariane 5ECA

Orbit: geostationary as 0°

Meteorological satellite as described for 2002 040B. Also known as MSG-3.

2012 036A (38652) Name: SES-5 Country: Luxembourg Launch date: 9 July 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Baikonour Launch vehicle: Proton M/Briz M


Communications satellite owned by SES World Skies. The 6008 kg Space Systems/Loral LS-1300 satellite was fitted with 24 C band transponders and 36 Ku band transponders. The satellite was originally ordered in October 2008 by Sirius AB of Sweden but was renamed as Astra-4B in April 2010. It is understood SES World Skies operated the C band transponders whereas Astra operated the Ku band transponders. The satellite also carried a navigation payload operating in the L band that was part of the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS), which was being developed by the European Space Agency (ESA).

2012 037A (38671) Name: Soyuz TMA-05M Country: Russia Launch date: 15 July 2012 Re-entry: 19 November 2012 Launch site: Baikonour Launch vehicle: Soyuz FG

Orbit: 402 x 403 km, inclination: 51.6° Crewed spaceflight with cosmonauts Y. Malenchenko (Cmdr.), C.S. Williams (USA) (Fl. Eng.) and A. Hoshide (Japan) (Fl. Eng) using a modified Soyuz TMA spacecraft as described for 2010 052A. The mission was also known as ISS-31S and the call sign was Agate. They were members of the thirty second permanent crew (EX-32) and later the thirty third permanent crew (EX-33) for ISS. The spacecraft docked at the MRM-2 (Rassvet) docking port of ISS (1998 067A) on 17 July 2012. The spacecraft undocked on 18 November 2012 and the mission had lasted 126 days, 23 hours, 16 minutes.

2012 038A (38706) Name: HTV-3 Country: Japan Launch date: 20 July 2012 Re-entry: 14 September 2012 Launch site: Tanegashima Launch vehicle: H 2B-304

Orbit: 402 x 403 km, inclination: 51.6° Cargo spacecraft as described for 2009 048A. HTV-3, also known as Kounotori-3, carried 4600 kg of cargo/supplies to the ISS of which 3500 kg was in the Pressurized Logistics Carrier and 1100 kg on the Unpressurized Logistics Carrier. The HTV-3 pressurized module contained 8 HTV Resupply Racks with station supplies and equipment, The payload also included the JEM-Small Satellite Orbital Deployer (J-SSOD) which carried two containers for three 10x10x10 cm cubesats each. On this mission five cubesats were carried which were deployed on 4 October 2012.

These satellites were RAIKO (1998 067CN), WE-WISH (1998 067CS), fitted in the first container, TechEdSat (1968 067CQ), F-1 (1998 067CR) and FITSAT-1 (1998 067CP), which were fitted in the second container. Japanese astronaut Akihiko Hoshide placed the J-SSOD into the airlock of the Kibo module. This was then depressurised and opened, following which the Kibo robotic arm grappled the J-SSOD and moved it away from the space station. The release of RAIKO and WE-WISH was initiated by Hoshide whereas the release of the other three satellites was initiated by ground control about an hour later. The unpressurized Exposed Pallet carried two packages:

1. the MCE (Multi-mission Consolidated Equipment) which included an ionosphere experiment (IMAP), a lightning study sensor (GLIMS), an inflatable membrane experiment (SIMPLE) and REXJ, a robotics experiment; and

2. the NASA-Glenn's SCAN Testbed which had S-band, Ka-band and L-band antennas to test out. On 27 July 2012 HTV-3 was docked at the nadir port of the Harmony module of ISS (1998 067A).

i-Ball

HTV-3 undocked on 12 September 2012. After undocking and just before the break-up of the of the spacecraft, the i-Ball re-entry recorder, a 22 kg, 40 cm diameter sphere developed by IHI Aerospace, was released from a container. The sphere descended whilst suspended from a parachute, and recorded data, including still images, during the HTV-3 re-entry in order to increase the knowledge on what happens during re-entry. On landing in the sea i-Ball stayed afloat for data transmission but eventually sank.

2012 039A (38707) Name: Kanopus-Vulkan-1 Country: Russia Launch date: 22 July 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Baikonour Launch vehicle: Soyuz FG/Fregat


The Kanopus-Vulkan-1 was a 400 kg Earth observation satellite developed by NPO VNIIEM in cooperation with SSTL. The satellite was equipped three instruments: 1. PSS (Panchromatic Imaging System), an instrument to provide panchromatic imagery for

environmental monitoring, agriculture and forestry with a resolution of 2.5 m on a swath of 20 km; 2. MSS (Multispectral Imaging System), an instrument to provide multispectral imagery of land and

coastal surfaces and ice cover with a resolution of 12 m on a swath of 20 km; and 3. MSU-200 (Multispectral Scanner Unit), an instrument to provide imagery of land and sea surfaces

and ice cover with a resolution of 25 m on a swath of 250 km. The data gathered by these instruments was used to: 1. monitoring of man-made and natural emergencies, including natural weather phenomena; 2. mapping; 3. to detect pockets of forest fires and emissions of major pollutants in the environment; 4. the registration abnormal physical phenomena for earthquake prediction; 5. monitoring of agriculture, water and coastal resources and land use.

2012 039B (38708) Name: BelKA-2 Country: Belarus Launch date: 22 July 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Baikonour Launch vehicle: Soyuz FG/Fregat


The Belaruski Kasmicni Aparat (BelKA)-2 was an Earth observation satellite that operated in four spectral channels with a resolution of up to 2.1 m. Specific tasks were: 1. mapping (topographic and geodesic applications, government geodesic supervision); 2. maintenance of a cadastral account of estate property; 3. monitoring the development of large building projects including gas and oil pipelines, railways,

hydropower stations; 4. geological investigations and conservation of mineral resources; 5. environment monitoring including monitoring of forest fires and man-made emissions, glaciers and

agricultural sector objects, etc.; 6. monitoring of forest condition; and 7. monitoring of water bodies. The 400 kg satellite was developed by NPO VNIIEM.

2012 039C (38709) Name: exactView-1 Country: Canada Launch date: 22 July 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Baikonour Launch vehicle: Soyuz FG/Fregat


The exactView-1 (previously known as ADS-1B and also known as EV-1) carried an Automatic Identification System (AIS) payload to monitor ship movements through busy shipping channels and harbours and to provide information on global shipping movements. The payload had two polarizations and four channels and a C-band data downlink. The 100 kg satellite had been built by SSTL using the Microsat 100 platform and was owned by exactEarth, a Canadian company.

2012 039D (38710) Name: TET-1 Country: Germany Launch date: 22 July 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Baikonour Launch vehicle: Soyuz FG/Fregat


The 120 kg Technologieerprobungsträger (TET)-1 satellite tested new space technologies in a space environment over a period of one year. The payload included eleven experiments in the fields of next generation solar arrays, navigation equipment, batteries, cameras, communication equipment, and satellite propulsion system and computer hardware, comprising: 1. a lithium polymer battery (Payload N1); 2. the on-orbit verification of thin film solar cells (Payload N2); 3. sensor bus network for satellites (Payload N6); 4. on-orbit-verification of small satellite propulsion system AQUAJET (Payload N7); 5. advanced solar cell experiment (Payload N8); 6. test of two infrared cameras and a CCD camera (Payload N15); 7. a computer board to test high powered data processing (Payload N15.1); 8. Navigation and Occultation eXperiment (NOX) (Payload N16); 9. multi computer system with identical processing nodes onboard (Payload N17); 10. KERAMIS-2 to test ceramic microwave circuits for satellite communication (Payload N18); and 11. Memory Orbit Radiation Experiment (MORE) (Payload N19). The satellite was built by Kayser-Threde.

2012 039E (38711) Name: Zond PP Country: Russia Launch date: 22 July 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Baikonour Launch vehicle: Soyuz FG/Fregat


Zond-PP was a microsatellite developed by Lavochkin using the Karat platform to study the characteristics of the Earth's surface by using a L-band radiometer. The observations were to be used for the mapping of soil moisture and water salinity waters and to study the land-ocean-atmosphere energy system. In addition a multi-spectral camera (Pribor EK) was installed as a secondary payload. The satellite was also known as MKA-PN1 or MKA-FKI

--- Name: IRVE-3 Country: USA Launch date: 23 July 2012 Re-entry: n.a. Launch site: Wallops Island Launch vehicle: Black Brant 11 Orbit: sub-orbital to 463 km

The Inflatable Reentry Vehicle Experiment (IRVE-3) was a further test of the feasibility of inflatable spacecraft technology with a specific application for a planetary re-entry system as described for IRVE-II (17 August 2009). On this test IRVE-3 separated from the sounding rocket before it deployed and fell back into the atmosphere. After a total of 20 minutes (from launch to splash down) it landed in the Atlantic about 160 km east of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina.

2012 040A (38730) Name: Tianlian-3 Country: China Launch date: 25 July 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Xichang Launch vehicle: CZ 3C

Orbit: geostationary at 17°E Data relay satellite as described for 2008 019A.

2012 041A (38733) Name: Kosmos-2481 Country: Russia Launch date: 28 July 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Plesetsk Launch vehicle: Rokot/Briz KM

Orbit: 1483 x 1511 km, inclination: 82.5° Rodnik military communications satellite as described for 2005 048B.

2012 041B (38734) Name: Gonets M-3 Country: Russia Launch date: 28 July 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Plesetsk Launch vehicle: Rokot/Briz KM

Orbit: 1480 x 1500 km, inclination: 82.5° Message relay communications satellite communications satellite as described for 2005 048A.

2012 041C (38735) Name: MiR Country: Russia Launch date: 28 July 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Plesetsk Launch vehicle: Rokot/Briz KM


MiR was a small technology satellite named after spacecraft designer Mikhail Reshetnyov (1924-1996). It carried student technology experiments from SibGAU, the Siberian State Aerospace University in Krasnoyarsk, including a few webcams, and an educational and amateur radio payload. The 65 kg satellite was also known as Jubilejnyj-2 and RS-40.

2012 041D (38736) Name: Gonets M-4 Country: Russia Launch date: 28 July 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Plesetsk Launch vehicle: Rokot/Briz KM

Orbit: 1481 x 1509 km, inclination: 82.5° Message relay communications satellite communications satellite as described for 2005 048A.

2012 042A (38738) Name: Progress M-16M Country: Russia Launch date: 1 August 2012 Re-entry: 9 February 2013 Launch site: Baikonour Launch vehicle: Soyuz U

Orbit: 406 x 427 km, inclination: 51.6° Cargo transfer spacecraft as described for 2008 060A. Progress M-16M docked at the Pirs nadir port of ISS (1998 067A) on 2 August 2012 after performing only 4 orbits in 6 hours, rather than the previously used technique of 34 orbits over 50 hours. The flight was also known as ISS-48P. The spacecraft undocked on 9 February 2013.

2012 043A (38740) Name: Intelsat-20 Int. Agency: Intelsat Launch date: 2 August 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Kourou Launch vehicle: Ariane 5ECA


Communications satellite owned by Intelsat and built by Loral/Space Systems using the LS-1300 platform. The 6094 kg satellite was fitted with 24 C-band, 54 Ku band and 1 Ka-band transponders.

2012 043B (38741) Name: HYLAS-2 Country: United Kingdom Launch date: 2 August 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Kourou Launch vehicle: Ariane 5ECA


Communications satellite owned by Avanti Communications and built by Orbital Sciences using the Star-2.4 satellite platform. The 3100 kg satellite carried 24 active Ka-band transponders.

2012 044A (38744) Name: Telkom-3 Country: Indonesia Launch date: 7 August 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Baikonour Launch vehicle: Proton M/Briz M


Communications satellite owned by PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia and built by ISS Reshetnev (formerly NPO Prikladnoi Mekhaniki) using the Ekspress 1000N platform. The payload of 32 C-band transponders and 10 Ku-transponders were provided by Alcatel. A pre-mature shut down of the engine of the Briz M upper stage, resulted in the satellite being placed in an

incorrect orbit rather than the intended geostationary orbit at 118 °E. The satellite had a mass of 1600 kg.

2012 044B (38745) Name: Ekspress MD-2 Country: Russia Launch date: 7 August 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Baikonour Launch vehicle: Proton M/Briz M

Orbit: 267 x 5018 km, inclination: 49.9° Communications satellite as described for 2009 007B. A pre-mature shut down of the engine of the Briz M upper stage, resulted in the satellite being placed in an

incorrect orbit rather than the intended geostationary orbit at 145°E.

2012 045A (38749) Name: Intelsat-21 Int. Agency: Intelsat Launch date: 19 August 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Odyssey Launch vehicle: Zenit 3SL


Boeing BSS-702MP communications satellite owned by Intelsat. The 5984 kg satellite was fitted with 24 C band and 32 Ku band transponders.

2012 046A (38752) Name: Van Allen Probe-A Country: USA Launch date: 30 August 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Cape Canaveral Launch vehicle: Atlas V-401 Orbit: 591 x 30534 km, inclination: 10o

Initially known as Radiation Belt Storm Probes (RBSP)-A and –B, the Van Allen Probes satellites were developed by the John Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory to undertake measurements to advance the understanding of space weather and the sun's influence on the Earth and near-Earth space by probing the planet's radiation belts over a period of two years. Each of the spacecraft carried the same five sets of instruments: 1. the Energetic Particle, Composition, and Thermal Plasma Suite (ECT) to directly measure near-Earth

space radiation particles to understand the physical processes that control the acceleration, global distribution, and variability of radiation belt electrons and ions. The suite was comprised of:

• the Helium Oxygen Proton Electron (HOPE) instrument, to record helium, oxygen, protons, and electrons at lower energies and speeds;

• the Magnetic Electron Ion Spectrometer (MagEIS), to observe electrons and ions in the middle energy ranges. Four were carried on each spacecraft;

• the Relativistic Electron Proton Telescope (REPT), a stack of solid-state detectors that can capture the energy signatures left by these electrons and protons;.

2. the Electric and Magnetic Field Instrument Suite and Integrated Science (EMFISIS) to investigate the role played by magnetic fields and plasma waves in the processes of radiation belt particle acceleration and loss;

3. the Electric Field and Waves Suite (EFW) to study the electric fields in near-Earth space that energize radiation particles and modify the structure of the inner magnetosphere;

4. the Radiation Belt Storm Probes Ion Composition Experiment (RBSPICE) to investigate how space weather creates what is called the ‘storm-time ring current’ around Earth and determine how that ring current supplies and supports the creation of radiation populations; and

5. the Relativistic Proton Spectrometer (RPS) to measure inner Van Allen belt protons with energies from 50 MeV to 2 GeV.

The two spacecraft flew within the radiation belts throughout the mission, lapping each other several times over the course of the mission. Van Alllen Probe-A had a mass of 648 kg. The two probes were named after James Van Allen who discovered the Van Allen radiation belts in 1958.

2012 046B (38753) Name: Van Allen Probe-B Country: USA Launch date: 30 August 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Cape Canaveral Launch vehicle: Atlas V-401 Orbit: 595 x 30657 km, inclination: 10o Scientific satellite as described for 2012 046A. It had a mass of 667 kg.

--- Name: Kavoshgar-6 Country: Iran Launch date: 8 September 2012 Re-entry: n.a. Launch site: Semnan Launch vehicle: Fateh K110 (?) Orbit: sub-orbital to 120 km Sub-orbital flight to test the recovery of a Capsule type C that carried a monkey. It crashed on recovery.

2012 047A (38755) Name: SPOT-6 Country: France Launch date: 9 September 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Sriharikota Launch vehicle: PSLV CA


The 750 kg SPOT-6 remote sensing satellite was built and was owned by Astrium. A follow on from the SPOT-1 to SPOT-5 series as described for 1986 019A, SPOT-6 and SPOT-7 (to be launched in 2014) were a commercial undertaking of Astrium through its subsidiary SpotImage. Earlier SPOT satellites were owned by the French space agency CNES with Spot Image marketing the data. The two satellites operated as a constellation to provide data of a 60 km wide swath with a high-resolution (up to 1.5 m in panchromatic and 8 m in multispectral). The satellites were based on the same platform as that used for the Pleiades satellite and were fitted with a centrally mounted optical instrument and a three-axis star tracker.

2012 047B (38756) Name: PROITERES Country: Japan Launch date: 9 September 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Sriharikota Launch vehicle: PSLV CA


The PRoject of OIT Electric-Rocket-Engine Onboard Small Space Ship (PROITERES) was developed at the Osaka Institute of Technology (OIT). The objectives of the 15 kg satellite were to demonstrate powered-flight technology for an ultra-small satellite and to monitor the Kansai District with a high-resolution camera. It carried electric rocket engines and a high resolution camera as well as a communications package.

2012 047C (38757) Name: mRESINS Country: India Launch date: 9 September 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Sriharikota Launch vehicle: PSLV CA

Orbit: 641 x 647 km, inclination: 98.2° The mini Redundant Strapdown Inertial Navigation System (mRESINS) was a 50 kg payload that remained attached to the fourth stage of the launch vehicle. It was a test of an improved, miniaturized version of the Redundant Strapdown Inertial Navigation System (RESINS) already used on PSLV and GSLV launch vehicles.

2012 048A (38758) Name: NOSS 3-6 Country: USA Launch date: 13 September 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Vandenberg Launch vehicle: Atlas V-411

Orbit: 1012 x 1203 km, inclination: 63.4° Third generation military ocean surveillance satellite as described for 1976 038A. Also known as USA-238 and NROL-36. It has been suggested that a second satellite was also deployed but this satellite has been catalogued as debris (2012 048P). After placing the primary payload into orbit, the Centaur upper stage maneuvered to a different orbit to deploy a number of cubesats fitted in the Operationally Unique Technologies Satellite (OUTSat), a box like container developed at the Naval Postgraduate School the was mounted on a bracket on the aft-end of the stage next to the RL10 engine where a previously a helium bottle was fitted. This stage was designated as 2012 048N.

2012 048B (38759) Name: SMDC-ONE-1.2 Country: USA Launch date: 13 September 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Vandenberg Launch vehicle: Atlas V-411

Orbit: 483 x 789 km, inclination: 64.7° Cubesat as described for 2010 066C. SMDC-ONE-1.2 was also known as Baker.

2012 048C (38760) Name: Aeneas Country: USA Launch date: 13 September 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Vandenberg Launch vehicle: Atlas V-411


Aeneas was developed by University of Southern California/Space Engineering Research Center (USC/SERC). The 3 kg satellite carried two payloads: 1. a primary payload to track cargo containers over the open ocean with a 1-watt WiFi-like transceiver; 2. a secondary payload to test an experimental, next-generation, radiation-hardened flight processor.

2012 048D (38761) Name: CSSWE Country: USA Launch date: 13 September 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Vandenberg Launch vehicle: Atlas V-411


The Colorado Student Space Weather Experiment (CSSWE) was a 3U CubeSat developed by students at the University of Colorado at Boulder (CU-Boulder). The objective of the science mission was to address fundamental questions pertaining to the relationship between solar flares and energetic particles. The satellite had a mass of 3 kg. It was part of NASA’s Educational Launch of Nanosatellite (ELaNa)-VI programme.

2012 048E (38762) Name: CXBN Country: USA Launch date: 13 September 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Vandenberg Launch vehicle: Atlas V-411


The Cosmic X-Ray Background (CXBN) was developed at the Morehead State University to make observations of the diffuse X-ray background and publish the data. The 2 kg satellite utilized a double cubesat. It was part of NASA’s Educational Launch of Nanosatellite (ELaNa)-VI programme.

2012 048F (38763) Name: CP-5 Country: USA Launch date: 13 September 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Vandenberg Launch vehicle: Atlas V-411


CP-5 was a 1U CubeSat developed by Cal Poly's PolySat Program. The 1 kg payload tested a deployable spacecraft de-orbiting thin-film mechanism, consisting of a miniature solar sail. Once the sail was deployed, observations were made from the ground to detect any altitude or velocity degradation and change of the spacecraft. It was part of NASA’s Educational Launch of Nanosatellite (ELaNa)-VI programme.

2012 048G (38764) Name: CINEMA-1 Country: USA Launch date: 13 September 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Vandenberg Launch vehicle: Atlas V-411


The CubeSat for Ions, Neutrals, Electrons and MAgnetic fields (CINEMA) was developed at the University of California, Berkeley in cooperation with a consortium of international education al institutions, to monitor space weather and study Energetic Neutral Atoms. It was part of NASA’s Educational Launch of Nanosatellite (ELaNa)-VI programme. The 3 kg 3U cubesat carried: 1. the MAGnetometer from Imperial College (MAGIC); and 2. the SupraThermal Electrons Ions & Neutrals (STEIN) particle detector. Two further satellites in the series will be launched at a later date and will be provided by the Kyung Hee University of Korea.

2012 048H (38765) Name: STARE-A Country: USA Launch date: 13 September 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Vandenberg Launch vehicle: Atlas V-411


Space-Based Telescopes for Actionable Refinement of Ephemeris (STARE)-A was the first of two 3U cubesats equipped with optical imaging payloads to demonstrate the main elements of a new concept for tracking orbiting space debris. Using the Colony II platform and developed by the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories, the1 kg satellite was also known as Re.

2012 048J (38766) Name: SMDC-ONE-1.1 Country: USA Launch date: 13 September 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Vandenberg Launch vehicle: Atlas V-411

Orbit: 495 x 791 km, inclination: 64.7° Cubesat as described for 2010 066C.

2012 048K (38767) Name: AeroCube-4.5A Country: USA Launch date: 13 September 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Vandenberg Launch vehicle: Atlas V-411


AeroCube-4.5A tested a mechanically deployed, parachute-like, deorbit device. The 1U cubesat had a mass of 1 kg.

2012 048L (38768) Name: AeroCube-4.5B Country: USA Launch date: 13 September 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Vandenberg Launch vehicle: Atlas V-411

Orbit: 499 x 792 km, inclination: 64.7° Technology satellite as described for 2012 048K.

2012 048M (38769) Name: AeroCube-4 Country: USA Launch date: 13 September 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Vandenberg Launch vehicle: Atlas V-411

Orbit: 499 x 792 km, inclination: 64.7° Technology satellite as described for 2012 048K but fitted with three cameras and a communications transponder

2012 049A (38771) Name: MetOp-2 Int. Agency: Eumetsat Launch date: 16 September 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Baikonour Launch vehicle: Soyuz 2-1a/Fregat


Polar weather satellite as described for 2006 044A.

2012 050A (38774) Name: Beidou 2-M2 Country: China Launch date: 18 September 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Xichang Launch vehicle: CZ 3B


2012 050B (38775) Name: Beidou 2-M5 Country: China Launch date: 18 September 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Xichang Launch vehicle: CZ 3B


--- Name: Grasshopper-1 Country: USA Launch date: 21 September 2012 Re-entry: n.a. Launch site: McGregor Launch vehicle: Grasshopper v1.0 Orbit: sub-orbital to 1.8 m

The Grasshopper was a test rig for the testing of the descend and vertical landing of the first stage of the Falcon 9 launch vehicle using engine thrust to achieve a soft touchdown at or near the launch site. The Grasshopper v0.1 was a 32.31 m long vehicle powered by a single Merlin 1D engine and fitted wth four steel landing legs. These test were conducted at a facility at McGregor, TX. The first test reached an altitude of 1.80 m and lasted 3 seconds after which it landed on the launch pad again.

--- Name: ? Country: Iran Launch date: 22 (?) September 2012 Re-entry: n.a. Launch site: Launch vehicle: ?? Orbit: failed to orbit Based on satellite imagery, it seems that Iran suffered a launch failure on 22 September 2012 or shortly thereafter. Imagery of that date showed a launcher in the final stages of preparation. The next satellite imagery, of 25 October 2012 shows burn patterns at the launch site indicating an explosion.

2012 051A (38778) Name: Astra-2F Country: Luxembourg Launch date: 28 September 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Kourou Launch vehicle: Ariane 5ECA


Communications satellite owned by SES and built by Astrium using the Eurostar-3000 platform. The 5968 kg satellite carried 64 Ku- and 4 Ka-band transponders.

2012 051B (38779) Name: Gsat-10 Country: India Launch date: 22 September 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Kourou Launch vehicle: Ariane 5ECA


Built by ISRO using the I-3K space platform, the 3425 kg GSAT-10 communications satellite carried 12 Ku band, 12 C band and 12 extended C band transponders as well as the GPS and GEO Augmented Navigation (GAGAN) payload for aircraft navigation assistance over Indian airspace and adjoining areas.

2012 052A (38782) Name: VRSS-1 Country: Venezuela Launch date: 29 September 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Jiuquan Launch vehicle: CZ 2D


Also known as Miranda, after Sebastian Francisco de Miranda Rodriguez (1750-1816), the Venezuela Remote Sensing Satellite (VRSS)-1 was a remote sensing satellite built in China using the CAST-2000 space platform. The 880 kg satellite helped Venezuela to monitor its territory, specifically helping it protect its environment, monitor disasters, estimate agricultural harvests and plan the urban environment.

2012 053A (38833) Name: Navstar 2F-3 Country: USA Launch date: 4 October 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Cape Canaveral Launch vehicle: Delta 4M+(4,2)

Orbit: 20427 x 20481 km, inclination: 55.0° Navigational satellite as described for 2010 022A. It was also known as GPS 2F-3, USA-239, Navstar-65, Navstar-67, Arcturus and SVN-65.

2012 054A (38846) Name: Dragon CRS-1 Country: USA Launch date: 8 October 2012 Re-entry: 28 October 2012 Launch site: Cape Canaveral Launch vehicle: Falcon 9


Also known as Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) SpX-1 and Dragon C-3, Dragon CRS-1 was the first of 12 commercial resupply missions to be flown to the International Space Station by SpaceX using the Dragon C spacecraft as described for 2010 066A. The 4200 kg spacecraft docked with the nadir port of the Harmony module of ISS (1998 067A) on 10 October 2012. It carried about 454 kg of supplies including materials to support the 166 investigations to be undertaken by the ISS EX-33 crew, as well as 63 new investigations. The spacecraft undocked on 28 October 2012 and, on the return flight, it carried 904 kg of scientific materials as well as space station hardware. The spacecraft splashed down about 400 km off the coast of California and was successfully recovered.

2012 054B (38847) Name: Orbcomm FM-44 Country: USA Launch date: 8 October 2012 Re-entry: 10 October 2012 Launch site: Cape Canaveral Launch vehicle: Falcon 9


Orbcomm FM-44 was a prototype demonstration satellite for Orbcomm’s second generation of messaging satellites, designated as Orbcomm Generation 2 (OG2). It was manufactured by the Sierra Nevada Corp and Boeing’s Argon ST subsidiary and had a mass of 150 kg. Orbcomm FM-44 was also known as Orbcomm 2-1 and orbcomm FM-101. As one of the launch vehicle’s first stage engines failed 79 seconds after lift off, the second stage was fired longer than intended to compensate for the loss. However, this left insufficient propellant in the second stage for a second ignition to place Orbcomm FM-44 into the desired 350 x 750 km orbit.

2012 055A (38857) Name: Galileo IOV-3 Int. Agency: ESA Launch date: 12 October 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Kourou Launch vehicle: Soyuz ST


Navigational satellite as described for 2011 060A. The satellite was also referred to a Flight Model (FM)-3 and David, after a boy from the Czech Republic.

2012 055B (38858) Name: Galileo IOV-4 Int. Agency: ESA Launch date: 12 October 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Kourou Launch vehicle: Soyuz ST

Orbit: 23240 x 23310 km, inclination: 55.3° Navigational satellite as described for 2011 060A. The satellite was also referred to a Flight Model (FM)-4 and Sif, a Danish girl.

2012 056A (38860) Name: SJ-9A Country: China Launch date: 14 October 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Taiyuan Launch vehicle: CZ 2C

Orbit: 620 x 653 km, inclination: 98.0° The Shijian (SJ)-9A spacecraft was a technology satellite developed for the Chinese Commission of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense (COSTIND). It conducted in-orbit experiments for electric propulsion, high-precision- and high-stability control systems, high-efficient power supply and advanced thermal control technology. The satellite featured also instruments for Earth observation and component tests of indigenously developed technology.

2012 056B (38861) Name: SJ-9B Country: China Launch date: 14 October 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Taiyuan Launch vehicle: CZ 2C

Orbit: 624 x 651 km, inclination: 98.0° Technology satellite as described for 2012 056A.

2012 057A (38867) Name: Intelsat-23 Int. Agency: Intelsat Launch date: 14 October 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Baikonour Launch vehicle: Proton M/Briz M


Communications satellite owned by intelsat and built by Orbital Sciences using a Star 2 platform. The 3200 kg satellite carried 15 Ku band and 24 C band transponders.

--- Name: New Shepard Launch Abort test Country: USA Launch date: 19 October 2012 Re-entry: n.a. Launch site: Van Horn Launch vehicle: --- Orbit: suborbital to 703 m

Launch abort test of the New Shepard commercial crewed spacecraft as described as a cancelled project. Propelled by rocket motors, the spacecraft was lifted to an altitude of 703 m when it was separated and, after deploying its parachute, made a soft landing about 500 m away from the Van Horn test site. Instead of the traditional tractor abort systems with rocket motors on a tower mounted above spacecraft, New Shepard used pushing pusher system. By the time this test took place the development had been cancelled.

2012 058A (38871) Name: Soyuz TMA-06M Country: Russia Launch date: 23 October 2012 Re-entry: 16 March 2013 Launch site: Baikonour Launch vehicle: Soyuz FG

Orbit: 402 x 424 km, inclination: 51.6° Crewed spaceflight with cosmonauts O. Novitsky (Cmdr.), E. Tarelkin (Fl. Eng.) and K. Ford (USA) (Fl. Eng.) using a modified Soyuz TMA spacecraft as described for 2010 052A. The mission was also known as ISS-32S and the call sign was Kazbek. They were members of the thirty third permanent crew (EX-33) and later the thirty fourth permanent crew (EX-34) for ISS. The spacecraft docked at the Poisk docking port of ISS (1998 067A) on 25 October 2012. The spacecraft undock on 15 March 2013. Their mission had lasted 143 days, 16 hours, 51 minutes.

2012 059A (38953) Name: Beidou 2-6 Country: China Launch date: 25 October 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Xichang Launch vehicle: CZ 3C

Orbit: geostationary at 110.5°E Navigational satellite in the Compass system as described for 2007 011A.

2012 060A (38975) Name: Progress M-17M Country: Russia Launch date: 31 October 2012 Re-entry: 21 April 2013 Launch site: Baikonour Launch vehicle: Soyuz U

Orbit: 402 x 424 km, inclination: 51.6° Cargo transfer spacecraft as described for 2008 060A. Progress M-17M docked at the Zvezda port of ISS (1998 067A) on 31 October 2012. The flight was also known as ISS-49P. The spacecraft undocked on 15 April 2013 following which it remained in orbit for a few more days to undertake the Radar Progress experiment.

--- Name: Grasshopper-2 Country: USA Launch date: 1 November 2012 Re-entry: n.a. Launch site: McGregor Launch vehicle: Grasshopper v1.0 Orbit: sub-orbital to 5.4 m Second test of the Grasshopper test vehicle as described for Grasshopper-1 (as described for 21 September 2012). On this test that lasted 8 seconds, the vehicle achieved and altitude of 5.4 m after which it landed on the launch pad again.

2012 061A (38977) Name: Luch 5-B Country: Russia Launch date: 2 November 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Baikonour Launch vehicle: Proton M/Briz M

Orbit: geostationary at 95°E Data relay satellite as described for 2011 074B. In December 2012 it was moved to 16oW.

2012 061B (38978) Name: Yamal-300K Country: Russia Launch date: 2 November 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Baikonour Launch vehicle: Proton M/Briz M


Yamal 300K was a communications satellite owned by Gazcom, the communications subsidiary of the Russian energy corporation Gazprom. The 1640 kg satellite was built by ISS Reshetnev using the Ekspress-1000N space platform. It carried 8 C band and 18 Ku band transponders. In May 2015 it was moved to 177oW.

2012 062A (38991) Name: Eutelsat 21-B Int. Agency: Eutelsat Launch date: 10 November 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Kourou Launch vehicle: Ariane 5ECA Orbit: geostationary at 21.5oE

Communications satellite owned by Eutelsat and built by Thales Alenia. The 5012 kg satellite was based on the Spacebus 4000-C3 platform and was fitted with 40 Ku band transponders. It was initially ordered as Eutelsat W-6A.

2012 062B (38992) Name: Star One-C3 Country: Brazil Launch date: 10 November 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Kourou Launch vehicle: Ariane 5ECA

Orbit: geostationary of 75°W

The Star One-C3 satellite was a communications satellite owned by Star One. It was based on Orbital’s Enhanced GEOStar-2.4 bus. The 3225 kg spacecraft carried 28 C-band transponders for coverage of South America, and 16 Ku-band transponders with six switchable channels between Brazil and the Andean coverage region.

2012 063A (38995) Name: Meridian-6 Country: Russia Launch date: 14 November 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Plesetsk Launch vehicle: Soyuz 2-1a/Fregat

Orbit: 986 x 39732 km, inclination: 62.8° Communications satellite as described for 2006 061A.

2012 064A (38997) Name: Huan Jing-1C Country: China Launch date: 18 November 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Taiyuan Launch vehicle: CZ 2C


Earth observation satellite as described for 2008 041A.

2012 064B (38998) Name: Fengniao-1 & Fengniao-1A Country: China Launch date: 18 November 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Taiyuan Launch vehicle: CZ 2C


Fengniao (FN)-1 was a 160 kg satellite to demonstrate, along with Fengniao-1A, a 30 kg satellite, the technology for controlling co-orbiting vehicles, including network communications between the two satellites. At launch Fengniao-1A was mounted on Fengniao-1 and was to separate at a later date. However, no date for that separation appears to have been published.

2012 064C (38999) Name: Xinyan-1 Country: China Launch date: 18 November 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Taiyuan Launch vehicle: CZ 2C


Xinyan (XY)-1 was a Chinese microsatellite to text new technologies in space.

2012 065A (39008) Name: Echostar-16 Country: USA Launch date: 20 November 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Baikonour Launch vehicle: Proton M/Briz M

Orbit: geostationary at 61.5°W Communications satellite as described for 2010 034A.

2012 066A (39011) Name: YW-16A Country: China Launch date: 25 November 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Jiuguan Launch vehicle: CZ 4C

Orbit: 1085 x 1105 km, inclination: 63.4° Earth observation satellite as described for 2006 015A. Also knwn as Jian Bing 8-2.

2012 066B (39012) Name: YW-16B Country: China Launch date: 25 November 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Jiuquan Launch vehicle: CZ 4C

Orbit: 1083 x 1105 km, inclination: 63.4° Companion satellite to YW-16A (2012 066A).

2012 066C (39013) Name: YW-16C Country: China Launch date: 25 November 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Jiuquan Launch vehicle: CZ 4C

Orbit: 1083 x 1105 km, inclination: 63.4° Companion satellite to YW-16A (2012 066A).

2012 067A (39017) Name: Zhongxing-12 Country: China Launch date: 27 November 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Xichang Launch vehicle: CZ 3B/E


Zhongxing-12 was originally ordered by Hong Kong’s APT Satellite Holdings as its Apstar-7B communications satellite from Thales Alenia Space as a back-up to Apstar-7 (2012 013A). After the successful launch of that satellite, Apstar-7B was transferred to Chinasatcom as Zhongxing-12, also known as Chinasat-12. The 5054 kg satellite was based on the Spacebus 4000C2 and the satellite carried 28 C-band and 23 Ku-band. Some of the transponders were leased to Supremesat of Sri Lanka and were named Supremesat-1. Soon after launch the satellite was moved to 51.5oE as Zhongxing-15A.

2012 068A (39019) Name: Pleïadus HR-2 Country: France Launch date: 2 December 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Kourou Launch vehicle: Soyuz ST


Earth observation satellite as described for Pleïades HR-1 (2011 076F). The spacecraft, which was also referred to as Pleïades-1B, was placed in and orbit 180o opposite the orbit of Pleïades HR-1.

2012 069A (39020) Name: Eutelsat 70-B Int. Agency: Eutelsat Launch date: 3 December 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Odyssey Launch vehicle: Zenit 3SL Orbit: geostationary at 70.5oE

Communications satellite built by Astrium using the Eurostar E3000 platform and fitted 48 Ku band transponders. The 5250 kg satellite was previously known as Eutelsat W-5A.

2012 070A (39022) Name: Yamal-402 Country: Russia Launch date: 8 December 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Baikonour Launch vehicle: Proton M/Briz M


Communications satellite owned by Gazcom and built by Thales Alenia using the Spacebus 4000C3 platform. The 5250 kg satellite was fitted with 46 Ku transponders. A premature shut down of the Briz M upper stage

during the fourth boost burn, left the saterllite in 3504 x 36245 km orbit with an inclination of 26.2° Using four burns by the satellite’s on-board engines, the satellite was eventually placed at its orbital location on 17 December 2012. These actions reduced the satellite’s life span from 15 to 11 years.

2012 071A (39025) Name: OTV-3 Country: USA Launch date: 11 December 2012 Re-entry: 17 October 2014 Launch site: Cape Canaveral Launch vehicle: Atlas V-501


OTV-3 was the second flight of the first X-37B space vehicle as described for 2010 015A. It has been suggested the flight carried out tests of new test of next-generation surveillance, communications and intelligence-gathering instruments. It was also known as USA-240. In March 2013 it was maneuvered to a higher orbit of 387 x 406 km. After a flight of 675 days it landed at Vandenberg,

--- Name: Grasshopper-3 Country: USA Launch date: 12 December 2012 Re-entry: n.a. Launch site: McGregor Launch vehicle: Grasshopper v1.0 Orbit: sub-orbital to 40 m Third test of the Grasshopper test vehicle as described for Grasshopper-1 (as described for 21 September 2012). On this test that lasted 29 seconds, the vehicle achieved and altitude of 40 m after which it landed on the launch pad again.

2012 072A (39026) Name: Kwangmyongsong-3-2 Country: North Korea Launch date: 12 December 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Sohae Launch vehicle: Unha-3


Kwangmyongsong-3-2 was a 100 kg Earth observation satellite fitted with a camera enabling it to send back pictures and other observational data over a period of two years. It is believed the satellite was similar to the one that failed on 12 April 2012.

2012 073A (39030) Name: GökTürk-2 Country: Turkey Launch date: 18 December 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Jiuquan Launch vehicle: CZ 2D

Orbit: 669 x 690 km, inclination 98.2°

GökTürk-2 was an Earth observation satellite owned by Tübitak Uzay, a Tuirkish government institute although the original contract was signed by the Turkish Defense Ministry. The 409 kg was built by Telespazio in cooperation with Thales Alenia and the Turkish aerospace industry. It was derived from the Proteur platform developed by Thales Alenia. and carried an optical multispectral imager with a resolution of 2 m. The name Göktürk refers to a nomadic confederation of Turkic peoples in medieval Inner Asia.

2012 074A (39032) Name: Soyuz TMA-07M Country: Russia Launch date: 19 December 2012 Re-entry: 14 May 2013 Launch site: Baikonour Launch vehicle: Soyuz FG

Orbit: 400 x 424 km, inclination: 51.6° Crewed spaceflight with cosmonauts R. Romanenko (Cmdr.), C. Hadfield (Canada) (Fl. Eng.) and T. Marshburn (USA) (Fl. Eng) using a modified Soyuz TMA spacecraft as described for 2010 052A. The mission was also known as ISS-33S and the call sign was Parus. They were members of the thirty fourth permanent crew (EX-34) and later the thirty fifth permanent crew (EX-35) for ISS. The spacecraft docked at the MRM-2 (Rassvet) docking port of ISS (1998 067A) on 21 December 2012. The spacecraft used for Soyuz TMA-07M was serialled as 704A and was originally intended to be used (as serial 704) for the Soyuz TMA-04M (2012 022A) mission. During a pressure test in February 2012, the descent module was damaged beyond repair and was replaced, resulting in the 704A serial number . The spacecraft undocked on 13 May 2013. The mission had lasted 144 days, 21 hours, 19 min.

2012 075A (39034) Name: Skynet-5D Country: United Kingdom Launch date: 19 December 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Kourou Launch vehicle: Ariane ECA5


Military communications satellite as described for 2007 007A. In March 2013 it was moved to 53oE.

2012 075B (39035) Name: Mexsat-3 Country: Mexico Launch date: 19 December 2012 Re-entry: in orbit Launch site: Kourou Launch vehicle: Ariane ECA5


Mexsat-3 was a Mexican communications satellite owned by the Mexican government. The 3050 kg was built by Orbital Science and carried 12 C and 12 Ku band transponders. In August 2013 the satellite was moved to 116.8oW and in December 2013 back to 114.9oW.

world spacecraft digest by jos heyman 2012 … · laser relativity satellite ... the 1 kg satellite...

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