IRNSS-1A Reaches Preliminary Destination Orbit
News courtesy of CANSPACE listserv.
Following the July 1 launch of the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System 1A satellite, five orbit maneuvers were to be conducted by the master control facility to position the satellite in its circular inclined geosynchronous orbit (IGSO) with an equator crossing at 55 degrees east longitude.
Reports indicate that orbit raising maneuvers have been completed with a fifth apogee motor firing on July 6 at 16:57 IST or 11:27 UTC. All the spacecraft subsystems have been evaluated and are functioning normally.
The satellite was reported to be in IGSO with a 27 degree inclination at 44 degrees east longitude.
NORAD/JSpOC has released a two-line element set for the IGSO of the satellite with an epoch of a few days ago:
1 39199U 13034A 13189.83931637 .00000103 00000-0 00000+0 0 55
2 39199 027.0197 141.0618 0046168 179.3431 315.7902 01.00666774 276
This data indicates that the sub-satellite equator crossing was about 47 degrees east longitude at the reference epoch. The satellite orbit equator crossing is drifting eastwards and should reach 55 degrees east longitude by about July 14.
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This is truly great news. I would like to add to the discussion, my findings during a simulation-based analysis of IRNSS and IRNSS-1A. I used STK to simulate the constellation configurations possible and estimate its life expectancy and orbital decay patterns. Here’s the link to the analysis report:
http://crazymotts.blogspot.in/2013/08/irnss-analysis-of-opportunities-and.html