ORS-5: SensorSat – Minotaur-4/Orion 38 – Канаверал SLC-46 – 26.08.2017, 03:14 UTC

Автор Salo, 13.02.2017 02:33:06

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tnt22

Цитировать08/25/2017 20:03
The official launch weather forecast from the U.S. Air Force's 45th Weather Squadron calls for isolated thunderstorms and rain showers and mostly cloudy conditions at launch time.

There is a 60 percent chance that weather will be acceptable for liftoff during tonight's four-hour launch window, which opens at 11:15 p.m. EDT (0315 GMT).
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The primary concerns are with thick clouds and cumulus clouds, but officials will also watch for lightning in the area. The mobile gantry at Complex 46 is scheduled to be retracted to launch position around two-and-a-half hours prior to liftoff, and the launch team must be assured there is a minimal chance of lightning near the pad before giving the go to remove the service structure.

Once the gantry is retracted to reveal the Minotaur 4 rocket, the vehicle is exposed to weather and lightning.

Any storms over Cape Canaveral this evening could force the Minotaur team to push back the liftoff time later int he launch window.
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tnt22


tnt22

http://spaceflight101.com/ors-5/sensorsat/
ЦитироватьAugust 25, 2017
SensorSat (ORS-5)

The ORS-5 mission, also known as SensorSat, is operated by the Operationally Responsive Space Office under leadership by the U.S. Air Force. ORS-5 is a Space Situational Awareness Mission serving as a gap filler between the Space-Based Space Surveillance System SBSS-1 pathfinder satellite launched in 2010 and an operational follow-on SBSS satellite which has not yet been funded and is therefore not expected to fly until the early 2020s.

The 113-Kilogram ORS-5 satellite, hosting a high-fidelity optical sensing instrument, will circle the Earth 600 Kilometers in altitude, right above the equator fr om where it will monitor satellites in the Geostationary Belt, 35,000 Kilometers above its orbit wh ere the satellite's orbital speed matches that of Earth so that they can remain locked in a fixed position above the ground.
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Photo: Lincoln Lab / MIT

Geostationary Orbit is arguably the among most important orbital regimes, populated by the world's television, telecommunications and data satellites as well as meteorological craft, military and government communications assets, and spy satellites (particularly signals intelligence).


Populated GEO Regime – Image: Analytical Graphics, Inc.

Given its importance for national security, there is a strong desire to monitor activity in Geostationary Orbit to identify threats arising from a large population of debris and zombie satellites as well as potentially purposeful action by a foreign entity to impede the operation of U.S. space assets in this vital orbital regime. To that end, GEO is monitored extensively using ground-based radar and optical tracking assets as well as space-based systems operating from different orbits to characterize activity in the Geostationary Belt and provide advance warning of any potential threats.

Two pairs of "patrolling satellites" were deployed to Geosynchronous Orbit in 2014 and 2016 under the Geosynchronous Space Situational Awareness Program. The satellites – outfitted with visual Space Surveillance Sensors and radio characterization equipment – patrol above or below the GEO belt to provide precise orbital tracking for objects of interest, monitor a satellite's activity using the electro-optical payload and track radio emissions from satellites as an indicator of satellite identity and activity.


GSSAP Satellites – Image: U.S. Air Force

The 700-Kilogram GSSAP satellites have extensive maneuvering capability and can link-up with any object of interest for close-up characterization; however, due to their proximity to the GEO belt, they can not provide an overview of activity ongoing throughout the GEO regime.

SensorSat, placed into Low Earth Orbit right below the GEO Belt, will be able to stare up at GEO and collect tracking information on every sizeable object in GEO 15 times per day (on every orbit). The mission has three core objectives: a) demonstrating cost-effective technology that is sufficient for geosynchronous Space Situational Awareness, b) retire risk for a future operational Space Situational Awareness Program, and c) develop and demonstrate ORS enablers and principles through a mission with a responsive, taskable sensor capable of supporting event-driven operations.


SBSS Satellite – Image: Boeing

The SBSS pathfinder satellite launched in 2010 came at a total program cost of $823 million, featuring a one-metric-ton satellite built by Boeing and Ball Aerospace coupled with an articulated telescope built by Northrop Grumman. SBSS-1 hosted a 30-centimeter telescope on a two-axis gimbal feeding a 2.4-megapixel image sensor. The mission operated from a Sun Synchronous Orbit, meaning the satellite would intersect the equatorial plane twice for every lap around the planet, allowing each object in GEO to be imaged at least twice per day.

SensorSat, operating in a zero-degree orbit, will remain directly under the GEO Belt at all times, permitting continuous observations.

The ORS-5 project comes with a price tag of just one tenth of the SBSS mission with $49 million allocated for the satellite, $11.3 million for the ground system, and $27.2 million for the Minotaur IV launch vehicle & Orbital ATK launch services.


Photo: MIT / Lincoln Lab

The SensorSat spacecraft was developed and built by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology /Lincoln Laboratory and has been conceptualized to implement a high degree of autonomy in a low-cost framework, leveraging miniaturized satellite systems, a small satellite launch vehicle and an existing ground infrastructure at the Multi-Mission Space Operations Center.

SensorSat represents a highly integrated package with system components integrated around the purpose-built instrument and its large stray light baffle. The satellite measures 1.5 meters in length and weighs around 113 Kilograms; all satellite components were sourced from commercial space vendors with the notable exception of the Camera Electronics Board that was designed and built at MIT.

Much of the satellite's specifications and capabilities of the optical imaging system are classified.


GeOST – Image: 'Crosslink' – The Aerospace Corporation

SensorSat employs the Geometry Optimized Space Telescope (GeOST) concept developed at Lincoln Lab which calls for the satellite to fly in an orientation that points the telescope toward the GEO Belt on what is referred to as a "magic angle" that permits celestial objects to appear as fixed to discern them from Resident Space Objects at GEO altitude.

The GeOST concept has been developed specifically for a low orbiting satellite in an equatorial orbit. Rather than staring straight up to the GEO Belt, the satellite points to a portion of the belt well ahead of its own position. The location is sel ected so that the sensor's velocity perpendicular to its line of sight exactly matches the target satellite velocity perpendicular to the vector joining the sensor and target satellite. This geometry causes the image of the target satellite to remain momentarily motionless on the focal plane, permitting greater integration time which enables more sensitive imaging. If pointed straight up, the satellite would need a detector ten times larger compared to what is possible with GeOST.


Photo: MIT / Lincoln Lab

Per the operational mission concept, the satellite will fly in an Earth-centered fixed (ECF) orientation and its orbital motion will sweep around the GEO Belt with only short interruptions during solar exclusion angles. The craft's attitude control system makes use of the imaging instrument as part of a "sensor in the loop" technique to ensure it accurately maintains the magic angle. As a non-propulsive satellite, ORS-5 will be subject to a slow orbital decay which will require the satellite's orientation to be adjusted over the course of its life to maintain the magic angle as a function of orbital altitude.

The novel flight geometry is combined with a TDI (Time Delay Integration) technique in the sensor's camera system that reads out subsequent detector rows and shifts their practical measurements to the adjacent row synchronously with the motion of the image across the detector. This allows for continuous imaging and readout fr om the sensor for non-stop imaging of the GEO Belt down to very faint objects like small debris pieces.


Photo: MIT / Lincoln Lab

SensorSat is targeting an initial operational orbit 600 Kilometers in altitude at zero inclination, taking 104 minutes for one lap around the planet that allows for high awareness of change activity in the GEO regime. The mission is expected to have a duration of at least three and a half years with emphasis on the operational aspect of the mission over the technical demonstration.

The ORS-5 ground segment will be located at Kirtland Air Force Base for the launch and early orbit phase before transitioning to Schriever AFB for regular mission operations. SensorSat uses the Multi-Mission Space Operations Center running the Neptune common ground architecture operation system with a purpose-built extension by Lincoln Lab for mission data processing. Special tasking and data analysis will be completed at the Air Force Satellite Control Network. ORS-5, due to its unique orbit, can only use the Guam and Diego Garcia AFSCN ground stations with Hawaii in a limited backup role for the event of a loss of signal at the primary stations.
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tnt22

Цитировать AF SMC‏ @AF_SMC 5 мин. назад

Team SMC is on console making final checks for tonight's #ORS5 launch aboard a Minotaur IV from CCAFS.

tnt22

Цитировать08/26/2017 00:20
The first members of the Minotaur launch team should be getting ready to remove a thermal blanket covering the lower three stages of the rocket. The blanket ensures temperature and humidity inside the Minotaur 4's Peacekeeper missile motors remains within constraints.
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The rocket stages were originally built to be housed inside a climate-controlled canister in an underground silo.

Managers will give approval to remove the blanket if weather conditions look OK. Scattered rain showers and thunderstorms are currently moving over Cape Canaveral.

"We've developed what we call a thermal conditioning blanket," said Terry Luchi, Orbital ATK's Minotaur program manager, during a recent prelaunch interview. "We have that covering all three of the Peacekeeper stages. That is a manual removal, so what we've done is we've moved our timeline back a little to account for that removal of the thermal blanket. At about T-minus 7 hours or so, we'll come on station with a small team and a pad crew to go out and make a weather call to remove the blanket.

Pre-launch checkouts of the Minotaur 4 begin at T-minus 4 hours, 30 minutes.

"We'll finish that all up, and at about four-and-a-half hours is the prelaunch check. That's when we'll bring up the range, and make sure we can flow data, and our emitters are working and all that."
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tnt22


tnt22

Цитировать08/26/2017 03:44
T-minus 2 hours, 30 minutes. The countdown remains on track for liftoff at the opening of tonight's launch window at 11:15 p.m. EDT (0315 GMT), but the launch team continues to watch storms near Cape Canaveral.

At this point in the countdown, crews at pad 46 should be preparing to retract the mobile gantry away from the Minotaur 4 rocket and begin final arming and closeouts of the launch vehicle.

tnt22

Цитировать08/26/2017 04:08
The countdown is holding at this time, meaning launch will not occur on time at 11:15 p.m. EDT (0315 GMT). The launch window has been shortened slightly, now closing at 3 a.m. EDT (0700 GMT).

tnt22

Цитировать Spaceflight Now‏ @SpaceflightNow 4 мин. назад

The Minotaur launch countdown is currently in a hold as launch team waits for storms to clear at Cape Canaveral.

tnt22

Цитировать Chris G - NSF‏ @CwG_NSF 5 мин. назад

Current radar. General storm movement is to the north. T-2hrs to the opening of tonight's window. #MinotaurIV #ORS5 @OrbitalATK

tnt22

Цитировать Spaceflight101 LIVE‏ @S101_Live 1 мин. назад

Currently in a holding pattern to wait for storms to clear out before proceeding with ordnance arming, FTS safe/arm tests on the Minotaur IV

tnt22

Цитировать Chris G - NSF‏ @CwG_NSF 2 мин. назад

Countdown is holding. Launch will be delayed. No new T0 at this time. Launch window shortened to close at 03:00a ET. #MinotaurIV #ORS5

tnt22

Цитировать Chris G - NSF‏ @CwG_NSF 2 мин. назад

Count is holding because of storms off shore. Launch team is waiting for them to clear out before continuing. #MinotaurIV #ORS5 #OrbitalATK

tnt22


tnt22


tnt22

Цитировать AF SMC‏ @AF_SMC 5 мин. назад

ORS Team at Kirkland AFB, NM, is awaiting launch of #ORS5 so they can perform ops once the satellite is on orbit.

tnt22


tnt22

Цитировать Spaceflight Now‏ @SpaceflightNow 5 мин. назад

Liftoff of Minotaur 4 rocket from Cape Canaveral delayed to at least 12:15am EDT (0415 GMT), and likely later.

tnt22

Цитировать08/26/2017 05:20
The countdown remains in a hold at T-minus 2 hours, 45 minutes, pushing liftoff until some time after 1 a.m. EDT (0500 GMT) once launch preps are cleared to resume.
Цитировать Chris G - NSF‏ @CwG_NSF 57 сек. назад

Liftoff now NET 01:00 EDT. #MinotaurIV #ORS5 #OrbitalATK

tnt22