BD-2 G6

Spacecraft nº:

Chinese spacecraft nº: 193

Launch data: Designation  38953 / 12059A Launch date  25 Oct 2012 - 15:33 UT Launch site  Xichang, LC-2 Launch vehicle  CZ-3C Mission  Military: Navigation/GPS Geostationary orbit on Nov 1.73: Perigee / Apogee  35775 x 35799 km Eccentricity  2,85E-04 Inclination  1.84 deg Period  1436.11 min

Spacecraft data:

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Description:

• BD 2G (Beidou 2G) satellites are the GEO component of the 2rd phase of the chinese Beidou (Compass) satellite navigation system, which, in contrast to GPS and GLONASS, uses both geostationary satellites and satellites in intermediate orbit.
• This series, also called "Compass-G" is the geostationary constellation.
• The Beidou-2 Constellation of Satellites is currently under development and will feature 35 orbiting satellites once complete. At the end of 2012, China plans to provide regional Beidou Navigation services covering China and neighboring regions. By 2020, the System is expected to provide global navigation capabilities. Beidou provides free service to civilian users as well as licensed service for the Chinese Government. The free service is limited in accuracy with a navigation accuracy of 10 meters and 0.2m/s in velocity and a timing accuracy of 10 nanoseconds while the military service will provide a much higher accuracy. The complete constellation of Satellites will feature five Spacecraft in Geostationary Orbit and 27 Satellites in a Medium-Earth-Orbit as well as three Compass Satellites in inclined geostationary orbits.
• Compass G6 is based on the DFH-3B Platform and features two deployable solar arrays for power supply and a Propulsion System for orbital maneuvers in addition to the satellite payload. The Satellite body consists of a hexahedral structure being about 2.2 by 2.0 by 3.0 meters in size with a liftoff weight of 3,800 Kilograms and a payload mass of up to 450 Kilograms that is supported by the satellite bus. The vehicle has a 490-Newton Propulsion System for orbit adjustments and maintenance as well as Stationkeeping in Geostationary Orbit. The spacecraft is planned to operate for at least 8 years.
• The G6 satellite is also called Compass G2R which indicates that it is a replacement for the G2 satellite that was launched in April 2009 and failed early in its mission, drifting out of its position in Geostationary Orbit. The vehicle had been marked ‘inactive’ ever since. Details on the failure were not released.

Mission details:

• A new Beidou navigation satellite, Beidou Daohang Weixing 16, was launched on Oct 25, 2012 into geostationary transfer orbit. US tracking data showed it in transfer orbit on Oct 26 and in GEO at 80.4E on Nov 1 and later. The transfer orbit had an unusually low perigee of around 150-160 km.