DMSP 5D-F13

USA

Spacecraft nº:

USA satellite nº:

Defense Meteorological Satellites Program
Also called USA 109 , DMSP B5D2-8 or DMSP 24547

Launch data:

Designation	23533 / 95015A
Launch date	24 Mar 1995 - 14:05 UT
Launch site	Va, SLC-3W
Launch vehicle	Atlas-E Star-37S-ISS (S/N° 45E)
Mission	Military: Earth Science/Meteorology
Sun-Synchronous LEO Earth orbit:
Perigee / Apogee	845 x 855 km
Eccentricity	6.93E-04
Inclination	98.8 deg
Period	101.93 min

The satellite carries the OLS (Operational Linescan System) weather imager, and a set of microwave sounders and particle detectors.

The launch vehicle was the last Atlas-E, a refurbished intercontinental ballistic missile which had been built in the early 1960s.

Spacecraft data:

Prime contractor	General Electric Astro Space
Platform	based on Tiros N bus
Operator	DoD/NOAA
Mass at launch	1134 kg
Dry Mass	823 kg
Basic shape
Dimension (m)	dia: 1.68m, height: 6.4m
Solar array
Stabilization
DC power	900 W
Design lifetime	5 yrs - still active

Decay:

Out of service:	semi-retired since 2009
Cause:
Descent date:
Lifetime:

Mission details:

Near-polar orbits; investigate Earth's environment. SSM/1 sensor to track sea ice has completely failed.
46 new debris objects have been cataloged associated with the DMSP F-13 satellite, a US Air Force weather satellite which was launched in 1995 and has been semi-retired since 2009. According to calculations, the debris was released on Feb 3, 2015.
According to USAF sources quoted in the media the event was preceded by a temperature spike and it seems likely that the spacecraft battery exploded.

Ref.: #7(JR709), #226 - update: 05.05.15

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