FORMOSAT 3A / 3F

Launch data: Designation  29047/52 - 06011A/F Launch date  15 Avr 2006 - 01:40 UT Launch site  Va, SLC-8 Launch vehicle  Minotaur-1 Mission  Government/Civil: Remote Sensing, Science LEO Sun-Synchronous Earth orbit on: Perigee / Apogee  800 x 800 km Eccentricity  0.00E+00 Inclination  72° Period  100.87 min

Spacecraft data:

Mission details:

• Provide atmospheric data daily in real time over thousands of points on Earth for both research and operational weather forecasting by measuring the bending of radio signals from the U.S. Global Positioning System (GPS) as the signals pass through Earth's atmosphere.
• The Taiwan/US FORMOSAT-3 ionospheric research constellation was launched in April 2006 into initial orbits of 497 x 537 km x 72.0 deg. Based on a report at the 58th IAC in 2007, the individual satellites can now be identified; objects 2006-11A,B,C,D,E and F are satellites FORMOSAT-3 FM6, FM1, FM5, FM3, FM4 and FM2 respectively. Five of the satellites have reached their operational 750 x 850 km orbits, but FM3 is apparently stuck in an intermediate orbit due to solar array problems.
• Details about the satellites. The Rel.Long column gives the orbit ascending node relative to that of FM5; FM3 is drifting relative to the constellation because of its lower altitude.

  Catalog    Satellite         Current orbit,    Orbit raise dates    Rel.Long
                               km x km x deg     Start       End
  29047/11A  FORMOSAT-3 FM6    763 x 839 x 72.0  2006 Dec    2007 Feb   -60
  29048/11B  FORMOSAT-3 FM1    769 x 833 x 72.0  2007 Sep    2007 Nov  -150
  29049/11C  FORMOSAT-3 FM5    774 x 828 x 72.0  2006 Jun    2006 Jul     0
  29050/11D  FORMOSAT-3 FM3    675 x 750 x 72.0  2007 Jun    2007 Aug (-160)
  29051/11E  FORMOSAT-3 FM4    752 x 850 x 72.0  2007 Mar    2007 May   -90
  29052/11F  FORMOSAT-3 FM2    771 x 831 x 72.0  2006 Sep    2006 Dec   -30