ORS-5 (SensorSat)

Launch data:

Spacecraft data: Prime manufacturer   Platform   Operator  US Air Force Operationally Responsive Space office (Kirtland AFB, New Mexico) Mass at launch   kg Dry Mass   kg Basic shape   Dimension (m)   Equipment   Solar array   Stabilization   Propulsion   DC power   Design lifetime

Credit photo: MIT LL

Description:

• ORS-5, also known as SensorSat, is a single satellite constellation with a primary mission to provide space situational awareness. It measures about five feet long, two and a half feet wide, and weighs about 250 pounds. It will operate from a low, zero inclination orbit approximately 372 miles above the earth to aid the U.S. military′s tracking of other satellites and space debris in geosynchronous orbit, 22,236 miles above the equator, commonly used by defense-related communications satellites, television broadcasting stations, and international space platforms.

Mission details:

• ORS-5 is a space surveillance satellite (also called SensorSat) for the US Air Force Operationally Responsive Space office (Kirtland AFB, New Mexico). The satellite was inserted into equatorial LEO to monitor debris and satellites in the GEO belt.
• A 5-stage Minotaur IV was used to orbit the satellite. Stage 4, with an Orion 38 motor, inserted the stack in a 400 x 600 km x 24.6 deg parking orbit. Stage 5, with a second Orion 38, made the plane change to reach 599 x 604 km x 0.02 deg.
• Three cubesats were ejected into the parking orbit: two for Los Alamos (probably the 1.5U comm satellites Prometheus 2.2 and 2.4) and one for DARPA, understood to be the 3U cubesat DARPA High Frequency Receiver experiment developed by Utah′s SDL.

External links:

• Satellite tracking (n2ya.com): Real time satellite tracking