ROCSAT 1

Taiwan

Spacecraft nº:

Taiwan spacecraft nº: 1

Republic Of China SATellte
Also called: Chunghua 1 and Formosat 1

Launch data:

Designation	25616 / 99002A
Launch date	27 Jan 1999
Launch site	CC, LC-46
Launch vehicle	Athena-1 (#4)
Mission	Scientific: ionosphere study, imaging
Earth orbit on Jan 27, 1999:
Perigee / Apogee	606 x 653 km
Eccentricity
Inclination	35.0°
Period	97 min

The satellite will be used for scientific research including ocean color imaging, experiments on ionospheric plasma and elecrodynamics, and K-band communications experiments. The K-band cannot be used because of a license problem.

Specifications

Prime contractor	TRW
Platform	STEP
Operator	NSPO (National Space Program Office)
Mass at launch	425 kg
Mass in orbit
Dimension	1.10 m diameter x 2.02 m long
Solar array	2 wings, 1.16 x 2.46 m
Stabilization	3-axis
DC power	450 W
Design lifetime	1 year

Payloads:

Ocean Color Imager (OCI)

Wavebands	443 nm (+/- 4) 490 nm (+/- 4) 510 nm (+/- 4) 555 nm (+/- 4) 670 nm (+/- 4) 865 nm (+/- 5)
Swath width	691.2 km
Resolution	800 m

Ionospheric Plasma and Electrodynamics Instrument (IPEI)

Will help scientists gain a better understanding of the ionospheric structure above Taiwan, which is of great importance in determining effects on radio communications

Experimental Communication Payload (ECP)

Main transponders	1
Backup transponders
Power	10 W
Bandwidth	27 MHz
Coverage
EIRP max
G/T max
Polarization	circular
Frequencies	uplink: 28.25 GHz (RHCP) downlink: 14.45 GHz (LHCP)

Beacon: 19.5 GHz (1.77 W)
S-band communications, uplink at 2 kbps, downlink at 1.4 Mbps. 2 GB onboard storage

Ref: #7(JR417), #22, #83 - update: 23.09.10