FAISAT-2v/VITASAT-1r Cosmos Launch on 23 Sept.
Eric Rosenberg (erosenberg@orbcomm.net)
Wed, 17 Sep 97 09:17:16 est
The FAISAT-2v/VITASAT-1r "little LEO" satellite will be launched as a
piggyback payload to a Russian navsat on Tuesday 23 September.
The launch is scheduled for 16:44 UTC from Plesetsk on a Cosmos booster.
Separation of the FAI/VITA satellite could occur up to 5 hours
post-launch.
The main downlink is 400.62 MHz, 4800 bps GMSK modulation. Secondary
downlink is 400.55 MHz. Command uplink is 148.7 Mhz for the US TT+C
station in Lanham, MD. The actual command station for the checkout is
at the Andoya Rocket Range in Andenes, Norway.
Preliminary element set, based on the launch of FAISAT-1 in 1995 on the
same rocket and into the same orbit is as follows:
Faisat-2v
1 97025U 97002V 97266.68332521 .00000008 00000-0 10000-4 0 108
2 97025 82.9184 281.7361 0024279 265.4977 86.3400 13.71043547 05
The first orbit (descending) takes the satellite over Alaska and New
Zealand, then up over Africa and western Europe.
I would appreciate any viewer/listener reports of the satellite,
although I don't have any giveaways this time around!
Clear skies!
Eric
--
Eric Rosenberg
erosenberg@orbcomm.net