Sapphire (satellite)
| Sapphire | |
|---|---|
| Type: | Space surveillance satellite |
| Country: |
 Canada
|
| Operator: | DND |
| COSPAR-ID : | 2013-009C |
| Mission dates | |
| Dimensions: | 150 kg |
| Begin: | February 25, 2013 |
| Starting place: | Satish Dhawan Space Center |
| Launcher: | PSLV C-20 |
| Status: | ? |
| Orbit data | |
| Rotation time : | 100.4 min |
| Track height: | approx. 750 km |
| Orbit inclination : | 98.6 ° |
| Apogee height : | 770 km |
| Perigee height : | 787 km |
Sapphire is a Canadian military space surveillance satellite . The satellite is manufactured by the Canadian company MDA Space Missions . The company received the $ 65 million contract from the Department of National Defense (DND) in 2007. The satellite was launched on February 25, 2013. The satellite was operated by an Indian PSLV from the Satish Dhawan Space Center on Sriharikota in brought into orbit.
mission
The space surveillance satellite had the task of cataloging and observing objects that are in earth orbit at altitudes between 6,000 km and 40,000 km for at least five years. With the help of the satellite, potential danger situations should be identified and averted. The satellite should also serve the North American air surveillance network of NORAD . The satellite is or has been served from Canada. The data is being or has been transmitted to two ground stations in Canada in Saskatoon and St. Hubert and in Guildford , England.
Instruments
The satellite weighs around 150 kg and has various instruments. The most important instrument is a 15 cm telescope with a 1.4 ° angle of view, with which the satellite can detect space objects at an altitude between 6,000 and 40,000 km.
Web links
- Department of National Defense - website about Sapphire ( Memento of July 16, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) (English)
- MDA Space Missions - Website about the satellite ( Memento from January 25, 2016 in the Internet Archive )
- Sapphire (Space Surveillance Mission of Canada) on ESA's eoPortal
- Gunter's Space Page - website of the satellite (English)
- Heavens Above - SAPPHIRE - orbit (German)
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c d Heavens Above - SAPPHIRE - orbit . Retrieved April 2, 2014.
- ↑ Amostech Sapphire Satellite Specification (PDF; 414 kB)
- ↑ spaceQ - Indian Rocket Launches Satellites Canadian , accessed on February 27, 2013