Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere, and Climate

2006-04-17T07:27:39Z

211.30.114.4: /* Deployment */

{{Current}}
{{Spacecraft|
| Name = COSMIC
| Image = <font size="-1" color="#ffffff">[[Image:COSMIC_logo.jpg]]</font><br />
| Organization = COSMIC
| Major_Contractors = [[Orbital Sciences Corporation]]
| Mission_Type = [[Meteorology]], [[Ionosphere]], [[Climatology]], and [[Space weather]] research.
| Satellite_Of = [[Earth]]
| Launch = 15/04/06 at 01:40 GMT
| Launch_Vehicle = [[Minotaur (rocket)|Minotaur]]
| Decay =
| Mission_Duration = 5 years
| Mass = 155 lb
| NSSDC_ID =
| Webpage = http://www.cosmic.ucar.edu/
| Semimajor_Axis =
| Eccentricity = 0
| Inclination = 72 degrees
| Orbital_Period =
| Apogee = 500km (current) 800km (planned)
| Perigee = 500km (current) 700km (planned)
| Orbits =
}}
:''COSMIC is also a code name used to label [[NATO]] [[Classified information#Sharing of classified information between countries|classified information]].''

'''Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere, and Climate''' (COSMIC) is a program designed to provide advances in [[meteorology]], [[ionosphere|ionospheric]] research, [[climatology]], and [[space weather]] by using [[Global Positioning System|GPS]] [[satellite]]s in conjunction with [[low Earth orbit]]ing (LEO) satellites. The term "COSMIC" may refer to either the organization itself or the [[Satellite constellation|constellation of satellites]].

After experiencing several delays, the launch of the COSMIC satellite constellation atop a [[Minotaur (rocket)|Minotaur]] launch vehicle from [[Vandenberg AFB]] occurred at 01:40 GMT, on [[April 15]] 2006, despite heavy fog.<ref>{{cite news | first=Justin | last=Ray | title=Launch Coverage for Minotaur Rocket' COSMIC Mission | date=April 14, 2006 | publisher=Spaceflight Now | url=http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/sfn_minotaur_cosmic_cntdwn.html }}</ref> The satellites, which orbit at an altitude of 500 miles, will take over a year to move into the correct posistions to provide full global coverage.

== Instruments ==
[[Image:COSMIC-FORMOSAT-3.jpg|thumb|left|300px|Components of a FORMOSAT-3 / COSMIC satellite]]
The COSMIC satellites will be equipped with three primary forms of instrumentation for [[remote sensing]], as follows:
*[[GPS Occultation Experiment]]
*[[Tri-band beacon]] (TBB)
*[[Tiny Ionospheric Photometer]] (TIP)

''Sources:'' <ref>{{Press release reference | Organization = UCAR | Date = April 12, 2006 | Title = New Satellite System Will Use GPS Signals To Track Hurricanes, Climate Change, and Space Weather| URL = http://www.ucar.edu/news/releases/2006/cosmic.shtml}}</ref>
==Deployment==
All 6 [[Miniaturized_satellites#Microsatellite|microsatellites]] were launched on a single launch vehicle and deployed into a single parking orbit after launch. The spacecraft will then be deployed into separate [[Orbital plane (astronomy)|orbital plane]]s through the use of [[precession]] due to the [[oblateness]] of the Earth and raised to a final orbital altitude over the course of several months. Scientific data will be collected during the deployment process.

== Orbital information==
===Parking orbit===
*[[Altitude]]: 500 km
*[[Inclination]]: 72 degrees
*[[Eccentricity]]: 0 degrees

===Final orbital configuration===
*Altitude: 700 - 800 km
*Inclination: 72 degrees
*Eccentricity: 0 degrees
*Spacing between [[right ascension|right ascension of ascending node]]s: 24 degrees
*Spacing in [[mean anomaly]] between adjacent orbital planes: 45 degrees

== See also ==
=== Organizations ===
*[[University Corporation for Atmospheric Research]] (UCAR)
*[[National Space Organization (ROC)|National Space Organization, Republic of China (Taiwan)]] (NSPO)
*[[National Science Foundation]] (NSF)

=== Satellites ===
*[[CHAMP]]
*[[Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment]] (GRACE)

==Notes & references==
<div style="font-size: 85%"><references/></div>

== External links ==

*[http://www.cosmic.ucar.edu/ Official site]
*[http://www.ucar.edu/ University Corporation for Atmospheric Research] (UCAR)
*[http://www.uop.ucar.edu/ UCAR Office of Programs] (UOP)
*[http://www.nspo.org.tw/2005e/ National SPace Organization] (NSPO) - COSMIC's Taiwanese counterpart

{{space-stub}}
{{Climate-stub}}

[[Category:Earth observation satellites]]
[[Category:Taiwanese space program]]

[[de:FORMOSAT 3]]

IdeaWazaWiki - User contributions [en]

Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere, and Climate