View source for Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere, and Climate

{{Infobox Spacecraft
|| Name = COSMIC
|Image =
|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
|Power = 
|Orbital_elements = yes
|NSSDC_ID = 2006-011A
|Webpage = [http://www.cosmic.ucar.edu/ COSMIC at UCAR]
|Semimajor_Axis =
|Eccentricity = 0
|Inclination = 72 degrees
|Orbital_Period =
|Apoapsis = 500km (current) 800km (planned)
|Periapsis = 500km (current) 700km (planned)
|Orbits =
}}
{{ntnes}}
'''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]] (also known as '''FORMOSAT-3''' in Taiwan). The constellation is a joint U.S.-Taiwanese project with major participants including the [[University Corporation for Atmospheric Research]] (UCAR), the [[National Science Foundation]], the [[Naval Research Laboratory]] (NRL), the [[Air Force Research Laboratory]] (AFRL) on the U.S. side and the [[National Space Organization (ROC)|National Space Organization]] (NSPO) on the Taiwanese side.

The total cost of the project is US$100 million, 80% of which is being provided by NSPO, and the remainder by various U.S. agencies.<ref>{{cite web | title=COSMIC: About | work=UCAR COSMIC | url=http://www.cosmic.ucar.edu/about.html | accessdate=2006-04-18}}</ref>

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=2006-04-14 | 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 positions to provide full global coverage.

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

''Sources:'' <ref>{{cite press release | publisher = UCAR | date = 2006-04-12 | 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.

== Status ==
Currently only four of the microsatellites remain fully functional.  The FM2's power system lost 50% of its output in February 2007, while FM3's solar panel also malfunctioned since August 2007. As a result, both satellites are operating in a degraded state, capable of returning data only during specific  solar angles.  The FM6 went out of control on September 2007, but control was restored by November 16 of the same year.<ref>[http://www.cosmic.ucar.edu/launch/status.html COSMIC Current Status]</ref><ref>[http://www.cosmic.ucar.edu/] COSMIC Homepage</ref>

== Orbital information==
===Parking orbit===
*[[Altitude]]: 500 km
*[[Inclination]]: 72 degrees
*[[eccentricity (orbit)|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 ==
*[[CHAMP]]
*[[Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment]] (GRACE)
*[[List of spaceflights (2006)]]

==Notes & references==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
*[http://www.cosmic.ucar.edu/ Official site]
*[http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/missions/profile.cfm?MCode=COSMIC COSMIC Mission Profile] by [http://solarsystem.nasa.gov NASA's Solar System Exploration]
*[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.
*[http://sciencenow.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/2006/1212/1?etoc ScienceNOW: ''The Little Satellite Fleet That Could''], 
http://www.agu.org/pubs/crossref/2007/2006JA012240.shtml
Comparison of COSMIC ionospheric measurements with ground-based observations and model predictions: Preliminary results
12 December 2006
*[http://www.agu.org/journals/sw/swa/free/newarticle/?id=2008SW000400 Space Weather and the Global Positioning System]

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