Reflector
Jump to: Mission Objectives, Mission Instrumentation, Mission Parameters, Additional Information
Mission Photos:
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| Reflector Satellite (courtesy of IPIE) | Reflector Satellite Diagram (courtesy of IPIE) |
Mission Objectives:
The Reflector microsatellite is a passive reflective spatial reference test object consisting of separate prism retroreflectors placed in reference points (nodes). The satellite was used for retroreflection of laser radiation coming from a ground-based laser radar to analyze and investigate the return signal structure for determination of spatial (angular) resolution, testing, and identification of spacecraft which may be defined as space debris. The Reflector microsatellite was launched as a piggyback payload on board of the Meteor-3M satellite.
Mission Instrumentation:
Reflector is a passive satellite who's onboard only instrumentation is a retroreflector array.
Mission Parameters:
| Sponsor: | ROSAVIACOSMOS, Science Research Institute for Precision Instrument Engineering (IPIE) |
| Expected Life: | 9 months |
| Primary Applications: | space debris detection R&D |
| Primary SLR Applications: | retroreflector technology, POD |
| COSPAR ID: | 0105605* |
| SIC Code: | 5556 |
| Satellite Catalog (NORAD) Number: | 27005* |
| Launch Date: | 10 Dec 2001 |
| RRA Diameter: | n/a |
| RRA Shape: | special |
| Reflectors: | 32 |
| Orbit: | circular |
| Inclination: | 99.64 degrees |
| Eccentricity: | 0.0008 |
| Perigee: | 1020 km |
| Period: | 1045 minutes |
| Weight: | 6 Kg |
*Note: The ILRS has used incorrect values for the Reflector Satellite Catalog (NORAD) and COSPAR IDs (0105604 and 27004 were the incorrect values) due to a NORAD object-misidentification shortly after launch. The ILRS originally decided to maintain these incorrect numbers during the tracking campaign for consistency, however for data archival and historical reference, it has been decided to correct the mistake. The ILRS data centers updated these values in all historic SLR data on October 05, 2009.
Additional Information:
Publications:
- "Micro-satellite for calibration of active ground-based optical collectors" paper
- Aoki T., Takabe, M., Hiromoto, N. and Itabe, T., "Development of Active Satellite Tracking System for RIS", Symposium on Western Pacific Satellite Laser Ranging Network, Proc. of the 9th International Workshop on Laser Ranging Instrumentation, Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra, p. 801, 1994.
- Schreiber, U., Riepl, S., Schlueter, W., and Schneider, M., "Measuring Atmospheric Dispersion Using the Reflector in Space (RIS)", Proc. of the 9th International Workshop on Laser Ranging Instrumentation, Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra, p . 623, 1994.
- Sugimoto, N., and Minato, A., "The Retroreflector in Space (RIS)-A New Facility for SLR", Proc. of the 9th International Workshop on Laser Ranging Instrumentation, Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra, p 32, 1994.
