New BeiDou-2/Compass Satellites Begin Transmissions
News courtesy of CANSPACE Listserv.
The two BeiDou-2/Compass satellites launched on 18 September are now in their circular medium Earth orbits and have started transmitting navigation signals. Several stations participating in the International GNSS Service’s Multi-GNSS Experiment as well as some in the Cooperative Network for GNSS Observation started tracking the satellites on 26 September.
From NORAD/JSpOC, we have the following orbits for the new satellites:
BEIDOU M5
1 38774U 12050A 12272.66377655 -.00000046 00000-0 00000+0 0 87
2 38774 055.0007 232.0409 0023106 183.4242 172.2126 01.86242137 380
BEIDOU M6
1 38775U 12050B 12275.26998096 -.00000027 00000-0 00000+0 0 220
2 38775 055.1037 231.4461 0018364 210.8886 135.6552 01.86257715 424
Satellite M5 is using PRN code 13 and M6 is using PRN code 14.
A plot showing the argument of latitude vs. longitude of ascending node for the BeiDou-2/Compass MEO satellites, including the M1/C30 test satellite, can be downloaded.
The plane spacing for the operational satellites is about 120 degrees. The slot spacings seem to be about 45 degrees.
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