New BeiDou-2/Compass Satellites Begin Transmissions

October 1, 2012  - By
Image: GPS World

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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