NORAD has orbits for all 4 objects:
40748/2015-037A: 21524 x 22194 km x 54.98 deg. (satellite)
40749/2015-037B: 21526 x 22193 km x 54.98 deg. (satellite)
40750/2015-037C: 190 x 18389 km x 55.00 deg. (LM-3B 3rd stage)
40751/2015-037D: 22151 x 27736 km x 54.89 deg. (YZ-1 upper stage)
Launch codename was 07-64
Nice work debunking that GP! 
Rui's article!
http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2015/07/china-long-march-3b-dual-beidou/
Let's see if we can get the confirmed T-0. I know Rui will want that in his article!
There is lots of bogus info in that article, I just don't have time to point all of them out. For example, in the article, it mentioned "The launch mass is about 800 kg and the satellites have an operational lifespan of five years"; however, this is just not right - the launch mass is NOT about 800 kg, the lifespan is about 12 years, much longer than the claimed 5 years!
It is a circle. It is obviously. The "usually reliable sources" is NSF forum.
Regarding Chinese launches, the "usually reliable sources" should be 9ifly forum, where GST (and I) has copied and translated lots of information in Chinese. We cannot forget to give credits to them!!
Nice work debunking that GP!
Rui's article!
http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2015/07/china-long-march-3b-dual-beidou/
Let's see if we can get the confirmed T-0. I know Rui will want that in his article!
There is lots of bogus info in that article, I just don't have time to point all of them out. For example, in the article, it mentioned "The launch mass is about 800 kg and the satellites have an operational lifespan of five years"; however, this is just not right - the launch mass is NOT about 800 kg, the lifespan is about 12 years, much longer than the claimed 5 years!
So tell us what the mass actually is, then. You obviously had time to tell us what it isn't.
Nice work debunking that GP!
Rui's article!
http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2015/07/china-long-march-3b-dual-beidou/
Let's see if we can get the confirmed T-0. I know Rui will want that in his article!
There is lots of bogus info in that article, I just don't have time to point all of them out. For example, in the article, it mentioned "The launch mass is about 800 kg and the satellites have an operational lifespan of five years"; however, this is just not right - the launch mass is NOT about 800 kg, the lifespan is about 12 years, much longer than the claimed 5 years!
If you're going to start picking holes in articles on here then let's hear the correct information?
Nice work debunking that GP!
Rui's article!
http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2015/07/china-long-march-3b-dual-beidou/
Let's see if we can get the confirmed T-0. I know Rui will want that in his article!
There is lots of bogus info in that article, I just don't have time to point all of them out. For example, in the article, it mentioned "The launch mass is about 800 kg and the satellites have an operational lifespan of five years"; however, this is just not right - the launch mass is NOT about 800 kg, the lifespan is about 12 years, much longer than the claimed 5 years!
So tell us what the mass actually is, then. You obviously had time to tell us what it isn't.
What I think his point is aiming at is that the mass figure is for another satellite bus (the one from the Chinese Academy of Sciences team, which the one BDS satellite launched in March uses; these two are from CAST) - IIRC from what I have seen these two should be a bit bigger. Alas, I've not seen any concrete figure as with the majority of Chinese spacecraft.
Even the 12 year lifetime wasn't known until a Chinese report came post launch (
http://scitech.people.com.cn/n/2015/0726/c1007-27361230.html) - though I don't know where the 5 year figure came from since I remember even the "regional generation" satellites have 8 year lifespans.
This is a good example why there's probably nothing more frustrating in the world of spaceflight than following the development of Chinese spaceflight - there are so much mystery, conflicting and vague info out there (especially during the huge growth in recent years) that I think people would agree that it's even more difficult to dig out info than Soviet spaceflight plans back in those days, even with people like me who reads Chinese natively!
This is frustrating especially for getting details on their flagship programs that really has international usage, like the BDS system in discussion here - unlike the other "Big 3" navsat systems, the info on what kind of satellite buses in development and their technical parameters, and the deployment & signal plans are little and often confusing, despite your iPhones and other $700 class smartphones are able to use BDS signals for at least the past 2 years!
That's actually why I'm tempted to continue digging info on Chinese spaceflight for NSF - it's a job that takes a lot of work with few people having the wit to do so.
Regarding Chinese launches, the "usually reliable sources" should be 9ifly forum, where GST (and I) has copied and translated lots of information in Chinese. We cannot forget to give credits to them!!
Yes, sure, thanks to you,
Galactic Penguin SST,
Satori,
input~2,
Liss,
limen4 and others. And thanks to 9ifly forum. But my point was that the Richard Langley's "usually reliable sources" is not 9ifly forum, but NASASpaceFlight forum - it is obviously.
If you're going to start picking holes in articles on here then let's hear the correct information?
The exact number is 1014200 g, our "experts" please don't published misleading information if they really have no ideas about it.
If you're going to start picking holes in articles on here then let's hear the correct information?
The exact number is 1014200 g, our "experts" please don't published misleading information if they really have no ideas about it.
Interesting information and it is so good that someone on the forum has this info about the satellites mass. Now we all know.
If you're going to start picking holes in articles on here then let's hear the correct information?
The exact number is 1014200 g, our "experts" please don't published misleading information if they really have no ideas about it.
Interesting information and it is so good that someone on the forum has this info about the satellites mass. Now we all know.
This is the source:
http://mp.weixin.qq.com/s?__biz=MzA5NTgxNTQzMA==&mid=206812329&idx=1&sn=d56d09b99a2e5416d5f8d738b853795a#rd (again - it was only released today so....)
Apparently the twin satellites also have monitoring cameras like those on CE-5-T1 installed, so maybe we'll see them snapping on Earth later on.
They will also perform direct communication tests with BDS-I1-S later.
If you're going to start picking holes in articles on here then let's hear the correct information?
The exact number is 1014200 g, our "experts" please don't published misleading information if they really have no ideas about it.
Interesting information and it is so good that someone on the forum has this info about the satellites mass. Now we all know.
This is the source: http://mp.weixin.qq.com/s?__biz=MzA5NTgxNTQzMA==&mid=206812329&idx=1&sn=d56d09b99a2e5416d5f8d738b853795a#rd (again - it was only released today so....)
That's an interesting reading! Thanks for sharing...
"We both are 2.2 meters tall, weighing 1,014.2 kg, drill a look even appearance are basically the same, difficult for outsiders to separate our area. In addition to individual load carrying different, our state is basically the same design, is a true twin brother."
In designations such as I1-S, what does the "S" stand for?
Thanks.
-- Richard Langley
Very likely for "Test" (in Chinese: 试验 = Shiyan)
In:
http://scitech.people.com.cn/n/2015/0726/c1007-27361230.htmlwe see:
新新星类 or Xīn xīnxīng lči = "new nova class" or "new new star class"
So, could the "S" designation in the new satellite names be a reference to this new class of BeiDou satellites?
-- Richard Langley
In designations such as I1-S, what does the "S" stand for?
Thanks.
-- Richard Langley
Very likely for "Test" (in Chinese: 试验 = Shiyan)
In:
http://scitech.people.com.cn/n/2015/0726/c1007-27361230.html
we see:
新新星类 or Xīn xīnxīng lči = "new nova class" or "new new star class"
So, could the "S" designation in the new satellite names be a reference to this new class of BeiDou satellites?
-- Richard Langley
Yes, actually it is designation for the first experimental batch of the Beidou-III constellation
So, do Forum members agree that we can use the designation "Nova class" for the BeiDou III satellites?
-- Richard Langley
In:
http://scitech.people.com.cn/n/2015/0726/c1007-27361230.htmlwe see:
新新星类 or Xīn xīnxīng lči = "new nova class" or "new new star class"
So, could the "S" designation in the new satellite names be a reference to this new class of BeiDou satellites?
-- Richard Langley
[/quote]
Yes, actually it is designation for the first experimental batch of the Beidou-III constellation
[/quote]
So, do Forum members agree that we can use the designation "Nova class" for the BeiDou III satellites?
-- Richard Langley
No, I disagree with your proposal. Actually, "BeiDou III" has been mentioned nowhere in reports from Chinese media (only BeiDou II Phase 2 or global system BeiDou have been used), and it was probably an "invention" on this forum. Adding another name will only complicate the situation and deliver more confusing/misleading information.
Even the 12 year lifetime wasn't known until a Chinese report came post launch (
This is frustrating especially for getting details on their flagship programs that really has international usage, like the BDS system in discussion here - unlike the other "Big 3" navsat systems, the info on what kind of satellite buses in development and their technical parameters, and the deployment & signal plans are little and often confusing, despite your iPhones and other $700 class smartphones are able to use BDS signals for at least the past 2 years!