Re-Entry: VesselSat-2

Patrick Blau 3223 Views
Photo: LuxSpace
Photo: LuxSpace

The VesselSat-2 ship-tracking spacecraft re-entered the atmosphere on October 27, 2016 after more than four and a half years in orbit.

NORAD ID: 38047
Type: Microsatellite
Object: VesselSat-2
Mass: 28kg
Origin: Luxembourg
Inclination: 97.4°

Launch: January 9, 2012
Launch Vehicle: Long March 4B
Launch Site: Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, China

Re-Entry Prediction: October 27, 2016 – 01:24 UTC +/- 30 Minutes
Re-Entry Zone: Unknown

VesselSat-2, operated by LuxSpace and Orbcomm, is a 28-Kilogram satellite outfitted with a ship-tracking payload. Built by LuxSpace, the satellite was used by Orbcomm to replace AIS (Automatic Identification System) capabilities of the failed Orbcomm-QL spacecraft. VesselSat-2 was launched on January 9, 2012 as a secondary payload on a Long March 4B rocket blasting off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center.

 

Re-Entry Orbits
Image: Spaceflight101/Orbitron
Image: Spaceflight101/Orbitron
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