CHAMP (satellite)

Challenging Minisatellite Payload (CHAMP) was a German satellite launched July 15, 2000 from Plesetsk, Russia and was used for atmospheric and ionospheric research, as well as other geoscientific applications, such as GPS radio occultation.

Challenging Minisatellite Payload
Artist's impression of CHAMP
Mission typeTechnology
OperatorDLR
COSPAR ID2000-039B
SATCAT no.26405
Mission durationAchieved: 10 years
Planned: 5 years
Spacecraft properties
BusFlexbus
ManufacturerAstrium
Launch mass500 kilograms (1,100 lb)
Start of mission
Launch date15 July 2000, 12:00:00 (2000-07-15UTC12Z) UTC
RocketKosmos-3M
Launch sitePlesetsk 132/1
End of mission
Decay date19 September 2010 (2010-09-20)
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric
RegimeLow Earth
Semi-major axis6,823.287 kilometres (4,239.794 mi)
Eccentricity0.0007115
Inclination87.18 degrees
Period93.55 minutes
RAAN124.21 degrees
Argument of perigee277.62 degrees
Epoch15 July 2000 12:00:00 UTC[1]
 

CHAMP was managed by GeoForschungsZentrum (GFZ) Potsdam (GFZ).

The spacecraft is the first application of Astrium's "Flexbus" platform; GRACE was the second. A heavily modified version flew as the GOCE mission.

CHAMP completed its mission and re-entered the Earth's atmosphere on 19 September 2010 after 10 years (design life: five years).[2]

The mission was judged as being successful by the involved scientists.[3]

References

  1. "Launch/Orbital Information for CHAMP". nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov. NASA.
  2. "Upcoming and Recent Reentries | The Aerospace Corporation". Reentrynews.aero.org. Archived from the original on 2012-05-13. Retrieved 2013-08-01.


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