Badr-B
 Badr-B atop aZenit-2rocket, before the launch | |
| Mission type | Earth Observation Satellite Earth science |
|---|---|
| Operator | SUPARCO |
| COSPAR ID | 2001-056C |
| SATCATno. | 27003 |
| Website | www |
| Mission duration | 2 years |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Manufacturer | SUPARCO Space Innovations Limited Rutherford Laboratory |
| Launch mass | 68.5 kilograms (151 lb) |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 10 December 2001, 17:18:57UTC |
| Rocket | Zenit-2 |
| Launch site | Baikonur45/1 |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric |
| Regime | Sun-synchronous |
| Eccentricity | 0.0018975332 |
| Perigee altitude | 986.0 kilometres (612.7 mi) |
| Apogee altitude | 1,014.0 kilometres (630.1 mi) |
| Inclination | 99.7 degrees |
| Period | 105.0 minutes |
| Epoch | 10 December 2001, 12:19:00 UTC[1] |
TheBadr-B(Urdu:بدر-۲;also known asBadr-II,meaningFull Moon-2) is the secondspacecraftand the firstEarth observation satellitelaunched intoEarth orbiton 10 December 2001 at 09:15 by theSUPARCO— Pakistan's national space agency.[2]Badr-Bis amicrosatellite,with a mass of ~70kg,and contained the computerized system to conduct the studies on thegravity gradient.Badr-Bis a research satellite to explore the upper atmosphere and the near space, and carried a large array of instruments forgeophysicalresearch.[2]
TheBadr-Bpayload was equipped with severalCCD cameras,compact dosimeter, a telemetry system, charge detector and a temperature control unit.[2]It is intended to complete and update theIslamabad Mission Control Center(IMCC), and to test theremote sensingCCD instruments.[2]
Launch history
[edit]TheBadr-Bproject was launched by SUPARCO in 1992, following the success of theBadr-Iin 1990.[3]The programme was funded byScience Ministryand the construction of the programme was completed in Instrumentation Laboratories in Karachi. The United Kingdom's Space Innovations Limited, plc (SIL) also joined this programme in 1993 as it had constructed the instrumentation of this satellite.[4]TheBadr-Bsatellite mass was about 30% larger than theBadr-I.[5][6]Most of the equipment was developed at theDESTOand the spacecraft designing took place in Instrumentation Laboratories in Karachi. Space Innovations Limited took contributed technical assistance required for assembling theBadr-B.[4]AMission control centerwas established at Islamabad where severalsupercomputersand itssystemswere installed by Space Innovations Limited. In 1995, a computer system and the system software was designed and installed byPakistan Software Export Systems (PSES)whileCOMSATShelped installing the large computer screen at the Islamabad mission control center.[7]Overall, the work onBadr-Bwas completed in 1996 by SUPARCO and it was originally planned to launch fromTilla Launch Complexbut it was objected as the country had no launch facility at that time.[7]The CCD cameras were developed by theRutherford Appleton Laboratory(RAL) who took the interest in the development of theBadr-Bin 1995.[4]
Badr-Bwas developed in 1996 but the delay of Russian space-rocket put the satellite on hold for more than 4 years.[8]Abdul Qadeer Khanunsuccessfully attempted to launch the satellite from theSonmiani Launch Complexusing Ghauri-1 as the transportation vehicle which was denied by the government at that time.[9]In 2001, theAir Force Strategic Commandflew theBadr-BtoKazakhstanwhere it was launched fromBaikonur Cosmodromeon 10 December 2001 abroad aUkrainianZenit-2rocket.[4]
Design
[edit]The economic cost of theBadr-Bis not publicly known but it is estimated to be more costly than the first satellite,Badr-I.[8]For its design, theBadar-Bis far more complex and sophisticated than the first satellite.[7]The external body of theBadr-Bis made ofSpace grade Aluminium alloywith a total mass of 70 kg.[7]Badr-Bwas launched in aSun-synchronous orbitof 1050 km with an earth orbital period of 106 minutes.[7]Badr-Bis a cube with side dimensions of 510 mm x 510 mm x 465 mm and a gravity gradient vector system to stabilize the satellite to its mission control centre.[7]A typical orbital and terminal pass over to country's space orbit entry would last between 10 and 15 minutes.[7]
Badr-Binternal structure was made of space qualified aluminiumT-6 alloy.[10]Thegallium arsenide(GaAs) solar arrays were used to provide and generate theelectronic powerduring thesunlitperiods.[10]Thenickel cadmium(NiCd) batteries stored power for use during theeclipse periods.[10]Earth pointing single axis stabilization was achieved by the use of a 6 m gravity gradient boom with a trip mass of 4 kg.[10]
Launch plans and site selections
[edit]The SUPARCO set its deadline to launch the satellite in 1994 but, due to the satellite being upgraded time passed and SUPARCO lost the spaceorbital entry slot.[8]SUPARCO then planned toBadr-Bin 1995 or as early of 1996 but did not materialize the plan.[8]By 1996,Badr-Bwas completed and was ready to launch but due toupcoming elections in 1997,the plan was put on hold.[8]Since SUPARCO had no launch complex, it began to hold talks withChinaand Russia at the lowest rate.[8]In 1998, following the restrictions applied on Pakistan after it had conducted atomic tests (SeeChagai-IandChagai-II), SUPARCO was unable to launch the satellite, therefore putting the satellite in storage.[7]
Delaying of the satellite's launch programme further frustrated thescientific community,therefore, Government of Pakistan launched the work onShaheen-IIIandGhauri-IIIexpendable rockets in 1998.[7]In 2001, senior scientistAbdul Qadeer Khanapproached the Pakistan Government to receive permission to launch the satellite from eitherTilla Launch ComplexorSonmiani Launch Complex.[9]However, then-CMLAGeneralPervez Musharrafdenied the request of Khan.[9]
In 2001, thePakistan Academy of Sciencesheld thephysics and mathematics conferenceon astrophysics in Pakistan where scientists from all over the country were invited to come to Nathiagali.[11]In a media interview given at Nathiagali, Abdul Qadeer Khan maintained that, "Pakistan has very robust nuclearI.R.B.M.system which can launchgeostationary orbitingsatellites. All Pakistan has to do is to eraseDelhiorCalcuttafrom the target and point it towards the sky. Instead ofHydrogen bombsandAtomic bombs,the missiles can easily carry a payload of an 80 kg satellite into the sky ".[9]AstrophysicistShahid Kureshialso argued that [IRBM] missiles have very robust and effective electronics and computer system, the[SLV]sused the similar technology.[11]Taking part in this discussion,Nuclear physicistPervez Hoodbhoybelieved that "If we [Pakistan] can launch a missile up to a range of 1,500 km, why not build an [SLV] that can launch low-atmosphere satellites?".[11]
Abdul Majid,an astrophysicist, countered the pressure in a media interview in 1999 given toDawn Newspapers,and in his own words, Majid summed up that, "with Meteor-3M (a Soviet satellite), other four satellites one each from [Pakistan], Malaysia, Morocco and the United States are to be mounted on the bigger Russian rocket. It was only the Pakistan'sBadr-Bsatellite which had met the deadline set by the Russians. The deadline was in April. All the other satellites failed to meet the deadline ".[7]
Launch and mission
[edit]After receiving criticism from the scientific society, the SUPARCO succeeded in a talks held withRussian Federal Space Agencyon a possible low rates.[12]ThePAF'sAir Force Strategic Commandflew the satellite onC-130 HerculestoKazakhstan.TheBadr-Bwas taken toBaikonur Cosmodromealong with Russian satellites which were also stored for the final assembly.[13]TheBadr-B,along withSoviet builtMeteor-3M,was installed at theZenit-2expandable rocket.[4]A high level delegation of SUPARCO headed byMajor-GeneralRaza Hussain arrived at the Baikonur Cosmodrome to witness the launch.[12]At 17:18UTC, theBadr-Bwas launched along withMeteor-3Mwith an ascending node time of about 09:15[4][13]
Experiments
[edit]TheBadr-Bconduct four major ob-board experiments, including taking the snap shots of Earth images, and data storage and forwarding to its mission control center.[10]TheBadr-Balso used the radiation dosimeter to measure the exposure ofSun'sionizing radiationand, also used to study theelectromagnetic fieldof Earth.[10]TheBadr-Balso conduct studies on charge battery when it is exposed toSolar flareand forwardedSolar winds.[10]Expected results were sent to its mission control center in Islamabad.[10]
Achievements
[edit]Overall, theBadr-Bwas an ambitious project that was intended to learn and developed the low-costEOSsatellites, and to build the infrastructure for larger satellites.[10]TheBadr-Balso gave the scientists to understand the usage of technology for Earth imaging by using the CCD sensors; it also gave provided the scientists to enhance their studies conducted on how the solar flare effected the environment of Earth.[10]TheBadr-Bstimulated the research on astrophysics and astroparticle physics that encourage the scientific community to continue their research on peaceful uses of space.[10]
However, its achievements was undermined after SUPARCO had lost the orbital slot in four consecutive years[11]The onward criticism also undermined SUPARCO's effort who built this satellite, and due to its long wait, the negative reception was perceived by scientific community.[11]Careful analysis of launch facilities and capabilities doubted if the space programme is on track.[11]With all criticism, in 2002, SUPARCO began to conduct further studies and launched the more ambitious and complex project which formed the basis derivatives ofPRSS,later this programme was integrated withSpace programme 2040.[14]Under theSpace Programme 2040,theBadr-Bwill be replaced with more complex and technologically advanced high-resolution satellitePRSS-O1,which has been launched in 2018.[14]
References
[edit]- ^"NASA - NSSDCA - Spacecraft - Trajectory Details".nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov.Retrieved2018-05-01.
- ^abcd"Badr-B".SUPARCO's Directorate-General for the Public Relations.SUPARCO and the Government of Pakistan. Archived fromthe originalon July 3, 2018.RetrievedFebruary 3,2018.
- ^SUPARCO, Space Research Commission."History".SUPARCO.Electronic Government Agency. Archived fromthe originalon 17 April 2008.Retrieved10 November2011.
- ^abcdefGunter, Wilhelm."Space Race:Badr-B".Whilhelm Gunter.Retrieved9 November2011.
- ^Krebs, Gunter D."Badr B".Gunter's Space Page.RetrievedFebruary 6,2023.
- ^Krebs, Gunter D."Badr A".Gunter's Space Page.RetrievedFebruary 6,2023.
- ^abcdefghijStaff Reporter (26 June 1999)."Pakistan's second satellite ready for launch".Dawn News Headlines.Retrieved10 November2011.
- ^abcdefMumtaz, Ashraf (11 January 1996)."Pakistan to launch second experimental satellite".Dawn Media Group.Retrieved10 November2011.
- ^abcdKhan, DEng (Metallurgical Engineering), Professor Abdul Qadeer (2010).Sehar Honay Tak§ Pakistan's space spinoff.Islamabad: Printwise Publications. pp. 41–98.
- ^abcdefghijkSUPARCO."Badr-B: Configurations".SUPARCO.Space Research Commission. Archived fromthe originalon 29 September 2011.Retrieved10 November2011.
- ^abcdefReza, Sa`adia (December 1, 2011)."Pakistan risks losing orbital slot if satellite not launched".Dawn News Group of Media.Archived fromthe originalon October 22, 2012.Retrieved10 November2011.
- ^abStaff Reporter (15 December 2001)."Satellite Badar-II launched".Wireservice of Dawn.Retrieved10 November2011.
- ^abSpace daily (December 10, 2011)."Pakistan To Launch Satellite From Russian Pad".Space daily news.Retrieved10 November2011.
- ^abSUPARCO."Remote Sensing Satellites".SUPARCO.SUPARCO of Pakistan. Archived fromthe originalon 13 October 2011.Retrieved10 November2011.
NASA links
[edit]
- NSSDC, National Space Science Data Center."NASA: BADR-2".National Space Science Data Center.NASA.Retrieved10 November2011.
- NSSDC ID, International Designator."Badr-B Description".NASA.