Subject: OKEAN/SICH schedule From: Vitya Date: Mon, 5 Feb 96 15:24:21 +0200 First of all I'd like to answer some questions I've got after my previous message. 1. RPA (Research and Production Association) PLANETA is a state institution responsible for planning work of Russian weather and enviromental satellites, processing and distribition of the satellites data - something like NOAA/NESDIS. As to me personally, I am with PLANETA (partly) and RD Center SCAN (basically) - a private firm producing APT/HRPT/WEFAX ground stations. In the last two years SCAN developped some instrumentation and software for PLANETA including a demodulator and digital terminal for OKEAN FM receiver (465 MHz; see below). I participated in the work, and up to-day I am involved in the primary data processing. On the other hand, I am a long-ago reader of the WXSAT list for my involvement with APT/HRPT. A recent growth of discussions around OKEAN and SICH inspired me to make a modest contributition to the list. So long PLANETA doesn't deliver information anywhere to electronic nets. PLANETA's heads assured me they are going to do it in the near future (about accessible satellites like OKEAN, METEOR, GOMS). Till that time PLANETA authorized me to inform you for it, but please keep in mind: I am quite familiar with some technical subjects (OKEAN operation in the first place) but as to administrative questions I've got to pass them forward and back, therefore uncertain delays are possible. 2. OKEAN and SICH are sister ships differing only with a flag on a hull (OKEAN - Russian, SICH - Ukranian). They carry the following sensors: MSUM - a 4-channel scanning radiometer. -------------- Frequency bands - 0.5 - 0.6, 0.6 - 0.7, 0.7 - 0.8, 0.8 - 1.0 micron Physical spatial resolution (for 650 km altitude) - 1.0 km (cross-track, nadir) 1.7 km (along-track) Swath width - 1900 km (105 deg.) MSUS - a 2-channel high-resolution radiometer. ------------------ I omit details for the radiometer data cannot be transmitted on 137 MHz. SLR - an X-band side-looking radar. -------------- Carrier frequency - 9.52 GHz Physical spatial resolution - 1.3 km (cross-track) 2.5 km (along-track) Swath width - 450 km An incidence angle at the swath near edge - 20 deg. RM08 - a microwave radiometer --------------- Frequency band - 36.5 - 36.8 GHz Sensitivity - 3.7 K Physical spatial resolution - 25 to 25 km Swath width - 550 km Off-nadir shift of the swath near edge - 20 deg. The data can be transmitted in two formats: - APT-like AM/FM, 240 LPM, 137.40 MHz (so called meter-band, MB), - FM 465 MHz (decimeter-band, DMB). Besides, about a dosen modes (that is combinations of the sensors) are possible for each of the formats. Naturally, DMB is more informative - the output rate converted into digital terms is from 60 to 240 KByte/s. DMB allows transmission of two MSUS channels or from 4 to 6 of the 'low-resolution' scanners. On 137 MHz, one of MSUM channels, or SLR, or RM, or any pair of them, or - maximum - one of MSUM with SLR and RM can be dropped down. In the latter case SLR and RM images are overlaid on the part of MSUM image. Besides, MSUM images are reduced in cross-track resolution to 1.5 km for transmission on 137 MHz. I guess it's enough for the first time. If somebody needs more details please address to me privately. I'll do what I can. 3. A schedule for OKEAN is created in PLANETA, for SICH - in Ukranian PLANETA's counterpart (ORBITA). So long it's distributed 'on paper' with cyrillic comments and denotations, DMB and MB transmissions being mixed. I convert it manually to what you got in the list, so mistakes are possible. As to 1257UT Jan 30, it was scheduled for DMB (I've checked), so it's not my fault. We can make even more powerful conclusion: there may be not only my faults. Short transmission intervals are due to the system design features. I'm quating: "MSUS permanent operation time must not exceed 30 min with the following pause not less than 70 min.... SLR permanent operation time must not exceed 15 min with the following pause not less than 30 min...." and so on. The satellites were designed for internal use in USSR meteorological service (ice cover in polar regions being the main scope). Any Russian organization may order a transmission and/or processed data via a certain bureaucratic procedure. PLANETA deputy director Dr. Zhupanov said me there were few transmissions over North America in a framework of demonstrative joint projects in the past and something like that may happen in the future - it will depend on NESDIS initiatives. 4. Except for OKEAN and METEOR there is no Russian satellites working on 137 or 1700 MHz now. GOMS is being prepared now to transmit its own WEFAX and retransmit that from METEOSAT. Some tests were made a couple of weeks ago. I'll notify you when any certain plans are known. ------------------------------------------------- And finally the next week schedule: SICH-1 Feb 8 2380 20.31 - 20.38 MSUM4+SLR(*) Feb 9 2395 20.58 - 21.05 MSUM4+SLR(*) Feb 10 2403 09.37 - 09.44 MSUM4+SLR(*) 2405 13.16 - 13.23 MSUM4+SLR(*) 2409 19.46 - 19.53 MSUM4+SLR(*) Feb 11 2417 08.27 - 08.34 MSUM4+SLR(*) Feb 13 2443 02.50 - 02.57 MSUM4+SLR(*) 2447 09.20 - 09.27 MSUM4+SLR(*) 2449 12.58 - 13.05 MSUM4+SLR(*) 2454 21.08 - 21.15 MSUM4+SLR(*) Feb 14 2461 08.10 - 08.16 SLR OKEAN 1-7 Feb 7 7136 23.27 - 23.37 SLR+RM Feb 8 7139 04.41 - 04.51 MSUM4+SLR+RM 7147 17.30 - 17.37 MSUM4+SLR+RM Feb 9 7152 01.34 - 01.41 SLR+RM 7154 05.07 - 05.17 MSUM4+SLR+RM 7162 17.48 - 17.55 MSUM4+SLR+RM(*) Feb 10 7168 03.56 - 04.06 MSUM4+SLR+RM 7170 07.04 - 07.11 MSUM4+SLR+RM 7172 10.21 - 10.28 MSUM4+SLR+RM 7175 15.06 - 15.13 MSUM4+SLR+RM 7176 16.34 - 16.44 SLR+RM Feb 11 7185 07.31 - 07.38 MSUM4+SLR+RM 7187 10.47 - 10.54 MSUM4+SLR+RM Feb 12 7198 04.50 - 04.57 MSUM4+SLR+RM 7203 12.51 - 12.58 MSUM4+SLR+RM 7206 17.30 - 17.37 MSUM4+SLR+RM(*) Feb 13 7210 00.01 - 00.11 SLR+RM 7215 08.23 - 08.30 MSUM4+SLR+RM 7217 11.40 - 11.47 MSUM4+SLR+RM Feb 14 7227 04.03 - 04.13 MSUM4+SLR+RM 7233 13.44 - 13.51 MSUM4+SLR+RM Marked with (*) are playbacks. Alex Ivanov alex@scan.msk.su