| Mission type | Space surveillance |
|---|---|
| Operator | Department of National Defence |
| COSPAR ID | 2013-009C |
| SATCATno. | 39088 |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Bus | SSTL-150 |
| Manufacturer | MDA Corporation (prime) SSTL (bus) COM DEV International (optical payload) |
| Launch mass | 148 kilograms (326 lb) |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 25 February 2013, 12:31 (2013-02-25UTC12:31Z) UTC[1] |
| Rocket | PSLV-CA C20 |
| Launch site | Satish DhawanFLP |
| Contractor | ISRO |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric |
| Regime | Low Earth |
| Perigee altitude | 778 kilometres (483 mi) |
| Apogee altitude | 793 kilometres (493 mi) |
| Inclination | 98.62 degrees |
| Period | 100.43 minutes |
| Epoch | 30 October 2013, 14:37:56 UTC[2] |
Sapphire is a Canadianspace surveillance satellite which was launched in 2013. Sapphire was commissioned and integrated byMacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates (MDA) based on anSSTL-150[3] bus produced bySurrey Satellite Technology (SSTL) and an optical payload produced byCOM DEV International.
Sapphire, Canada's first military satellite, is a small spacecraft designed to monitor space debris and satellites within an orbit 3,728 to 24,855 miles (6,000 to 40,000 kilometres) above Earth. The satellite has been providing data to theUnited States Space Surveillance Network since January 2014.[4] The satellite has a mass of 148 kilograms (326 lb), and carries athree-mirror anastigmat to track artificial objects inmedium Earth orbit togeosynchronous Earth orbit.[5]ISRO's Ball Lock separation systemIBL-298 was used for separating the satellite.[6]
The optical system is based on the design of the Space-Based Visible (SBV) sensor. This telescope was developed for theMidcourse Space Experiment. TheCharge-coupled device(CCD) used is a CCD47-20bi CCD sensor.[7]
Following completion of its operational testing and certification, Sapphire began its five-year operational mission November 13, 2013.[8]
Sapphire was launched by theIndian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), using aPSLV-CA rocket, flight C20. The launch occurred at 12:31 on 25 February 2013, from theFirst Launch Pad at theSatish Dhawan Space Centre. Sapphire was a secondary payload on the rocket, the primary payload being theSARAL oceanography satellite.NEOSSat,UniBRITE-1,TUGSAT-1,AAUSAT3 andSTRaND-1 were also launched aboard the same rocket.[5][9]
