28140 - DOUBLE STAR 1

Double Star 1 (also known as Tan Ce 1, and TC 1) is a Sino-European (CSNA-ESA) satellite that was launched by a Long March 2C/SM rocket from Xichang Satellite Launch Center in the Sichuan province of China (PRC) at 19:06 UT on 29 December 2003. The 330 kg, 260 W satellite was cylindrical, with a diameter of 2.1 m, a height of 1.4 m, and spins at a rate of 15 rpm. It carried eight instruments to probe Earth's magnetosphere, five from ESA and three from CNSA. (The ESA instruments were legacies from ESA's Cluster mission.) The data from all instruments were stored on-board and dumped over three grounds stations: Shanghai and Beifing in China, and Villafranca in Spain. There was coordination between the Cluster and Double Star missions.

In the early morning on 14 October 2007, the satellite re-entered the Earth's atmosphere and disintegrated during its descent.

Alternate Names

TC 1
Tan Ce 1

Facts in Brief

Launch Date: 2003-12-29
Launch Vehicle: Long March 2C/SM
Launch Site: Xichang, Peoples Republic of China
Mass: 330.0 kg
Nominal Power: 260.0 W