Flashing Geosynchs
Below is a list, compiled from several sources, of flashing geosynchronous
(mostly near-geosynchronous actually, commonly known as "flashing geosynchs")
satellites. Corrections, updates and constructive suggestions are welcome.
Updated October 17, 2004, by Ed Cannon
NORAD Desig. Common name, flash period, brightest known magnitude, and other notes
----- ------- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
03692 69-013B Transtage Titan 3C, detected flashing by Tony Beresford (AB)
04069 69-069B Atlas Centaur R/B, AB
06796 73-058A Intelsat 4-F7, AB
10778 78-035A Intelsat 4A-F6, p=164.5 +5 20040918, Mike Waterman (MW)
11648 79-105A Gorizont 3, p=126.6 19981110; p=156.4 19981115, (MW)
11669 80-004A Fleetsatcom 3, p=67.1 (asymm dbl flashes) +4.5 20041016 EC
11841 80-049A Gorizont 4, p=148 20000911 +7, Steve LaLumondiere (SDL); discovered by Jay Respler (JHR)
12032 80-085A Cosmos 1217, p=11.5 +1.5 19980120 Mike McCants (MM)
12089 80-098A Intelsat 502, p=261 20011108 Ed Cannon (EC)
12545 81-057B APPLE, p=17.26 +2.5 20040303 DG; discovered by Kevin Fetter (KF)
13056 82-009A Ekran 8, p=92.8 +7 19980509, Jason Hatton (JPH)
13092 82-020A Gorizont 5, p=23 +12 1994 Dec, JHR
13431 82-082A Anik D1 (Telesat 6), p ~ 6? +12 1998 Nov JHR; later Michel Jacquesson (MJ)
13624 82-103A Gorizont 6, flashing?
13652 82-110C Anik C3 (Telesat 5), p=1 11.3 19981116 JHR
13669 82-113A Raduga 11, p=72.54 +7.0 20040323 DG
14182 83-070A Cosmos 1481, p=16.3 20000227, +3 wow 19960719 MM
14328 83-094A RCA Satcom 2R, p=46.241 +6 20020929, MW
14532 83-118A Gorizont 8, p=19/56 1995 Feb JHR
14985 84-049A Chinasat 5 (Spacenet 1), p ~ 291 20010428 EC, Ron Lee (RGL) - mag similar to SBird A
15385 84-114A Spacenet 2, p ~ 96.5 +4 20021229 EC
15484 85-007A Gorizont 11, 19980517 p=29.6, MW
15677 85-035A GStar 1, p=55.36 +3.5 20030902, EC (10 mins earlier each night)
15994 85-076C ASC 1, p=153.99 +1 20030415 DG
16101 85-087A Intelsat 512, p=21.8 +3.5 20020726, EC
16482 86-003B Satcom K1 RCA, p=28.7 +12 19980723, Kurt Jonkheere (KJ)
16769 86-044A Gorizont 12
17046 86-082A Raduga 19, p=26.52 +6.5 20031118 DG; discovered by SDL
17083 86-090A Gorizont 13, p=85.56 20040322 +7.5 DG, discovered by JHR; brightest mag: +6.5
17969 87-040A Gorizont 14, p=87.62 20031219 DG, +4 Paul Gabriel (PG)
18570 87-095A TVSat 1, p=23.2 20010917, EC
18631 87-100A Raduga 21, p ~ 153 20030225, DG; but (p ~ 124; synch.), (observed from USAF Maui site's Contrast Mode Photometer)
18951 88-018A Spacenet 3R, p=32.9 20020403 Ron Welch (RW)
19017 88-028A Gorizont 15, p=16.01 20030910 DG +3, discovered by JHR
19217 88-051C PAS 1, p=34.2 +4.5 20040229 discovered by RW
19397 88-071A Gorizont 16, p=101.8 +7.5 20040307 DG; +3.5 RW
19483 88-081A GStar 3, p ~ 90? 20020601 EC; synch., +4 SDL
19596 88-095A Raduga 22, 20010829 p=98.8, MW
19621 88-098A TDF 1, p ~ 31 20000227 EC, +2.5 Don Gardner (JDG); +2 RM, 12 mins later/night, Rick Baldridge (RB), one-power, +2 to +3
19765 89-004A Gorizont 17, p=36.60 20031003 DG; brightest mag: +3.5 MM
19919 89-027A Tele-X, p ~ 141.3, +4.5 20020202 Russ Bessom (RB); p ~ 196, +2 20000902 EC; 20030819 not easy
20040 89-041A Superbird A, p=11.32 20020913 +3 Leo Barhorst (LB)
20066 89-046A DSP 14, USA 39 p=02.5 +7 EC 20030413 (was 98001)
20168 89-062A TVSAT 2, p=119.12 20040324 +5 two flashes sep. by 4.8 sec MW; discovered by MW
20263 89-081A Gorizont 19, p=883.9 20030409 MW; discovered by MW
20705 90-063A TDF 2, p=21.6 20020726, EC
20770 90-077A BS-3A (Yuri 3A), p=95.7 20021124 MM, sometimes bright (+2), complex!
20923 90-094A Gorizont 21, 20011109 p=114.6, MW
20929 90-095A DSP 15, Rainer Kracht (RK)
21132 91-014A Raduga 27, p=64.6 +5 20030207 Björn Gimle (BG)
21533 91-046A Gorizont 23, p=55.77 20030105 EC, +5 JPH
21668 91-060A BS/Yuri 3B, p=136 20020223 EC, +5 MM
21759 91-074A Gorizont 24, p ~ 91 20010425 EC, +4 RM, +8 MM
21789 91-079A Cosmos 2172, p=146 19991027 +4 EC
21805 91-080B DSP F16, +7 Daniel Karcher (USA 75; c/o RK), +4.5 RK
22205 92-072A Galaxy 7, p=204.5 +3.0 20031018 EC
22245 92-082A Gorizont 27, p=83.3 +5 20040229, discovered by MW
22253 92-084A Superbird A1
22557 93-013A Raduga 29, +6 RK
22694 93-039A Galaxy 4, spinning since May 19, 1998
22907 93-072A Gorizont 29, p=79.36 20040227 discovered by MW
22927 93-077A Telstar 401, p=100.48 20040303 +3.5 DG; synch.; can flash to zero magnitude!
23108 94-030A Gorizont 30, p=101.7 +4 20041006 MW
23168 94-038A Cosmos 2282, p=18.47 +6 20030414 DG; brightest +4
23670 95-049A Telstar 402R, p=?, 20031205 KF
24315 96-054A GE 1, p=20 +11.8 19970712 JHR
24820 97-027B Insat 2D, p=61.8 +5.5 20030902 EC; brightest: +4.5 EC
27712 03-012B Milstar 6 Centaur, p=1.6 +9 20030413 MM
90002 98-789A Unk 981015 p=16.65 +7.5 20030801 EC & MM; (originally 98003)
90003 99-503A Unk 990103
90005 99-804A Unk 991031
90007 00-653A Unk 000601, p ~ 54 20001027 +4.5 EC, +4 Geoff Chester; lost to amateurs
90008 00-838A Unk 001203, p=2.38 RK
98002 Unk 980731 lost to amateurs
Sources:
Ed C. data
PPAS of Belgian Working Group Satellites
Tony Beresford
Steve LaLumondiere
Mike Waterman
Ron Welch
Messages on SeeSat-L archive:
http://satobs.org/seesat/Dec-1998/0249.html
http://satobs.org/seesat/Dec-1998/0253.html
http://satobs.org/seesat/Aug-1999/0192.html
http://satobs.org/seesat/May-1999/0288.html
http://satobs.org/seesat/Mar-2000/0018.html
http://satobs.org/seesat/Mar-2000/0027.html
http://satobs.org/seesat/Apr-2000/0053.html
http://satobs.org/seesat/Aug-2000/0042.html
http://satobs.org/seesat/Oct-2000/0102.html
http://satobs.org/seesat/Oct-2000/0370.html
http://satobs.org/seesat/Jan-2002/0117.html
See also Kurt Joonckheere's page about
(Periodic) variations in the rotation period of geostationary satellites
See also Jason Hatton's pages for more details on some satellites:
Observing Tables for Bright Geoflashers
Flash Period Evolution of Selected Bright Geoflashers
[Non operational] Bright Geoflashers
See also Jonathan McDowell's Geostationary Orbit Catalog.
See also two of Mike Waterman's messages to SeeSat-L:
Looking for Gorizonts and More on Gorizonts
See also Mike McCants':
Flashes from DSP satellites