Double Star (satellite)

Chinese-European joint satellite

Double StarNames| Tan Ce (Explorer)

|

Mission type| Earth observation
Operator| CNSA * ESA
COSPAR ID| 2003-061A (TC-1)
2004-029A (TC-2)
SATCAT no.| 28140 (TC-1)
28382 (TC-2)
Website| ESA website (archive)
Mission duration| 3 years, 9 months, 15 days (TC-1)
19 years, 11 months and 20 days (TC-2)
Start of mission
Launch date| 29 December 2003 (2003-12-29), 19:06 UTC (TC-1)
25 July 2004 (2004-07-25), 07:05 UTC (TC-2)
Rocket| Long March 2C
Launch site| Xichang Satellite Launch Center
End of mission
Disposal| Deorbited (TC-1)
Decay date| 14 October 2007 (2007-10-14) (TC-1)

ESA quadrilateral mission insignia for the Double Star mission.

Double Star was a joint satellite based space mission by the China National Space Administration (CNSA) and the European Space Agency (ESA). It was the first space mission launched by China to investigate Earth's magnetosphere. It consisted of two satellites: an Equatorial satellite (TC-1) and Polar satellite (TC-2). Double Star followed in the footsteps of ESA's Cluster mission by studying the effects of the Sun on the Earth's environment. After a nominal mission of one year (from the launch of TC-2 in July 2004), the Double Star mission was extended twice by both agencies until the end of September 2007.[1]

## Overview

[edit]

The Double Star mission used two satellites in Earth orbit - each designed, developed, launched, and operated by the China National Space Administration. ESA has agreed to contribute 8 million Euros to the Double Star programme. This funding was used for refurbishment and pre-integration of the European instruments, acquisition of data for four hours per day and co-ordination of scientific operations. This schedule enabled Double Star to operate simultaneously with ESA's Cluster mission.

The first equatorial spacecraft (Double Star 1, also known as DoubleStar1, Tan Ce 1, Chinese for Explorer 1, TC-1) was launched by a Long March 2C launch vehicle on December 29, 2003, at 19:06 UTC. Its purpose was to investigate Earth's huge 'magnetotail', the region where particles are accelerated towards the planet's magnetic poles by a process known as 'reconnection'.

The second polar spacecraft (Double Star 2, also known as DoubleStar2, Explorer 2, Tan Ce 2, TC-2) was launched July 25, 2004 at 07:05 UTC, also by a Long March 2C. It focuses on physical processes taking place over the magnetic poles and the development of aurorae.

The mission formally ended on October 14, 2007, when the TC-1 spacecraft re-entered the Earth's atmosphere after being decommissioned (an unavoidable consequence of its equatorial orbit). The TC-2 spacecraft and payload continued to operate until late 2008, when contact was lost.[2]

## Launch and orbits

[edit]

TC-1 was launched into an equatorial elliptical orbit of 570 x 78 970 km with inclination 28.5° to the equator from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center. This apogee of this mission was the deepest into space China had ever sent a spacecraft at that time.

The TC-2 spacecraft was launched into a polar elliptical orbit of 700 x 39 000 km, inclination 90° to the equator from Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "ESA Science & Technology - The first Sino-European satellite completes its mission".
2. ^ "ESA Double Star Summary". 8 August 2023.

## External links

[edit]

* ESA page
* ESA Science and Technology page
* Imperial College Earth Missions website
* Space Today (names the spacecraft as TC-1 and TC-2)

* v
* t
* e

Magnetospherics

Submagnetosphere|

* Atmospheric circulation
* Aurora
* Earth's magnetic field
* Geosphere
* Jet stream
* Polar wind

Earth's magnetosphere|

* Birkeland current
* Bow shock
* Ionosphere
* Magnetopause
* Magnetosheath
* Magnetosphere
* Magnetosphere chronology
* Magnetosphere particle motion
* Plasmasphere
* Ring current
* Van Allen radiation belt

Solar wind|

* Magnetic cloud
* Coronal mass ejection
* Solar flare
* Geomagnetic storm
* Heliosphere
* Interplanetary magnetic field
* Heliospheric current sheet
* Heliopause
* Solar particle event
* Space climate
* Space weather

Satellites|

* Full list
* Arase (2016)
* Cluster II
* Double Star
* Geotail
* IMAGE
* MMS (2015)
* Polar
* THEMIS
* Van Allen Probes
* Wind

Research projects|

* EISCAT
* HAARP
* SHARE
* Unwin Radar
* SuperDARN
* Sura Ionospheric Heating Facility

Other magnetospheres|

* Hermian
* Lunar
* Martian
* Jovian
* Ganymedian
* Saturnian
* Uranian
* Neptunian

Related topics|

* Flux tube
* Gas torus
* Lunar swirls
* Ring systems
* Jupiter
* Saturn
* Uranus
* Neptune

* v
* t
* e

European Space Agency

| Spaceports|

* Guiana Space Centre
* Esrange

|

Launch vehicles|

* Ariane 5
* Ariane 6
* Vega

Facilities|

* Space Operations Centre
* Space Research and Technology Centre
* ESA Centre for Earth Observation
* European Astronaut Centre
* Space Astronomy Centre
* Space Applications and Telecommunications Centre
* Concurrent Design Facility
* Space Telescope European Coordinating Facility

Communications|

* ESTRACK
* European Data Relay System

Programmes|

* Artemis
* ESM
* Aurora
* ATV
* Copernicus
* Sentinel
* Columbus
* CryoSat
* EGNOS
* GALILEO
* ELIPS
* ExoMars
* FLPP
* Living Planet Programme
* Space Situational Awareness Programme
* Science Programme
* Horizon 2000
* Cosmic Vision
* Pride

Predecessors|

* European Launcher Development Organisation
* European Space Research Organisation

Related topics|

* Arianespace
* ESA Television
* EUMETSAT
* European Space Camp
* GEWEX
* Planetary Science Archive

Projects and missions

Science|

| Solar physics|

* ISEE-2 (1977–1987)
* Ulysses (1990–2009)
* SOHO (1995–present)
* Cluster II (2000–present)
* Solar Orbiter (2020–present)
* Vigil (2031)

|

Planetary science|

* Giotto (1985–1992)
* Huygens (1997–2005)
* SMART-1 (2003–2006)
* Mars Express (2003–present)
* Rosetta/Philae (2004–2016)
* Venus Express (2005–2014)
* ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (2016–present)
* BepiColombo (2018–present)
* Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (2023)
* Hera (2024)
* Rosalind Franklin rover (2028)
* Comet Interceptor (2029)
* EnVision (2031)

Astronomy and
cosmology

* Cos-B (1975–1982)
* IUE (1978–1996)
* EXOSAT (1983–1986)
* Hipparcos (1989–1993)
* Hubble Space Telescope (1990–present)
* Eureca (1992–93)
* ISO (1995–1998)
* XMM-Newton (1999–present)
* INTEGRAL (2002–present)
* CoRoT (2006–13)
* Planck (2009–2013)
* Herschel (2009–2013)
* Gaia (2013–present)
* CHEOPS (2019–present)
* James Webb Space Telescope (2021–present)
* Euclid (2023–present)
* PLATO (2026)
* ARIEL (2029)
* ARRAKIHS (2030s)
* Athena (2035)
* LISA (2035)

Earth observation|

* Copernicus (1988–present)
* Meteosat First Generation (1977–1997)
* ERS-1 (1991–2000)
* ERS-2 (1995–2011)
* Meteosat Second Generation (2002–present)
* Envisat (2002–2012)
* Double Star (2003–2007)
* MetOp (2006–present)
* GOCE (2009–2013)
* SMOS (2009–present)
* CryoSat-2 (2010–present)
* Swarm (2013–present)
* Sentinel-1 / 1A / 1B (2014–present)
* Sentinel-2 / 2A / 2B (2015–present)
* Sentinel-3 / 3A / 3B (2016–present)
* Sentinel-5 Precursor (2017–present)
* ADM-Aeolus (2018–present)
* Biomass (2024)
* EarthCARE (2024)
* Meteosat Third Generation (Sentinel-4) (2024)
* ALTIUS (2025)
* FLEX (2025)
* MetOp-SG-A (2025)
* MetOp-SG-B (2025)
* SMILE (2025)
* FORUM (2027)

ISS spaceflight|

* ISS contribution (1998–present)
* Columbus (2008–present)
* Jules Verne (2008)
* Cupola (2010–present)
* Johannes Kepler (2011)
* Edoardo Amaldi (2012)
* Albert Einstein (2013)
* Georges Lemaître (2014)
* European Robotic Arm (2021)

Telecommunications|

* GEOS 2 (1978)
* Olympus-1 (1989–1993)
* Artemis (2001–present)
* GIOVE-A (2005–present)
* GIOVE-B (2008–present)
* HYLAS-1 (2010–present)
* Galileo IOV (2011–present)
* Galileo FOC (2014–present)
* EGNOS
* European Data Relay System (2016–present)

Technology
demonstrators

* ARD (1998)
* PROBA-1 (2001–present)
* YES2 (2007)
* PROBA-2 (2009–present)
* PROBA-V (2013–present)
* IXV (2015)
* LISA Pathfinder (2015–2017)
* OPS-SAT (2019–present)
* PROBA-3 (2024)

Cancelled
and proposed|

* AIDA
* Ariane 5 ME
* Calathus Mission
* Ceres Polar Lander
* Columbus Man-Tended Free Flyer
* CSTS
* Darwin Mission
* Don Quijote
* e.Deorbit
* EChO
* Eddington
* EXPERT
* Hermes
* Hopper
* LOFT
* Lunar Lander
* Marco Polo
* MarcoPolo-R
* Mars sample return mission
* ODINUS
* Phootprint
* SOLARIS
* SPICA
* STE-QUEST
* THESEUS

Failed|

* Cluster
* CryoSat-1
* GEOS 1
* Schiaparelli EDM

Future missions in italics

* Category
* Commons
* Wikinews
* WikiProject

* v
* t
* e

Chinese spacecraft

Earth observation|

* Double Star (joint with ESA)
* Fengyun
* Gaofen
* FSW
* Huanjing
* HY
* Jilin
* Shiyan
* SMMS
* TanSat
* Tansuo
* Tianhui
* Yaogan
* Ziyuan

Communication and engineering|

* Dong Fang Hong
* FH-1
* Apstar
* APMT
* Asiasat
* ChinaSat
* ChinaStar
* HKSTG
* LGSP
* OlympicSat
* Shijian
* Sinosat
* Tiantong 1
* Tsinghua-1
* Xiwang 1

Data relay satellite system|

* Queqiao and Queqiao 2
* Tiandu 1 and 2
* Tianlian Constellation

Satellite navigation system|

* BeiDou-1
* BeiDou-2
* Beidou-3

Astronomical observation|

* ASO-S
* CHASE
* DAMPE
* GECAM
* HXMT
* Kuafu
* Longjiang-2
* Queqiao
* Lobster Eye Imager for Astronomy
* Einstein Probe (joint with ESA)
* SST
* SVOM
* Xuntian
* SMILE

Lunar exploration|

* Chinese Lunar Exploration Program
* Chang'e 1
* Chang'e 2
* Chang'e 3
* Yutu
* Chang'e 5-T1
* Chang'e 4
* Yutu-2
* Chang'e 5
* Chang'e 6
* Chang'e 7
* Chang'e 8

Planetary exploration|

* Yinghuo-1
* Chang'e 2
* Tianwen-1
* Zhurong
* Shensuo
* Tianwen-2
* Tianwen-3
* Tianwen-4

Microsatellites|

* Fengniao
* Xinyan

Future spacecraft in italics.

* v
* t
* e

Chinese space program

* China National Space Administration (CNSA)
* China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation
* China Manned Space Agency
* People's Liberation Army Astronaut Corps

| Spaceports and landing sites|

* Jiuquan
* Taiyuan
* Wenchang
* Xichang
* Siziwang Banner (landing site)

|

Launch vehicles|

* Long March 1
* Long March 2
* Long March 3
* Long March 3A
* Long March 3B
* Long March 3C
* Long March 4
* Long March 4A
* Long March 4B
* Long March 4C
* Long March 5
* Long March 6
* Long March 7
* Long March 8
* Long March 9 (In development)
* Long March 10 (In development)
* Long March 11
* Long March 12
* Kuaizhou
* Kaituozhe

Exploration programs|

* Shuguang (cancelled)
* CMS (human spaceflight)
* Chang'e (lunar exploration)
* Tiangong (space station)
* Tianwen (interplanetary exploration)

Projects and missions

Science|

| Planetary science|

* Chang'e 1 (2007–09)
* Chang'e 2 (2010–present)
* Yinghuo 1† (2011)
* Chang'e 3 (2013–present)
* Chang'e 5-T1 (2014–present)
* Yutu rover (2013–2016)
* Chang'e 4 (2018–present)
* Yutu-2 rover (2018–present)
* Tianwen-1 (2020–present)
* Chang'e 5 (2020–present)
* Zhurong rover (2021–present)
* Chang'e 6 (2024)
* Shensuo (2024)
* Tianwen-2 (2025)
* Chang'e 7 (2026)
* Chang'e 8 (2028)
* Tianwen-4 (2029)
* Tianwen-3 (2030)

|

Astronomy and
cosmology

* DAMPE (2015–present)
* HXMT (2017–present)
* GECAM (2020–present)
* CHASE (2021–present)
* ASO-S (2022–present)
* Einstein Probe (2023)
* SVOM (2024)
* Xuntian (2026)
* Space Solar Telescope

Earth observation|

* CSES (2018–present)
* Double Star (2003–07)
* Gaofen Series (2013–present)
* Haiyang Series (2002–present)
* TanSat (2016–present)
* Yaogan Series (2006–present)
* Ziyuan Series (CBERS) (1999–present)
* SMILE (2025)

Human
spaceflight|

| Uncrewed expeditions|

* Shenzhou 1
* Shenzhou 2
* Shenzhou 3
* Shenzhou 4
* Shenzhou 8

|

Crewed expeditions|

* Shenzhou 5
* Shenzhou 6
* Shenzhou 7
* Shenzhou 9
* Shenzhou 10
* Shenzhou 11
* Shenzhou 12
* Shenzhou 13
* Shenzhou 14
* Shenzhou 15
* Shenzhou 16
* Shenzhou 17
* Shenzhou 18
* (List of Chinese astronauts)

Space laboratories and cargos|

* Tiangong 1 (2011–2018)
* Tiangong 2 (2016–2019)
* Tianzhou 1 (2017)
* Tianzhou 2 (2021)
* Tianzhou 3 (2021)
* Tianzhou 4 (2022)
* Tianzhou 5 (2022)
* Tianzhou 6 (2023)

Tiangong space station modules|

* Tianhe (2021–present)
* Wentian (2022–present)
* Mengtian (2022–present)

Navigation|

* BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS)

Telecommunications|

* Apstar Series (1994–present)
* Chinasat Series (1994–present)
* Queqiao (2018–present)
* Tiandu 1 and 2 (2024–present)
* Tianlian I (2008–present)
* Tianlian II (2019–present)
* Queqiao 2 (2024–present)

Technology
demonstrators

* Chinese reusable experimental spacecraft (2020)
* FSW Program (1969–2006)
* QUESS (2016–present)
* Shijian Series (1971–present)
* XPNAV 1 (2016–present)

Related|

* Lanyue Lunar Lander

* Future missions marked in italics. Failed missions marked with † sign

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