A new version of the UCS satellite database has been released which includes launches through November 30, 2012. There are currently 1046 active satellites in the database.
The changes to this version of the database include:
- The addition of 52 satellites to the database. This includes 45 newly launched satellites and 7 that have been returned to the database because of updated information or a return to active status by current or new owners.
- The deletion of 22 satellites.
- The update of orbital information for most satellites in low earth orbits.
- The addition of and corrections to some satellite data.
Two of those new satellites are the third and fourth in Europe’s satellite navigation system, Galileo. Galileo is designed to provide an accurate global positioning service under civilian control. It is inter-operable with GPS and Glonass, the US and Russian global satellite navigation systems. The four satellites, the minimum number for satellite navigation in principle, are serving to validate and test the Galileo system’s concept. The fully deployed Galileo system is designed to have 30 satellites, positioned in three circular Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) planes with inclinations of 56 degrees to the equator.
Four Galileo In-Orbit Validation satellites in orbit