Satellite information


COSMIC-A (Formosat-3A, Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere and Climate)
Owner/operator countryTaiwan/USA
OwnerNational Space Program Office (NSPO)/University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) Boulder, CO
UseGovernment/Civil
PurposeRemote Sensing
Type of orbitLEO, Sun-sync.
ContractorOrbital Sciences Corp.
Country of contractorUSA
Launch siteVandenberg AFB
Launch vehicleMinotaur
NORAD29047
COSPAR2006-011A
Expected lifetime2 yrs.
Launch date4/15/2006 12:00:00 AM
Comments“. . . Provide atmospheric data daily in real time over thousands of points on Earth for both research and operational weather forecasting by measuring the bending of radio signals from the U.S. Global Positioning System (GPS) as the signals pass through