Back

Send article to a friendPrint

CHAMP - CHAllenging Minisatellite Payload

CHAMP, Artist View

CHAMP provides important contributions for geo-scientific research and information about the physics of the atmosphere. With its extremely precise multifunctional and complementary payload elements - including magnetometer, accelerometer, star sensor, GPS receiver, laser retro reflector and ion drift meter - CHAMP measures for the first time and with high accuracy the global gravity and magnetic field over a lifetime of more than five years. After the Launch and Early Orbit Phase (LEOP) was successfully completed in a joint effort between engineers from the industry and scientists from the GeoForschungszentrum Potsdam, GSOC is controlling the CHAMP satellite during its scientific routine phase using the ground station at Weilheim.

Launch Date:	15 July 2000
Orbit Altitude:	460 km
Bahnneigung:	87.3°
Mass:	522 kg
Length:	8 m (inkl. Boom)
Launch Site:	Plesetsk, Russia
Launcher:	COSMOS
Mission Lifetime:	7 years
Control Center:	DLR / GSOC
Ground Stations:	Weilheim, Neustrelitz

Further information about CHAMP can be found on the homepage of the GeoForschungsZentrum Potsdam.