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Equatorial orbit

Equatorial orbit is the orbit over the equator. The inclination of this orbit is 0°.

AstroSat satellite

AstroSat is the first specialized Indian astronomy mission made for learning celestial source in x-ray, optical and UV ranges (picture 1). One of the unique features of AstroSat mission is that it could make multi-wavelength observations of different astronomical objects with the help of the one satellite. AstroSat with a weight 1515 kg was launched in 2015 year on the orbit 650 km with inclination 6° to equator – that is almost the equatorial orbit.

AstroSat

Picture 1. AstroSat

Agile satellite

Agile satellite (in Italian «Astrorivelatore Gamma a Immagini Leggero») was launched in 2007 year and made for observation of the universe in Gamma-radiation (picture 2). The key scientific goals are including monitoring of active galactic nuclei, gamma-ray bursts, source of x-ray and gamma-rays in galaxy, unidentified sources of gamma-rays. The satellite’s orbit is almost equatorial – the inclination is 2°.

Agile satellite

Picture 2. Agile satellite

Visualization of equatorial orbit in AR

Add AstroSat satellite with the NORAD ID 40930 or add Agile satellite by the NORAD ID 31135.

Their orbits is almost going over the equator (picture 3):

Orbit of AsroSat satllite

Picture 3. Orbit of AsroSat satllite