Identification of satellites possibly active during the IMS and their orbital configurations
A survey has been made to identify presently operating as well as planned spacecraft which may contribute measurements of the magnetosphere or interplanetary medium during the IMS. The total set consists of 25 scientific earth-orbiting, 9 heliocentric, and 17 communication, navigation or meteorological spacecraft, which carry environmental monitoring experiments. The orbital elements of each are displayed. In addition, techniques for the display of positions in various orbits are presented to illustrate how interesting configurations can be determined during the IMS. The positions of presently orbiting heliocentric spacecraft are shown at various intervals with respect to the nominal interplanetary magnetic field spiral and the earth. Plots of the latest ISEE-A orbit in solar magnetospheric co-ordinates are presented to determine neutral-sheet crossing.