Spacecraft for Celestia: Thread 2

[DaveBowman2001]

Spacecraft add-on projects to be uploaded for July-September 2025 release:

Capsule Ariane Technologique
The first instrumented payloads launched from an Ariane 1 rocket
Released: 2025-Jul-27, 11:57

Ionospheric Connection Explorer
An Earth science satellite also known as Explorer 96
Released: 2025-Jul-23, 10:29

LCROSS
A lunar impactor spacecraft that launched with LRO. Original add-on by BrianJ
Released: 2025-Sept-01, 13:01

Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter
Remastered CMOD model. Original add-on by toutatis
Released: 2025-Jul-31, 05:58

Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope
A former spy satellite turned infrared space telescope for NASA
Released: 2025-Jul-22, 11:35

NISAR
A joint Earth-radar imaging mission between NASA and ISRO
Released: 2025-Aug-08, 09:30

Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite
A NASA Earth observations satellite deployed from STS-48 (Discovery)

[DaveBowman2001]

The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope (NGRST) is a NASA infrared observatory currently planned for launch by October 2026 or May 2027. Originally planned as a spy satellite before being donated to NASA in 2012, it has a mirror similar in size and design with that of Hubble, yet with a wider field-of-view. Data gathered by NGRST is expected to eventually complement the findings of JWST as it arrives on the Sun-Earth Lagrange (L2) point about six months after launch.

Orbital trajectory is based on preliminary prelaunch data now available on JPL HORIZONS since June 2025. It was formerly known as the Wide-field Infrared Survey Telescope (WFIRST) until 2020.

NGRST.zip

(1.23 MiB) Downloaded 181 times

[DaveBowman2001]

The Ionospheric Connection Explorer (ICON), also known as Explorer 96, is a NASA science satellite designed to study the changes within the Earth's ionosphere, and its interaction with solar activity. It was launched to LEO on October 2019, and operated for three years until it abruptly lost contact in 2022. Its mission was declared over in 2024, and is now currently a derelict space debris in orbit above the Earth

Orbital data from CelesTrak. Model were retrieved from NASA 3D Resources.

Explorer 96 (ICON).zip

(447.12 KiB) Downloaded 573 times

[SpaceExplorer]

Ulysses add-on update. The gold foil on the spacecraft's main body has been updated with a more realistic yellow-orange color, replacing the previous brown-red texture. The ESA logo on the high-gain antenna (HGA) has also been added. For full functionality, you must first install the Space Shuttle add-on.

Original add-on by FarGetaNik and DaveBowman2001

[DaveBowman2001]

The Capsule Ariane Technologique (CAT) were a series of four test payloads that were launched from the first four flights of the Ariane 1 rocket. They were intended to record the performance of the Ariane 1, including instruments for vibration, acceleration, launch and sound environment. These satellites operated on battery power for at least six days, between 1979 and 1981

Orbital data from CelesTrak. Note that CAT-2 is not included in the add-on as that one was lost in a launch failure in May 1980.

CAT-1 to 4.zip

UPDATE (250731): Added alternate name for CAT-1 (Obelix)

(745.1 KiB) Downloaded 175 times

[gironde]

CAT-1 was also called OBELIX, after one of the two heroes of the comic strip "Asterix and Obelix" by Uderzo and Goscinny
(Asterix or A-1 is the first French satellite)

[gironde]

3rd launch of Kuipersat of Amazon by an Falcon 9 of SpaceX

Kuiper launch 003.zip

(828.48 KiB) Downloaded 228 times

[DaveBowman2001]

CAT-1 was also called OBELIX...

Added a patch including the satellite's alternate name on the original post above. Thanks!

[DaveBowman2001]

Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) is a NASA mission designed to study the geology and climate of Mars, provide reconnaissance of future landing sites, and relay data from surface missions back to Earth. It has been orbiting the Red Planet since March 2006, and has continued to operate far beyond its intended design life. Due to its critical role as a high-speed data-relay for ground missions, NASA intends to continue the mission as long as possible, at least through the late 2020s

Original add-on by toutatis. I've changed the color of the foils from yellow back to golden, and fix the normal mapping issue where it disappears every time it goes on the night side of Mars.

Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.zip

(4.69 MiB) Downloaded 192 times

[toutatis]

Original add-on by toutatis. I've changed the color of the foils from yellow back to golden, and fix the normal mapping issue where it disappears every time it goes on the night side of Mars.

I just used yellow color because of some pictures of MRO...

Added after 3 minutes 50 seconds:
But of course when MRO in orbit around the red planet Mars, it reflec the color of the planet...

[DaveBowman2001]

Oh hey, toutatis! I'm so happy to hear from you again!
Yeah, I don't think gold foils would appear bright yellow at all in deep space, unless probably if they're within Earth's vicinity. Maybe it's just me, but the more golden appearance of the foils are mostly an artistic decision, as I think this would feel they're in space than on the ground.

[DaveBowman2001]

The NASA–ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) mission is a joint US-Indian remote sensing satellite designed to measure and monitor the natural processes on Earth, like earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and changes in the ice sheet. It was placed into a sun-synchronous orbit on 30 July 2025, and it is currently the most expensive Earth-imaging satellite ever launched.

Orbital data from CelesTrak. The CMOD model was extracted from NASA's Eyes of the Solar System website

NISAR.zip

(2.64 MiB) Downloaded 160 times

[gironde]

Starlink launches from 25/06/2025 to 30-07-2025 :

25/06/2025 19:54 n°280 - 27 Starlink 10-16 2025-137
28/06/2025 04:26 n°281 - 27 Starlink 10-34 2025-139
28/06/2025 17:13 n°282 - 26 Starlink 15-07 2025-142
02/07/2025 06:28 n°283 - 27 Starlink 10-25 2025-144
08/07/2025 05:48 n°284 - 28 Starlink 10-28 2025-147
16/07/2025 02:05 n°285 - 26 Starlink 15-02 2025-150
19/07/2025 03:52 n°286 - 24 Starlink 17-03 2025-152
26/07/2025 09:01 n°287 - 28 Starlink 10-26 2025-157
27/07/2025 04:31 n°288 - 24 Starlink 17-02 2025-158
30/07/2025 03:37 n°289 - 28 Starlink 10-29 2025-161

Starlink 280 to 289.zip

(96.37 KiB) Downloaded 202 times

[gironde]

4th launch of Kuipersat of Amazon by an Falcon 9 of SpaceX

Kuiper launch 004.zip

(828.43 KiB) Downloaded 164 times

[DaveBowman2001]

Centaur stage of LRO/LCROSS being jettisoned before lunar impact, October 2009

Update to the Centaur-D and Centaur-III(5) upper stages add-on first published in November 2022.

WHAT'S NEW?
- Added the Centaur stage of Helios 2, which was rediscovered as the "asteroid" 2024 BY15
- Compatibility update to the LCROSS add-on

2024 BY15 is revealed to be the upper stage of the Helios 2 mission launched in 1976

Centaur-D.zip

(549.3 KiB) Downloaded 128 times

Centaur-3(5).zip

(8.74 MiB) Downloaded 335 times

Mark Centaur stages (script).zip

(726 Bytes) Downloaded 280 times

[DaveBowman2001]

The Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) is a NASA space mission with the objective of determining the nature of hydrogen detected in the polar regions of the Moon and also looking for the presence of water in the form of ice. LCROSS was launched together with the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter on 18 June 2009. Both LCROSS and its Centaur stage impacted the lunar south pole at Cabeus Crater on 9 October 2009. The plume generated by the mission helped confirm the existence of water ice on the Moon.

Original add-on by BrianJ, I've updated the CMOD model by giving it normal maps for added realism. Requires the Centaur-III(5) stages add-on installed for the mission's upper stage to be simulated.

LCROSS (2025).zip

(2.61 MiB) Downloaded 280 times

[gironde]

Starlink launches from 31/07/2025 to 31/08/2025 :

31/07/2025 18:35 n°290 - 19 Starlink 13-04 2025-165
04/08/2025 07:57 n°291 - 28 Starlink 10-30 2025-167
14/08/2025 05:05 n°292 - 24 Starlink 17-04 2025-175
14/08/2025 12:29 n°293 - 28 Starlink 10-20 2025-176
18/08/2025 15:44 n°294 - 24 Starlink 17-05 2025-179
22/08/2025 15:44 n°295 - 24 Starlink 17-06 2025-184
27/08/2025 11:10 n°296 - 28 Starlink 10-56 2025-189
28/08/2025 08:12 n°297 - 28 Starlink 10-11 2025-190
30/08/2025 04:59 n°298 - 24 Starlink 17-07 2025-191
31/08/2025 11:49 n°299 - 28 Starlink 10-14 2025-192

Starlink 290 to 299.zip

(97.04 KiB) Downloaded 87 times

[gironde]

Starlink launches from 03/09/2025 to 26/09/2025 :

03/09/2025 03:51 n°300 - 24 Starlink 17-08 2025-194
03/09/2025 11:56 n°301 - 28 Starlink 10-22 2025-195
05/09/2025 12:32 n°302 - 28 Starlink 10-57 2025-198
06/09/2025 18:06 n°303 - 24 Starlink 17-09 2025-200
13/09/2025 17:55 n°304 - 24 Starlink 17-10 2025-207
18/09/2025 09:30 n°305 - 28 Starlink 17-61 2025-210
19/09/2025 16:31 n°306 - 24 Starlink 17-12 2025-211
21/09/2025 10:53 n°307 - 28 Starlink 10-27 2025-212
25/09/2025 08:39 n°308 - 28 Starlink 10-15 2025-216
26/09/2025 04:26 n°309 - 24 Starlink 17-11 2025-218

Starlink 300 to 309.zip

(98.58 KiB) Downloaded 72 times

[gironde]

5th launch of Kuipersat of Amazon by an Atlas V 551
25/09/2025 12:09 n°005 - 27 KuiperSat - Gr KA-03 - 2025-217

codification missions :
Protoflight = Atlas V 501, KA = Atlas V 551, KF = Falcon 9, KV = Vulcan VC6L, Ariane 6, New Glenn

Kuiper launch 005.zip

(828.88 KiB) Downloaded 69 times

[DaveBowman2001]

Gotta delay some of the announced add-on projects of mine above due to complexity and lack of real-life free time (mainly due to me currently finding a job after graduating)...though I did fast track others that are going to be posted in the next page