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How to Keep Orbitron Active

after the satellite catalogue numbers change from 5-digit to 9-digit format

It is no secret that the number of objects in Low Earth Orbit is constantly increasing, and this brings ever closer the day when the familiar TLE's (two-line orbital element) files of satellite data will no longer be adequate for their purpose. Currently, TLEs are held in a Celestrak database, where a key component is the Satellite Catalogue Number, shown in red in the diagram below which depicts a typical TLE set for Meteor M2-4.

As you can see, these numbers consist of five digits, and the current Celestrak database can therefore accommodate a maximum of 99,999 items. But there is a catch: entries from 70,000 upwards are reserved for temporary processing such as new launches, uncorrelated tracks, and satellite breakup processing. To cater for increasing numbers of orbiting bodies—including by way of example the hundreds of Starlink Internet satellites being sent into orbit—plans are in preparation for the extention of the database by using 9-digit catalogue numbers. And it will happen sooner rather than later!

The final version of Orbitron, which so many enthusiasts use as their tracking program of choice in following the Russian Meteor satellites inter alia, was created in 2006, and is highly unlikely to be updated to embrace this new format for the Satellite Orbital Element Sets.

The Solution

Celestrak is already publishing daily listings of Satellite Element Sets in a variety of new formats which are capable of handling future updates to the parmeters. One of the most straightforward is the Comma Separated Variable format (CSV), where all the satellite parameters appear on a single line, separated by commas. The simplest solution to this conundrum is to create software that will allow users to easily convert sets of elements based on 9-digit catalogue numbers into the current TLE format by truncating the offending items to 5-characters. I have compiled a small program CSVtoTLE which loads CSV files and outputs the satellite elements in TLE format. Its simple interface appears to the right. This program will convert a CSV file of 70 or so Weather Satellite element sets into TLE format in just a fraction of a second.

To download the CSVtoTLE installation file, click the button below.

Files of Satellite elements in CSV format are already available and can be downloaded from Celetrak at:

http://celestrak.org/NORAD/elements/gp.php?GROUP=weather&FORMAT=csv

Using CSVtoTLE

First and foremost, you must use Orbitron's TLE Updater panel to update the program with the address for downloading satellite CSV data. If you are unsure of this there is an illustrated guide in the 'Help' feature of CSVtoTLE.

Important: Orbitron is legacy software that predated the use of the https:// protocol.

Accordingly you MUST enter the Celestrak download address using the http:// protocol, as below:

http://celestrak.org/NORAD/elements/gp.php?GROUP=weather&FORMAT=csv

If you use the (also available) version with the https:// protocol, Orbitron will flag an error.

This accomplished, Orbitron will regularly update the CSV data as a file named "WEATHER.CSV" in Orbitron's Tle folder.

This file is not itself readable by Orbitron.

Use CSVtoTLE's 'File Menu' to load this CSV file and instantly convert it into a TLE file named WEATHER.TLE in the same folder.

This file CAN now be read by Orbitron for tracking weather satellites.

Once the 9-digit catalogue number system is up and running, the software will make use of only the final 5 digits of this entry for the TLE version. It is not anticipated that this will cause problems.

If difficulties do arise, load the CSV file into the software using the Load and Renumber option. This option loads the CSV file as previously but ignores the 9-digit catalogue numbers completely. Instead, it generates a set of pseudo 5-digit catalogue numbers, starting at 20,000. These have been successfully tested in Orbitron, which continues to operate correctly (these satellite catalogue numbers are not involved in the calculations that determine a satellite's location in orbit).

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