Mapping of satellite number to Satnog's satellite names

SatNOGS Software
1

in the JSON formatted TLE for post observations, why is it that the satnogs seems to use their own names for the satellites, for example OSCAR 7 and not AO-07?

Where is the list / documentation of the mapping from a TLE’s satellite number to the satellite name used in satnogs ?

thank you

2

Unique Satellite identifier definition in SatNOGS has som discussion on a similar topic. Seems like naming is non-trivial.

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3

This is why I will use the Satellite Number in line 1, characters 3-7, of TLE, since that is unique and doesn’t matter what friendly name satnogs chooses.

4

Just to add on @mfalkvidd’s answer, there are two issues with the naming:

  1. Wrong identification, there are several cases that satellites are connected to the wrong norad object in TLEs lists, in this case name would be completely wrong.
  2. Non standard naming on TLE 0 line, as satellites are known with different names, with or without number or by their oscar identifier etc, the chosen name in SatNOGS may be different from the one used in the TLEs lists. We try to write down all these alternatives names, Hopefully, in the near future people will be able to suggest changes to satellites in DB as they do with transmitter, so it will be easier to contribute, until then feel free to open an issue at https://gitlab.com/librespacefoundation/satnogs-ops/issues for any change in satellite, like adding an alternative name.
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5

I even notice that the leading 0 in AO-07 OSCAR 7 satellite is missing (in the NORAD ID). While it might not seem like a big issue, and it may not be, it was interesting to me that is it not reflected in the d/b.

6

Good point, I’ve added also AO-07 as an alternative name. Searching which of AO-7 and AO-07 is used I discovered that even amsat.org doesn’t use a consistent naming:

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