fix(satellites): an unknown object from a launch under two years old is not debris yet; Earth/Space Observation is imaging; the data-sources table names SATCAT

src/layers/satellites/classes.js

@@ -93,7 +93,12 @@ export const SATELLITE_CLASS_DISPLAY = Object.freeze({
 const ISS_NORAD = 25544;
 
 /** SATCAT object types that are never a working payload. */
-const DEBRIS_OBJECT_TYPES = new Set(['R/B', 'DEB', 'UNK']);
+const DEBRIS_OBJECT_TYPES = new Set(['R/B', 'DEB']);
+/**
+ * SATCAT files a new launch's objects as UNK until it identifies them, so an
+ * unknown object launched this recently (years) is not presumed debris.
+ */
+export const UNIDENTIFIED_GRACE_YEARS = 2;
 /** SATCAT operational status: nonoperational, decayed. */
 const DEAD_STATUSES = new Set(['-', 'D']);
 /** SATCAT operational status left blank or unknown. */
@@ -116,7 +121,7 @@ const TELECOM_NAME =
   /^(ONEWEB|IRIDIUM|GLOBALSTAR|ORBCOMM|INTELSAT|IS-\d|SES[ -]?\d|ASTRA|EUTELSAT|INMARSAT|VIASAT|ECHOSTAR|DIRECTV|SIRIUS|XM-|TDRS|NAVSTAR|GPS\b|GLONASS|GSAT0|GALILEO|BEIDOU|QZS|IRNSS|NVS-|KUIPER|LYNK|BLUEBIRD|O3B|TELESAT|ANIK|NIMIQ|AMAZONAS|HISPASAT|ARABSAT|NILESAT|TURKSAT|YAMAL|EXPRESS-|CHINASAT|ZHONGXING|APSTAR|ASIASAT|THAICOM|MEASAT|JCSAT|SUPERBIRD|OPTUS|SKYNET|WGS|MUOS|AEHF|MILSTAR|QIANFAN|GUOWANG|SPACEMOBILE|GONETS|MERIDIAN|LUCH|RADUGA|SKYTERRA|TERRESTAR|SPACEWAY|HYLAS|ARSAT|AMOS|BADR|KA-SAT|YAHSAT|THURAYA)/i;
 
 const IMAGING_PURPOSE =
-  /earth observation|earth science|meteorolog|surveillance/i;
+  /earth observation|earth\/space observation|earth science|meteorolog|surveillance/i;
 const TELECOM_PURPOSE = /communications|navigation|positioning/i;
 
 /**
@@ -173,7 +178,11 @@ export function classifySatellite({
   const label = String(name || '').trim();
   const objectType = satcat?.objectType || null;
   const status = satcat?.opsStatus ?? null;
+  const launched = launchYearOf(satcat?.launchDate) ?? launchYear;
+  const recent =
+    Number.isFinite(launched) && nowYear - launched < UNIDENTIFIED_GRACE_YEARS;
   if (objectType && DEBRIS_OBJECT_TYPES.has(objectType)) return 'debris';
+  if (objectType === 'UNK' && !recent) return 'debris';
   if (!objectType && DEBRIS_NAME.test(label)) return 'debris';
   if (status !== null && DEAD_STATUSES.has(status)) return 'debris';
 
@@ -195,7 +204,6 @@ export function classifySatellite({
   // record gives no status and whose launch is decades old, is presumed
   // dead. Without a SATCAT record (its read failed or has not landed) there
   // is no evidence either way, so nothing is presumed.
-  const launched = launchYearOf(satcat?.launchDate) ?? launchYear;
   if (
     satcat &&
     UNKNOWN_STATUSES.has(status ?? '') &&

src/layers/satellites/classes.test.mjs

@@ -60,6 +60,24 @@ test('SATCAT object type and status file debris first, overruling UCS', () => {
     }),
     'imaging',
   );
+  // SATCAT calls a new launch's objects UNK until it names them: only an
+  // old unknown object, or one with no launch date, is debris.
+  assert.equal(
+    classify({
+      name: 'OBJECT C',
+      group: 'resource',
+      satcat: { objectType: 'UNK', opsStatus: '', launchDate: '2025-11-02' },
+    }),
+    'imaging',
+  );
+  assert.equal(
+    classify({
+      name: 'OBJECT C',
+      group: 'resource',
+      satcat: { objectType: 'UNK', opsStatus: '', launchDate: '2019-04-01' },
+    }),
+    'debris',
+  );
   // Debris riding in the stations group (CelesTrak lists FREGAT DEB there).
   assert.equal(classify({ name: 'FREGAT DEB', group: 'stations' }), 'debris');
   assert.equal(classify({ name: 'SL-16 R/B', group: 'visual' }), 'debris');
@@ -104,6 +122,7 @@ test('UCS purpose decides imaging, telecom and probes', () => {
     ['Meteorological', 'imaging'],
     ['Surveillance', 'imaging'],
     ['Earth Observation/Navigation', 'imaging'],
+    ['Earth/Space Observation', 'imaging'],
     ['Communications', 'telecom'],
     ['Navigation/Global Positioning', 'telecom'],
     ['Navigation/Regional Positioning', 'telecom'],