Sunday, December 31, 1989

Kosmos 1682

 1985-082A


RCS was 44m2; debris was tracked starting in Dec 1986. Objects with RCS values were all small.


Kosmos-1682 
 

DateTimeEventOrbit  

1985 Sep 19  0132 Launch by 11K69  Baikonur 
 0134 Stage 1 sep 
 0136  Stage 2 sep  
 0220?  AKM sep 
1985 Sep 19    431x444x65.0 
1986 Feb 18    430x442x65.0 
1986 Feb 19   mv out 
1986 Mar 8    356x575x65.0 

Thursday, December 28, 1989

Kosmos 1413

 1982-100A


Uragan No. 11L (224) was the first GLONASS satellite


Kosmos-1413 
 

DateTimeEventOrbit  

1982 Oct 12  1457 Launch by Proton  KB 
  T+2:07? Stage 1 sep 
  T+3:18? Fairing 
  T+5:38? Stage 2 sep 
 1506  T+9:40? Stage 3 MECO  179 x 194 x 51,7  
 1507  T+9:53? Stage 3 sep  
 1608? T+1:03? DM MES-1 
 1614? T+1:09? DM MECO-1  397 x 19077 x 52.0  
 1902?  T+4:05? DM MES-2 
 1904?  T+4:07? DM MECO-2 
 1905?  T+4:08? Glonass sats sep from DM 
1982 Oct 12    673.43 19068 x 19075 x 64.8 
1982 Oct 15  In service  
1982 Nov 9    673.32 19067 x 19070 x 64.8 
1984 Jan 12   end of ops

Monday, December 25, 1989

The illustrated history of NASA

 https://welib.org/md5/49420771f43f7d5d0d60ebc011a48007

Space Travel: A History

https://welib.org/md5/b20bbdd47a790ed594917d37e3338c35

Apollo AS-201

  1966-U04


Apollo SC009 was launched on 1966 Feb 26 at 1612 aboard Saturn 201 (AS-201). It separated from S-IVB-201 at 1622 and reached apogee at 500 km. At 1632 it ignited the SPS engine for 3 min 4 sec, followed by another 10s burn at 1635, accelerating the spacecraft to lunar reentry speeds. CM-009 then seperated from the SM-009 service module. It reentered the atmosphere at 8.1 km/s and splashed down at 1651 in the Atlantic having travelled 9000 km. It was recovered by the USS Boxer.


AS-201 
 

DateTimeEventOrbit  

1966 Feb 26  1612:01  Launch by Saturn IB 
 1614:22  OECO (2:21) 
 1614:28  IECO (2:27) 
 1614:29  SIB sep -6145 x 107 x 30.8  
 1614:30  S4B burn for 7:33 
 1614?  Camera pods (2) ejected from SIB 
 1614:40  Ullage case jettison 
 1614:54  LES sep 
 1616:12  SIB apogee 
 1620:53  SIB impact, range 465 km at 27.3N 76.0W 
 1622:04  S4B cutoff 261km  -2163 x 493 x 31.9 
 1622:05  LH2 vent on 
 1623:04  Begin sep sequence 
 1623:28  LES impact 27.09N 75.26W range 546 km 
 1623:34  LOX vent on 
 1624:04  LOX vent off 
 1624:04  LH2 vent off 
 1626:06  CSM sep 435 km  -2151 x 493 x 31.9 
 1626:07  +X RCS 18s 
 1630:05  S4B apogee, 492.8 km 
 1631:42   -2149 x 492 x 31.9 
 1632:11  SPS 1 burn 180s 
 1633:16  SPS-1 MECO 7.787km/s -9 deg 320 km  -625? x 1525? x 31 
 1635:30  SPS 2 burn 
 1635:40  SPS-2 MECO 295 km  -565 x 1674 x 30.7  
 1636:16  SM sep 
 1638:06 T+26:05 122 km Reentry 8.07 km/s 
 1640:27  S4B LOS, 107km 
 1640:46  SM impact at 6.93S 13.3W range 8217 km 
 1642:54  Drogue parachute out 
 1643:57  S4B impact at 9.66S 10.08W, range 8662 km 
 1649:20  Splashdown in Atlantic 8.18S 11.15W 
 1725Recovered by USS Boxer 

Sunday, December 24, 1989

Kosmos 526

 1972-084A


Kosmos-526 (DS-P1-Yu No. 61) was the last of the three Oct 1972 launches of DS-P1-Yu subgroup 1 satellites.


Kosmos-526 
 

DateTimeEventOrbit  

1972 Oct 25  1040  Launch by 11K63  PL  
 1042  Stage 2 burn  
 1047?  Stage 2 sep  
1972 Oct 26  0230   92.15 273 x 486 x 71.0 (RAE) 
1973 Jan 16  1200   91.26 256 x 418 x 71.0 (RAE) 
1973 Feb 15  End of ops 
1973 Apr 8   Reentered 

Kosmos 1303

 1981-086A


Two-tone telemetry; Medium res satellite


Kosmos-1303 
 

DateTimeEventOrbit  

1981 Sep 4  0800  Launch by Soyuz-U  Baikonur 
 0804 Blok-I burn 
 0808  Blok-I sep 
1981 Sep 4    90.23 207x364x70.4 
1981 Sep 5    92.30 360x416x70.4 
1981 Sep 5    92.34 361x417x70.4 
1981 Sep 12   92.32 361x416x70.4 
1981 Sep 18  
 0512? Deorbit 
 0520? PO sep 
 0540? Entry 
 0553? Landed 

Wednesday, December 20, 1989

GEOS-3

 1975-027A


The Geos 3 satellite was a follow on to the Geodetic Explorers, Geos 1 and 2. However, its acronym was given a different expansion (Geodynamics Experimental Ocean Satellite) and at the time of launch it was not identified as part of the Explorer series, so programmatically it is somewhat anomalous. It bridged the National Geodetic Satellite Program and NASA's later Earth Science efforts, under the EODAP (Earth and Ocean Dynamics Applications Program).

The Geodynamics Experimental Ocean Satellite, Geos C before launch and Geos 3 after launch, was the first mission to carry out a global altimetry survey of the oceans, and the Geos 3 database was a key tool for geophysicists for over a decade. The altimetry was championed by NOAA's John Apel, who later helped design the Seasat mission. Later missions which expanded on the Geos 3 results were NASA's Seasat and the US Navy's Geosat. Geos 3 was built by the Applied Physics Lab and was similar in structure to Geos 1 and 2. The program was managed by NASA's Wallops Center.

Geos 3 has a 6m gravity boom. 340 kg mass.

Geos 3 was launched at 2358 on 1975 Apr 9 by a two stage Delta 1410 (some sources incorrectly give 2410) rocket into a 101.8 min, 839 x 853 km x 115.0 deg retrograde orbit. The altimeter system operated until 1978 Dec, and the satellite transmitted until May 1981.


Geos 3 
 

DateTimeEventOrbit  

1975 Apr 9  2358:02  Launch by Delta 1410  
  T+0:38? SRM 1-4 burnout 
1975 Apr 10  0000 T+2:00 SRM 1-4 sep, 26 km  
 0002 T+4:29 MECO 96 km 
 0002 T+4:40 St 1 sep 
  T+4:45 SES-1 
 0003 T+5:05 Fairing sep
 0007 T+9:36 SECO-1 185 km 7.854 km/s 
 0055:01 T+56:59 SES-2 842 km 7.140 km/s 
 0055:08 T+57:06 SECO-2 7.314km/s 
 0056:23 T+58:21 St 2 sep  101.8 839 x 853 x 115.0 
1975 Apr 10  0457  Boom extended 0.8m 
1975 Apr 12  0242  Boom extended to 6.5m 
1975 Apr 16   First ATS-6 tracking pass 
1978 Dec   Altimeter end of ops 
1981 May   end of tx 

Payload:

  • Radar altimeter system (5 m ocean surface heights)

  • S-band tracking system (also used with ATS6 for sat-sat tracking expt)

  • C-band system (for radar calibration)

  • Laser reflectors (MIT-LL)

  • USN Doppler geodetic system

Kosmos 1607

 1984-112A




Kosmos-1607 
 

DateTimeEventOrbit  

1984 Oct 31  1229 Launch by Tsiklon-2 Baikonur
 1231  Stage 1 sep 
 1233  Stage 2 sep  -800? x 265 x 65 
 1243? DU burn  
 1253? Stage 2 reentry 
1984 Oct 31    247x270x65 
1984 Nov 1    252x265x65.0 
1985 Feb 1 1132? orbit raised  261 x 913  
 1218?  Orbit circ  
1985 Feb 1    910 x 996 x 65.0  

Teen: May 1989

 https://welib.org/md5/c217f9222d9d06ff4f2fb955df488154

Solwind

 1979-017A


Space Test Program satellite P78-1 was launched on 1979 Feb 24 by Atlas F from Vandenberg and inserted into a 600 km polar orbit using a Fairchild OIS (Orbit Insertion System) upper stage. The satellite was often known by the name of one of its primary experiments, SOLWIND, which was a Naval Research Lab solar coronagraph. The SOLWIND coronagraph, in addition to studying the Sun, serendipitously discovered several comets.

P78-1 was built from the OSO-7 backup spacecraft. Size was 2.75m long 1.83m dia. According to a prelaunch Fairchild paper on the OIS, launch mass of the satellite was 925 kg; other sources give 875 kg.

The OIS had a Stage 0 adpater cylinder similar to the PTS/SVS, with a mass of 57 kg; a small Star 27 motor in a truncated conical shell 0.98m long 0.4 to 1.3m dia carrying the spin system. The motor was 363 kg and the shell was 140 kg. Nominal OIS delta-V was 787 m/s from a -1705 x 592 km x 97.7 deg transfer orbit.

On 1985 Sep 13, the satellite, which was still operating well, was destroyed by a US Air Force antisatellite weapon as a test.


P78-1 
 

DateTimeEventOrbit  

1979 Feb 24  0820  Launch by Atlas F/OIS  
  T+2m? Booster sep
  T+5m? Atlas SECO 
  256 km, 7.190 km/s, 8.14 deg  -1727 x 590 x 97.7 
 0826 T+6m? Atlas sep from OIS  -1705 x 592 x 97.7  
  -1900 x 600 x 97.7  
1979 Feb 24  0830? Star 27 burn 
 0831? Star 27 burnout 96.4 563 x 602 x 97.7 
 0834? Star 27 sep 
 0835? Despin weights sep 
1985 Sep 13   Destroyed by USAF ASAT, end of tx 
1986 Jul 2   1979-17JD cataloged 
1986 Jul 25   1979-17JF-JH cataloged 
1986 Nov   1979-17JJ-JS cataloged 
1987 Nov   1979-17 LG-LJ cataloged 
1988 Aug   1979-17LZ cataloged 
1992 Jul 20   1979-17A reentered 

Payload:

  • DARPA-301 Gamma ray spectrometer (trapped radiation, solar and atmospheric gamma)

  • SOLWIND NRL-401 EUV and white light coronagraph/heliograph

  • CRLS-229 Solar X-ray spectrometer/spectroheliograph 3-25A, 20 arcsec res. (Aerospace/NRL/Landecker)

    • SOLEX A,B NRL/Aerospace solar flare XR Bragg spectrometer, NRL-128 3-25A

    • MONEX NRL/Aerospace all sky X-ray monitor; auroral X-rays; NRL-601

  • NRL-126 X-ray Spectroheliograph

  • ECOM-721 UCB EUV airglow spectrometer 350-1400A, US Army sponsor

  • ONR-601 Preliminary aerosol monitor

  • CRL-251 High latitude particle spectrometer

Saturday, December 16, 1989

Kosmos 363

 1970-074A


Kosmos-363 was a Gektor mission launched from Baikonur to a 65.0 degree orbit. 


Kosmos-363 
 

DateTimeEventOrbit  

1970 Sep 17 0810  Launch by 11A57  KB 
 0814  Blok-I burn 
 0818  Blok-I sep 
1970 Sep 18  0325   89.50 206 x 293 x 65.0 
1970 Sep 27  1527   89.32 199 x 281 x 65.0 
1970 Sep 29  0434? Retrofire 
 0442? PO sep 
 0450? Entry 
 0506? Landed 

Friday, December 15, 1989

Exosat

 1983-051A


The EXOSAT X-ray astronomy satellite was built by the MBB-led COSMOS consortium for ESA, with structure by SNIAS-Cannes. It followed up the results of the Einstein observatory with hard X-ray spectroscopy and limited soft band imaging. The ME instrument was the most productive with many low resolution X-ray spectra of binary stars and active galaxies. It was controlled from Villafranca.

The spacecraft was launched in May 1983 by Delta from Vandenberg; the launch was switched from Ariane after failures; it was originally to use an Ariane 1 with a P0.68 fourth stage. The unusual highly elliptical orbit was intended to allow accurate position determination using lunar occultation, but by the time Exosat was orbited the technique was not as useful as it would’ve been. However, the high orbit was very successful in permitting long uninterrupted observations of variable sources.


Exosat 
 

DateTimeEventOrbit  

1983 May 26  1518  Launch by Delta 3914  V SLC2 
  T+0:59 SRM 1-6 burnout 
  T+1:00 SRM 7-9 burn 
  T+1:18 SRM 1-6 sep 
  T+2:00 SRM 7-9 burnout 
  T+2:00 SRM sep 
  T+3:46 MECO 
  T+3:55 St 1 sep 
  T+4:00 SES-1 
  T+4:04 Fairing sep 
 1526  T+8:42 SECO-1  176 x 472 x 72.5  
 1556  T+38:36 SES-2 27s 
 1557  T+39:02 SECO-2  337 x 1633 x 72.4  
 1557 T+39:46 St 2 sep 
 1558  T+40:29 TES 
 1559  T+41:12 TECO 
 1600 T+42:37 Yoyo deploy 
 1600 T+42:49 St 3 sep  356 x 191581 x 72.4 
   347 x 188301 x 72.46 (MOR) 
 1613 T+55:41 SES-3 depletion 
 1613 T+55:49 SECO-3  119.94 755 x 2529 x 72.32  
1983 May 27  1056  Pass EL1:4 
1986 Apr 9   end of ops 
1986 May 6  1445?reentered

The Red Dove

https://welib.org/md5/31b546ecc6e4e08918693f92cba081d9

Thursday, December 14, 1989

Discoverer 18

  1960-018


CORONA 18 was the first fully successful C' mission, KH-2 flight 9014. It was launched on 1960 Dec 7 and recovered after three days. The SRV also carried biological experiments and a radiation counter.


KH-2 Mission 9013 
 

DateTimeEventOrbit  

1960 Dec 7  2020:58  Launch by Thor Agena B  
 2023:27  Thor MECO (T+2:29)  
 2023:36  Thor VECO (T+2:38) 
 2023:49  Thor sep (T+2:51) 
 2025:14  Agena burn (T+4:16) 
 2029:09  Agena cutoff (T+8:11) 
   246 x 703 x ? (VCR) 
   93.66 243 x 661 x 81.5 (RAE) 
 2255   241 x 665 x 81.49 (OE) 
1960 Dec 8  0029   93.75 230 x 685 x 81.5 
1960 Dec 8    241 x 665 x 81.49 (OE) 
1960 Dec 8  1912   93.48 230 x 658 x 81.5 
1960 Dec 9  0301   93.57 230 x 667 x 81.5 
1960 Dec 10  0226   241 x 661 x 81.49 (OE) 
1960 Dec 10  2315? SRV deorbit, rev 48  
 2243   241 x 659 x 81.49 (OE) 
1960 Dec 10  2344  SRV recovered in midair, rev 48 
1960 Dec 11  0149   93.53 230 x 664 x 81.5 
1960 Dec 28  1344   93.03 227 x 618 x 81.5 
1961 Feb 5  1900   92.0 233 x 510 x 81.48 (RAE) 
1961    89.6 143 x 366 x 81.5 (SATCAT) 
1961 Mar 3  0539   91.20 230 x 436 x 81.48 
1961 Mar 29  0000   89.49 205 x 291 x 81.5 (RAE) 
1961 Mar 30  2111   89.08 179 x 278 x 81.48 
1961 Apr 2  1900? CORONA/Agena reentered 

Payload:

  • Agena 1103

  • Model C' Camera C'-3

  • Satellite Recovery Vehicle

Tuesday, December 5, 1989

Kosmos 1774

 1986-065A


Plane E (160 deg)


Kosmos-1774 
 

DateTimeEventOrbit  

1986 Aug 28  0802:43 Launch by 8K78M  Plesetsk 
  BVGD sep 
  GO sep 
  T+4:46 Blok A sep 
  T+4:56 KhO sep 
  T+8:46 Blok-I MECO 
 0811 T+8:50 Blok-I sep 
  T+1:00? BOZ burn 
 0903?  T+1:00? BOZ sep 
  2BL burn 
  2BL MECO 
 0906?  T+1:03 2BL sep  
1986 Aug 28    196x600x62.9

These Are Not My Beautiful Stories

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