TeamNathanFTW’s New and Improved Blog : April 1996

Sunday, April 28, 1996

STS-39 (Discovery)

1991-031A

SPAS-2 was deployed at 0817 on May 1. At 2130 the dance began with two out of plane OMS burns, followed at 2157 with an RCS burn to return to the original position. The cycle was repeated several times. The CIRRIS made IR observations of the aurora, earth limb and celestial sources as well as the CRO chemical releases. The URA experiment failed shortly into operation, but did provide proof of concept.

Date	Time	Event	Orbit

STS-39



1991 Feb 9		Tow to VAB
1991 Feb 11		ET mate
1991 Feb 15		Rollout	LC39A
1991 Mar 7		Rollback	VAB
1991 Mar 13		Demate	VAB
1991 Mar 14		Tow to OPF	OPF
1991 Mar 25		Tow to VAB	VAB
1991 Mar 26		ET mate
1991 Apr 1		Rollout	LC39A
1991 Apr 28	1133:14	Launch from LC39A
	1135:17	SRB sep
	1141:48	MECO
	1142:06	ET sep	87.44 43 x 252 x 57.0
	1209:21	OMS-2 (2:10) 64m/s	89.64 248 x 263 x 57.0
	1211:30	OMS-2 CO
	1300	PLBD open	89.65 251 x 263 x 57.0
	1430	STP-1 checkout
	1530	RMS checkout
	1730	QINMS cover open
1991 Apr 29	1245	RMS inspection of IBSS/AIS
	1340	RMS work complete
1991 Apr 29	1200		89.63 249 x 262 x 57.0
1991 Apr 30	0900		89.58 247 x 260 x 57.0
1991 Apr 30	2030	RMS inspection of IBSS/AIS
	2045?	RMS restow
1991 May 1	0219	RMS moving
	0226?	RMS latched
	0615	RMS raised - SPAS unberthed
1991 May 1	0817:45	SPAS-2 deployed
	0824	RCS-1 sep
	0854	RCS-2 MC1 FF brake at 10km
	0934	RCS-3 MC2 FF
	0954	RCS-4 NFF
	1100	89.55 245 x 259 x 57.0
	1119	RCS-5 TFF-1
	1219	RCS-6
	1634	RCS-7 NC1
	1853	RCS-8 NC2
	2023	RCS-9 TFF1
	2105	RCS-10 MCFF1
	2129:59	OMS-3 R (20s)
	2134:59	OMS-4 L (19s)
	2147	RCS-11 MCP1
	2157	RCS-12 VNP1
	2221	RCS-13 MCP
	2231	RCS-14 VNP
	2238:00	OMS-5 R oop/1 20s
	2238	RCS-15 RCSP
	2239	RCS-16 NRCS
	2242:59	OMS-6 L brake 20s
	2304:00	OMS-7 R oop/1 20s
	2309:00	OMS-8 L brake 19s
1991 May 2	0128	CRO C deploy
	0202	RCS-17 NCSK3 return
	0532	RCS-18 NCCNF
	0628	RCS-19 TNF
	0653	RCS-20 MC1 NF
	0704	RCS-21 PN1
	0718	RCS-22 MC2 NF
	0733	RCS-23 MC3 NF
	0748	RCS-24 NFF
	0755:00	OMS-9 R 6A oop/1 20s
	0800:00	OMS-10 L 6B brake 20s
	0812	RCS-25 MCP4
	0822	RCS-26 VNP4 return
	0829:00	OMS-11 R 7A oop/1 20s
	0834:00	OMS-12 L 7B brake 19s
	0846	RCS-27 MCP5
	0856	RCS-28 NSR5 return
	0930	Begin CIV timebase?
	1000?		89.51 242 x 257 x 57.0
	1056	CIV release No. 1, Xe
	1130?	CIV release 2, CO2
	1200?	CIV release 3, NO
	1230?	CIV release 4, Ne
	1343	RCS-29
	1412	CRO-C release
	1520	RCS-30 NOPC
	1803	CRO-B deployed
	1937	RCS-31 NCC
	2033	RCS-32 TI
	2106	RCS-33 PN2
	2120?	RCS-34 MC2
	2130	RCS-35 MC3
	2140	RCS-36 MC4
	2144	RCS-37 manual
	2155	240m
	2203	CRO-B release UDMH
	2209	75m
	2218	Rendezvous with SPAS-2
	2225:27	RMS retrieve SPAS-2
	2233	Begin berthing
	2251	SPAS-2 reberthed
	2253	RMS ungrapple
	2317	RMS powered down
1991 May 3	1038:49	OMS-13 R 10s height adjust	89.47 241 x 255 x 57.0
	1127:34	OMS-14 L 10s	89.48 241 x 256 x 57.0
	1153	RMS unstow, ready to grapple
	1200		89.66 249 x 266 x 57.0
	1210	CRO-A deploy
	1305	Grapple SPAS with RMS
	1405:29	SPAS-2 unberth on RMS
	1423	SPAS-2/RMS in position for observations
	2156	CRO-A release
	2217	Reberthing SPAS
	2235	SPAS-2 reberthed
	2236	RMS ungrapple SPAS
	2248	RMS cradled
	2313:14	OMS-15 R 6s
	2358:06	OMS-16 L 6s
1991 May 4	0000		89.76 254 x 271 x 57.0
	0015	Arm raised for SPAS-2 grapple
	0026	SPAS-2 on RMS
	0048	Unberth SPAS-2
	0112	SPAS-2 being raised
	1210	Lower RMS to low hover
	1236	Go for berthing
	1241	SPAS-2 reberthed
	1300?	Ungrapple SPAS-2
	1307	Start RMS direct drive test
	1400	CIV releases
	1430	RMS cradled
	1830	URA observing
1991 May 5	1553	RCS-38 8s raise for MPEC and LACE
	1600	89.70 252 x 267 x 57.0
	1715	RCS-39 hot fire
	2226	RCS-40 5s raise
1991 May 6	0810?	MPEC deploy	89.70 253 x 265 x 57.0
	0855	RCS-41 sep	89.64 248 x 264 x 57.0
	1608	PLBD closed	89.66 250 x 264 x 57.0
	1753:34	OMS DO (2:23) 78m/s
	1755:57	OMS DO CO
	1823:27	Entry
	1855:35	Landed RW15 KSC
	1855:49	NGTD
	1856:31	Wheels stop
	2230	Tow to OPF/1

Friday, April 26, 1996

Soyuz T-15

1986-022A

The final Soyuz T mission was 7K-ST 11F732 No. 21L. It became the first spaceship to visit two space stations.

Komandir Pol. Leonid Kizim, VVS
Bortinzhener Vladimir Solovyov, NPO Energiya

Date	Time	Event	Orbit

Soyuz T-15, flight 1 (Baikonur to Mir)



1986 Mar 13	1233:09	Launch by Soyuz-U	KB
	1235	Blok-BVGD sep
	1237	Blok-A sep
	1241	Blok-I cutoff
	1241	Blok-I sep
	1350		193 x 238 x 51.61
			241 x 292 x 51.62
1986 Mar 14	2130		240 x 289 x 51.62
1986 Mar 15	1200		292 x 331 x 51.63
	1338	Docked with Mir -X
1986 Mar 16	2130		332 x 339 x 51.63
1986 Mar 18			332 x 339 x 51.6

Date	Time	Event	Orbit

Soyuz T-15, flight 2 (Mir to Salyut-7)



1986 May 5	1212:09	Undocked Mir -X
			309 x 345 x 51.6
		DV1
		DV2
1986 May 6			358 x 360 x51.6
	1657:52	Docked Salyut-7 +X

Soyuz T-15 returned to Mir carrying 400 kg of cargo.

Date	Time	Event	Orbit

Soyuz T-15 flight 3 (Salyut-7 to Mir)



1986 Jun 4			334 x 340 x 51.6
1986 Jun 25		Hatch closed
	1458:00	Undocked Salyut-7 +X
			356 x 359 x 51.6
		DV1a
		DV1b
		DV2a
		DV2b
1986 Jun 26			325 x 338 x 51.6
	1946:07	Docked Mir -X
1986 Jun 27	1900		331 x 366 x 51.6

Payload:

EFO electrophotmeter
Medical equipment
PCN
Pion-M
Glucometer
KATE-140 Topo camera
NIVA VCR

Date	Time	Event	Orbit

Soyuz T-15, Flight 4 (Mir to Arkalyk recovery zone)



1986 Jul 15	2130		330 x 363 x 51.6
1986 Jul 16	0907	Undocked Mir -X
	1023	BO sep, 22C	(328 x 359 x 51.6
	1205	Retrofire, PAO sep (records)
	1139?	Retrofire (guess)
	1143?	DO CO
	1205?	PAO sep
	1210?	Entry
	1234:15	Landed

Tuesday, April 23, 1996

The Fifth String, The Conspirators

https://www.gutenberg.org/files/504/504.txt

Kosmos 1981

1988-103A

Two-tone telemetry; Hi res satellite

Date	Time	Event	Orbit

Kosmos-1981



1988 Nov 24	1450:00	Launch by Soyuz	PL
	1454	Blok-I burn
	1458	Blok-I MECO
1988 Nov 25			(103B) 239 x 346x62.8
1988 Nov 25			90.46 239x355x62.8
1988 Nov 27			89.46 225 x 270 x 62.81
1988 Dec 2?		(103F-H)
1988 Dec 7			89.33 220 x 262 x 62.81
1988 Dec 8
	0501?	Deorbit
	0511?	PO sep
	0518?	Entry	-194 x 244
	0533?	Landed

Monday, April 22, 1996

Spaceflight: November 1995

https://welib.org/md5/92b1d36351857783cb2fe0b0acf8ff86

Friday, April 19, 1996

Saturn S-IVB-508

1970-029B

SA-508 was launched on 1970 Apr 11 at 1913. Apollo 13 separated from the Saturn at 2314, and the S-IVB made its evasive maneuver at 2331 and vented propellants at 2352. At 0112:59 on Apr 12 the stage maneuvered again to set course for lunar impact. S-IVB-508 impacted the lunar surface at 0109:40 on Apr 15 at 2.5S 27.9W. Impact velocity was 2.579 km/s at 15 deg to local vertical.

Date	Time	Event	Orbit

S-4B-508



1970 Apr 11	1913:00	Launch by Saturn V (SA-508)	KSC LC39A
	1915:15	S-IC CECO
	1915:44	S-IC OECO, S-IC sep 63 km	-6006 x 112 x 31.8
	1915:46	S-II ignition
	1916:14	Interstage sep	-5946 x 120 x 31.9
	1916:20	LES sep 92 km	-5931 x 122 x 31.9
	1917:31	T+4:31 SIC apogee, 117 km
	1918:31	S-II premature CECO
	1921:07	T+9:07 SIC impact at 30.18N 74.07W
	1922:53	S-II OECO, sep	-2158 x 190 x 32.6
			-2160 x 184 x 32.53 (MPR-SAT)
	1922:57	S-IVB ignition
	1923:05	Ullage case sep
	1923:32	SII apogee 191 km
	1925:30	S-IVB cutoff
	1925:40	Earth orbit insertion	88.32 184 x 186 x 32.53
	1933:58	T+20:58 S-II impact 31.32N 33.29W
	2013
	2148:46	S-IVB TLI burn
	2154:37	S-IVB cutoff
	2154:47	Translunar injection	217 x 566793 x 31.81
			217 x 535750 x 31.82
	2219:39	CSM sep from S-IVB/SLA	219 x 549183 x 31.74
		SLA panels sep
	2230	CSM docked with LM
	2232:08	CSM hard docked
	2314:01	CSM/LM sep from S-IVB
	2331:01	APS-1 evasive burn 3.0m/s
	2332:20	APS-1 cutoff
	2347:39	CVS venting 0.4m/s
	2352:19	LOX dump 8.7m/s
	2353:07	LOX dump complete
	2354:26	H2 NPV vent on
1970 Apr 12	0113:00	APS-2 burn 9.1m/s
	0116:36	APS-2 cutoff	25 x 522040 x 31.84
	1220?	Pass EL1:4
	1442:10	Unscheduled venting, 2.4m/s	47 x 519381 x 31.832
1970 Apr 15	0109:40	Impact

Mars 6

1973-052A

Mars-6 (3MP No. 50P) successfully delivered its lander to a Mars impact trajectory and flew past the planet in Mar 1974.

Date	Time	Event	Orbit

Mars-6



1973 Aug 5	1745:48	Launch by Proton-K	KB
	1748	Stage 1 sep
	1751	Stage 2 sep
	1755	Stage 3 MECO
	1755	Stage 3 sep
	1759	Blok D MES-1
	1801	Blok-D MECO-1
	1908	Blok-D burn 2, solar orbit
	1914?	Blok-D MECO-2
	1914?	Blok-D sep
1973 Aug 13		TCM 5.3m/s
1973 Oct		Telemetry system failed
1974 Feb 24		TCM-2	2.5m/s
1974 Mar 7	1520?	Enter Mars sphere
1974 Mar 12	0450	SA sep at 46000 km
	0900?	Flyby at 1600 km
1974 Mar 17	0150?	Depart Mars sphere

The lander impacted Mars at 23.9S 19.5 long. at local time 1530, or 0858 UTC.

A delta-V of -116 m/s along the velocity vector is consistent with reducing periapsis from 1600 km to below the surface.

Entry was at 5.60 km/s at 14 deg.

Landed at 23 09S 19 05W (nominal). LT = 12:40.

Date	Time	Event

Mars-6 SA



1974 Mar 7	1520?	Enter Mars sphere
1974 Mar 12	0449:16	SA sep, 46000 km
	0505?	Retrofire
	0506?	Retro and truss sep
	0826:27	Begin velocity data, 4800 km alt
	0853:40	LOS entry, 75 km (ERT 0906:20, LT=12:40)
	0854:40	AOS 29 km
		Drogue motor and drogue sep
	0855:55	Main parachute deployed
		Aeroshell sep
		Main parachute sep
	0858:24	Impact (0911:04 ERT last signal)

Thursday, April 18, 1996

Molniya 214

1975-081A

Molniya-2 F14 was launched in Sep 1975,entered the A plane and successfully stabilized its ground track.

Date	Time	Event	Orbit

Molniya-2 F14



1975 Sep 9	0019	Launch by 8K78M	PL
		BVGD sep
		GO sep
		T+4:46 Blok A sep
		T+4:56 KhO sep
		T+8:46 Blok-I MECO
	0027	T+8:50 Blok-I sep
		T+53:16 BOZ burn
	0112	T+53:56 BOZ sep
		ML burn
		T+56:46 ML MECO
	0115	T+56:54 ML sep
			736.5 439 x 40837 x 62.8
1975 Sep 26			717.7 449 x 39902 x 62.9
1977 Dec 16		end of ops

Sunday, April 14, 1996

DFH-30

1990-081A

The second FY satellite was launched in Sep 1990. Mass was 881 kg.

FY-1B temporarily lost attitude control in 1991 because of radiation damage, but control was regained in two months, although lost again later.

The third stage exploded on Oct 4, generating hundreds of debris objects.

Date	Time	Event	Orbit

Feng Yun 1B



1990 Sep 3	0053	Launch by CZ-4	T'ai Yuan
	0055	T+2:31 St 1 MECO
	0055	T+2:32 St 1 sep
	0055	T+2:47 Fairing
	0059	T+6:38 St 2 MECO
	0059	T+6:48 St 2 VECO
	0059	T+6:49 St 2 sep
	0059	St 3 burn?
		St 3 burn 303s?
	0103	T+10:10 St 3 MECO
	0104	T+11:05 St 3 sep
	0105?	Atmosphere sats ejected
1990 Sep 4			102.77 881 x 897 x 98.9
1990 Oct 4	2014	Stage 3 exploded
1991 Feb		Attitude control lost
1991 Apr		Control regained
1991?		End of ops
1992 Mar 20			102.76 878 x 900 x 98.9

Friday, April 12, 1996

Vostok 1 (Cedar)

1961-012A

On 1961 Apr 12, an 8K72K launch vehicle took off from the NIIP-5 Baikonur range and placed spacecraft 3KA No. 3 in orbit. Aboard the spacecraft was Letchik-Maior Yuriy A. Gagarin of the VVS (Soviet Air Force), who thus introduced the world to a new word: Kosmonavt (astronaut). Vostok-3A No. 3 was registered officially as simply the spaceship `Vostok'.

Vostok-3A No. 3 entered a 169 x 315 km orbit, slightly higher than planned. After one hour and seven minutes in orbit, the PO engine ignited for the deorbit burn but shut down one second early and 4m/s too slow. The vehicle tumbled. The PO was meant to separate from the descent craft (SA) 10s later, but the PO and the SA failed to separate completely. The connecting straps burnt away during reentry 10 min later and the PO was soon gone.

As the SA descended by parachute, Gagarin ejected and floated down separately. This fact was left out in many Soviet reports because of an obscure international rule which stated that airplane flights setting world records must have the pilot setting off and touching down in the same vehicle. Other pedants cavilled at the fact that less than a complete orbit of the planet was accomplished. These points seem irrelevant now; Gagarin was certainly the first human to travel beyond Earth's atmosphere, the first space traveller.

The SA landed 1.5 km from the pilot.

Date	Time	Event	Orbit

Vostok



1961 Apr 12	0607:00	Launch by 8K72K	KB LC1
	0609	Blok BVGD sep
	0609	Fairing sep
	0612	Blok-A sep
		Blok-E burn
		Blok-E cutoff
	0618	Earth orbit insertion	181 x 327 x 65
	0618:07	Blok-E sep	169 x 315 x 64.95
	0618:28	Blok-E sep
	0704	Apogee
	0715	Orient for retro
	0717	ASO readiness
	0725:04	Deorbit 132m/s 44s over 12S 10E
	0725:48	DO burnout
	0725:24?	PO failed to sep
	0736	PO sep
	0743?	Pilot ejected
	0748	Landed near Saratov
	0753	Pilot landed near Saratov, 51 16N 45 59 E

Orbcomm FM1

1995-017A

In 1995 OSC launched the first pair of operational Orbcomm Flight Model satellites using the Microstar bus. FM1 (later F1) was 1.0m in diameter and 0.16m high, with a mass of 40 kg, before deployment of its solar panels and comm boom.

The L-1011 aircraft took off from Vandenberg on 1995 Apr 3, and flew to the Point Arguello Warning Area over the Pacific. At 1348 UT the Pegasus was launched and all three stages fired successfully; FM1 was inserted into a 726 x 756 km x 70.0 deg orbit. OSC breathed a sigh of relief at the return of Pegasus to flight following months of inactivity. Relief turned to concern when FM1 developed a software problem, but the satellite was operational by early June.

Date	Time	Event	Orbit

Orbcomm F1



1995 Apr 3	1250?	L-1011 takeoff
	1348	Pegasus drop
	1348	Stage 1 burn
	1349	T+1:35 Stage 2 burn
	1349	T+1:50 Fairing
	1350	T+2:48 Stage 2 burnout
	1357?	T+9:50? Stage 2 sep
	1357	T+9:52? Stage 3 burn
	1358?	T+10:57? Stage 3 burnout
	1359?	FM1/FM2 sep from stack
	1359?	Microlab sep from stack
1995 Aug 20			726 x 756 x 70.0

Wednesday, April 10, 1996

Kosmos 1964

1988-072A