Saturday, March 15, 1997
Luna 4A
1963-001B
The first E-6 was E-6 No. 2 (No. 1 was a ground test article). It was launched on 1963 Jan 4. It used the first 8K78L rocket, a version of the 8K78 whose upper two stages were guided by a control system on the E-6 payload. It reached orbit, but the Blok-L stage did not ignite. The BOZ ullage unit failed to operate because of a power system failure and the I-100 control unit on the E-6 failed to send the ignition command to the Blok-L. Three objects were tracked; object 01A (SATCAT 521) is thought to have been the Blok-I stage, and reentered in a day. Object 01B (SATCAT 522) is usually listed as the E-6 probe with object 01C as debris; however 01C seems to have decayed more slowly. An alternate possibility is that 01C was the E-6 and Blok-L (still attached) while 01B was the BOZ unit.
| E-6 No. 2 | |||
| Date | Time | Event | Orbit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1963 Jan 4 | 0849 | Launch by Molniya | KB |
| 0854 | Blok-A sep | ||
| 0854 | Blok-I burn | ||
| 0858 | Blok-I sep | ||
| 0949? | BOZ failed | ||
| 1009 | 01A | 88.04 165 x 189 x 64.6 (A) | |
| 1900 | 01B | 88.40 164 x 226 x 64.6 (B) | |
| 1963 Jan 5 | 01A reentered | ||
| 1963 Jan 7 | 0300 | 01B | 88.23 178 x 194 x 64.8 |
| 1963 Jan 7 | 0304 | 01C | 88.55 178 x 226 x 64.8 |
| 1963 Jan 9 | 0301 | 01B | 87.98 174 x 174 x 64.8 |
| 1963 Jan 10 | 0447 | 01C | 88.32 163 x 219 x 64.7 |
| 1963 Jan 11 | 01B reentered | ||
| 1963 Jan 16 | 01C reentered | ||
Friday, March 14, 1997
MSTI-2
1994-028A
MSTI 2 was built by Spectrum Astro for USAF Phillips Lab using the SA200S series bus. This added a hydrazine propulsion system to the MSTI-1 vehicle. The 168 kg octagonal box-shaped, 3-axis stabilized satellite was designed for theater ballistic missile acquisition and tracking, and was originally intended to watch tests of the LEAP projectile. It observed a Minuteman launch from Vandenberg in Jun 1994.
| MSTI 2 | |||
| Date | Time | Event | Orbit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 May 9 | 0247 | Launch by Scout G-1 | V SLC5 |
| T+1:24 Stage 1 burnout | |||
| T+1:28 St 1 sep | |||
| T+1:28 St 2 burn | |||
| T+2:09 St 2 burnout | |||
| T+2:20 Fairing sep | |||
| T+2:22 St 2 sep, St 3 burn | |||
| T+3:10 St 3 burnout | |||
| T+10? St 3 sep | |||
| 0257? | T+10? St 4 burn | ||
| 0257? | T+10? Stage 4 burnout | ||
| 0304 | T+17 min Star 20 sep, in orbit | ||
| 360 x 461 x 96.8 | |||
| 1994 Jun 8 | 1630 | Observed VAFB Minuteman launch | |
DFH-33
1990-089A
FSW-1 No. 3 was launched in Oct 1990. Mass was 2080 kg. This flight carried guinea pigs and as far as is known was the first flight by the Chinese which carried animals.
| FSW 1 | |||
| Date | Time | Event | Orbit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 Oct 5 | 0614 | Launch by CZ2 | JQ |
| 0616 | T+2:10 MECO | ||
| 0616 | Stage 2 burn | ||
| 0618? | T+4:02? Stage 2 MECO | ||
| 0621? | Stage 2 VECO | ||
| 0621? | CZ-2C sep | 89.72 208 x 312 x 57.0 | |
| 1990 Oct 6 | 0111 | 89.69 208 x 309 x 57.0 | |
| 1990 Oct 12 | 1652 | 89.45 203 x 291 x 57.0 | |
| 1990 Oct 13 | 0342? | Capsule sep | |
| 1990 Oct 13 | 0352? | Capsule recovered | |
| 1990 Oct 13 | 0617 | 89.47 203 x 293 x 57.0 | |
| 1813 | 89.46 199 x 295 x 57.0 | ||
| 1990 Oct 16 | 1400 | 89.15 193 x 271 x 57.0 | |
| 1990 Oct 20 | End of transmissions (RAE) | ||
| 1990 Oct 22 | 1400 | 87.68 148 x 171 x 57.0 | |