Friday, February 12, 1999
Kosmos 266
1969-015A
Zenit-2 No. 71 flew an 8 day mission from Plesetsk at 72.9 deg. It landed on Mar 5 35 km N of Tselinograd at 51 32 N 71 29 E.
| Kosmos-266 | |||
| Date | Time | Event | Orbit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 Feb 25 | 1020 | Launch by 11A57 | PL |
| 1025 | Blok-I burn | ||
| 1029 | Blok-I sep | 89.9 208 x 358 x 72.9 (TASS) | |
| 1969 Feb 26 | 0837 | 89.89 200 x 336 x 72.9 | |
| 1969 Mar 1 | 2031 | 89.81 200 x 330 x 72.9 | |
| 1969 Mar 4 | Blok-I reentered | ||
| 1969 Mar 5 | 0520? | Retrofire | |
| 0545 | Landed after 7.9d | ||
Thursday, February 11, 1999
Wednesday, February 10, 1999
Monday, February 8, 1999
Kosmos 260
1968-115A
A second Molniya-1Yu calibration satellite was launched in 1968 Dec and named Kosmos-260. It continued tests of the N-1/L-3 lunar communications network.
| Kosmos-260 | |||
| Date | Time | Event | Orbit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 Dec 16 | 0915:03 | Launch by 8K78M | KB |
| BVGD sep | |||
| GO sep | |||
| T+4:46 Blok A sep | |||
| T+4:56 KhO sep | |||
| T+8:46 Blok-I MECO | |||
| 0923 | T+8:50 Blok-I sep | 91.6 230 x 473 x 65.0 | |
| T+53:16 BOZ burn | |||
| 1009? | T+53:56 BOZ sep | ||
| ML burn | |||
| T+56:46 ML MECO | |||
| 1012? | T+56:54 ML sep | 712.36 518 x 39570 x 64.9 (RAE) | |
| 1968 Dec 29 | 712.18 489 x 39588 x 65.0 | ||
| 1969 Aug 7 | 712.34 838 x 39247 x 65.0 | ||
| 1973 May 22 | 707.88 216 x 39649 x 64.8 | ||
| 1973 May 27 | 706.59 215 x 39586 x 64.8 | ||
| 1973 Jul 9 | Reentered | ||
Venera 9
1975-050A
The first V-75 probe, 4V-1 No. 660, was launched on 1975 Jun 8 as Venera-9. It used the 4M type orbital bus with a lander of a new design. The orbiter was OA No. 660 and the lander was SA No. 660. The upper stage was a Blok D-1, 11S824M No. 10326501L.
Prior to first TCM closest approach was calculated as Oct 22 0215, with a 30000 km miss distance.
| Venera-9 | |||
| Date | Time | Event | Orbit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 Jun 8 | 0238 | Launch by Proton-K | KB |
| 0240 | Stage 1 sep | ||
| 0243 | Stage 2 sep | ||
| 0247 | Stage 3 MECO | ||
| 0247 | Stage 3 sep | ||
| 0251? | Blok D MES-1 | ||
| 0253? | MECO-1 | 179 x 437 x 51.37 | |
| 0404? | MES-2 8:37? | ||
| 0412:00 | MECO-2 | ||
| 1975 Jun 16 | 1130:03 | TCM 11.93m/s | |
| 1975 Oct 15 | 0259:24 | TCM-2 13.4m/s | |
| 1975 Oct 20 | 1605 | SA separated | |
| TCM 0.247 km/s | |||
| 1975 Oct 22 | 0851 | VOI 0.923 km/s, Venus orbit | 1500 x 111700 x 34 |
| TCM | 1300 x 112200 x 34.1 | ||
| 1975 Oct 26 | Venus bow shock | ||
| 1975 Nov 1 | Venus bow shock | ||
| 1975 Nov 11 | Venus bow shock | ||
| 1976 Jun 21 | End of transmissions | ||
Payload:
- Bistatic radar
- IR radiometer
- IR spectrometer
- UV photometer
- Ion spectrometer
The Venera-9 SA landed at 290 50 longitude, 31 42 N. The temperature was 455 C, and the pressure was 85 bar. Entry was 10.7 km/s at 20.5 deg, altitude 125 km.
| Venera-9 SA | |||
| Date | Time | Event | Orbit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 Jun 8 | Launch by Proton-K | KB | |
| 1975 Oct 18 | 1700? | Enter Venus gravisphere | |
| 1975 Oct 20 | 1605 | Sep from Venera-9 | |
| 1975 Oct 22 | 0353:50 | Entry (0358 ERT) at -21 deg? | |
| 1975 Oct 22 | 0508:23 | Landed (0513:07 ERT) | |
| 1975 Oct 22 | 0601 | End of transmissions after 53 min | |
Payload:
- Cameras
- Densimeter
- Gamma ray spectrometer
- Anenometer
Sunday, February 7, 1999
Skynet 4B
1988-109A
The Skynet 4B satellite was launched on 1988 Dec 11 by Ariane. It was built by BAe Stevenage with a Marconi Space Systems (Portsmouth) comms payload. In 1990 it was moved from 1W to 53E. The satellite was retired in Jul 1998.
| Skynet 4B | |||
| Date | Time | Event | Orbit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 Dec 11 | 0033 | Launch by Ariane (V27) | CSG ELA2 |
| T+0:03 PAP on | |||
| T+1:06 PAP sep | |||
| T+2:29 PAL sep | |||
| T+3:34 St 1 sep | |||
| T+3:36 St 2 MES | |||
| T+4:45 Fairing | |||
| T+5:45 St 2 sep | |||
| T+5:49 St 3 MES | |||
| 0051:30 | T+17:49 St 3 MECO | ||
| 0053:48 | T+20:07 Skynet 4B sep | ||
| 0056:07 | T+22:26 SPELDA sep | ||
| 0057:58 | T+24:17 Astra 1A | 220? x 35550? x 6.7 | |
| 1988 Dec 13 | 2029? | AKM | |
| 1988 Dec 13 | 1404.97 34427 x 35923 x 3.1 GEO 136.8W+8.0E | ||
| 1989 Jan 3 | 1413.24 34886 x 35789 x 3.0 GEO 9.3W+5.8E | ||
| 1989 Jan 8 | 1436.08 35776 x 35796 x 3.0 GEO 1.2W | ||
| 1989 Feb 8 | 1436.06 35777 x 35794 x 2.9 GEO 1.0W | ||
| 1990 Jun 21 | 1436.05 35776 x 35795 x 1.7 GEO 0.9W | ||
| 1990 Jul | mv out | ||
| 1990 Jul 18 | 1436.26 35777 x 35802 x 1.7 GEO 2.6W+0.05W | ||
| 1990 Aug 12 | 1431.16 35680 x 35699 x 1.5 GEO 52.8E+1.2E | ||
| 1990 Aug? | mv in at 53E | ||
| 1990 Sep 13 | 1436.08 35729 x 35843 x 1.5 GEO 53.0E | ||
| 1991 Jan 13 | spurious? | 1436.06 35758 x 35813 x 1.2 GEO 55.8E | |
| 1991 Mar 21 | 1436.07 35778 x 35793 x 1.0 GEO 53.0E | ||
| 1992 Aug 15 | 1436.05 35768 x 35802 x 0.3 GEO 52.9E | ||
| 1993 Aug 9 | 1435.93 35742 x 35824 x 1.2 GEO 53.3E | ||
| 1996 May 16 | 1436.07 35776 x 35795 x 3.3 GEO 53.0E | ||
| 1998 Jun 16 | 1435.95 35778 x 35789 x 4.8 GEO 53.7E | ||
Kosmos 1383
1982-066A
This was the first KOSPAS satellite.
| Kosmos-1383 | |||
| Date | Time | Event | Orbit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 Jun 29 | 2145:41 | Launch by 11K65M | Plesetsk |
| T+2:10 St 1 MECO | |||
| T+2:12 St 1 sep | |||
| T+2:12 St 2 burn 59km | |||
| T+2:27 Fairing 76km | |||
| 2153? | T+8:03 St 2 MECO 150 km | 150 x 1003? x 83 | |
| T+1:02:19 St 2 MES2 | |||
| T+1:02:30 St 2 MECO2 | |||
| 2248? | T+1:02:50 St 2 sep | ||
| 1982 Jun 29 | 105.4 991x1029x82.9 | ||
Venera 3
1965-092A
Venera-3, launched a few days after Venera-2, was the 3MV-3 No. 1 probe, which carried a descent capsule for a landing on Venus. The spacecraft failed prior to its arrival at Venus and it is probable that the SA (descent capsule) failed to separate. Venera-3 impacted the night side of Venus near the terminator.
Initial miss distance was 60550 km (with flyby on 1966 Mar 1 at 00:00:37); presumably the Blok-L had a similar orbit. A trajectory correction of 20m/s nudged it for impact.
| Venera-3 | |||
| Date | Time | Event | Orbit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1965 Nov 16 | 0413:35 | Launch by Molniya 8K78M | KB |
| 0418? | Blok-A sep | ||
| 0418? | Blok-I burn | ||
| 0422? | Blok-I sep | ||
| 0533? | BOZ burn | ||
| 0534? | Blok-L burn | ||
| 0538? | Blok-L sep, solar orbit | ||
| 1965 Dec 26 | 1504 | TCM 19.7m/s | |
| 1966 Jan | Last contact? | ||
| 1966 Mar 1 | 0656:26 | Impact Venus | |
SCD-2
1998-060A
SCD-2 is a 115 kg data collection satellite. Launch was by Pegasus from the Skid Strip at Cape Canaveral. Size was 0.9m x 1.0m. The satellite was spin stabilized at 38 RPM.
Planned orbit 99.83 750 x 750 x 25.0,
Drop point 29.0N 78.30W at azimuth 105 deg. Injection point 22.4N 293.1E.
| SCD-2 | |||
| Date | Time | Event | Orbit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 Oct 22 | 2305 | L-1011 takeoff CCAS RW30/12 | |
| 1998 Oct 23 | 0002 | T+0:00 drop Pegasus P-33 at alt 11.9 km | |
| T+00:05 Stage 1 burn | |||
| T+01:21 Stage 1 burnout | |||
| T+01:35 Stage 1 sep | |||
| T+01:36 Stage 2 burn | |||
| T+02:06 Fairing sep | |||
| T+02:52 Stage 2 burnout | |||
| T+08:42 Stage 2 sep | |||
| 0010 | T+08:54 Stage 3 burn | ||
| 0012 | T+09:57 Stage 3 burnout | ||
| 0013 | T+10:57 Payload sep | ||