Saturday, April 29, 2006

Seventeen: September 2005

 https://welib.org/md5/0ca027d5cc763181b6701d4d65a2ce70

USA-137

 1998-005A


A 2500 kg classified NRO satellite, CAPRICORN, was launched by Atlas IIA AC-109 from Canaveral in Jan 1998, and placed in Molniya orbit. Aviation Week reported the prime contractor was Hughes. The unclassified name CAPRICORN was applied to the launch (rather than the payload) and was selected in a contest among children of NRO employees. Speculation is that CAPRICORN's payload was a follow on SDS comsat, built by Hughes, and also carried the COBRA BRASS payload.

The COBRA BRASS payload, with a multi-spectral electro-optical sensor, was designed to provide technology demonstrations for the GEO/HEO component of the advanced SBIRS early warning system. It was developed by Sandia/Albuquerque. COBRA BRASS probably also flew on the TRUMPET satellites.

The UN orbit of 191 x 795 km x 62.5 deg is probably the post-MECO1 parking orbit.

Optical observations showed that the satellite was of similar brightness to the earlier SDS-2 missions and different from USA 155 and its siblings.


CAPRICORN 
 

DateTimeEventOrbit  

1998 Jan 29  1837  Launch by Atlas IIA AC-109  CC LC36 
  T+2:44 BECO 
  T+2:47 Booster sep 
  T+3:34 Fairing sep 
  T+4:47 SECO 
  T+4:49 Atlas sep 
  T+5:05 Centaur MES1 
 1847 T+10:13 MECO1  56 deg EPO 

  94.1 191 x 795 x 62.5 (UN) 
 1942  T+1:05:17 Centaur MES2 
 1943  T+1:06:33 Centaur MECO2 
 1947  T+1:10:16 S/C sep  12hr orbit, 63.4 deg 

Monday, April 24, 2006

Kosmos 804

  1976-015A


Kosmos-804 began the new series of tests with an attempt at a slow flyby of Kosmos-803, which reportedly failed although it did pass within a few km of the target. Reports suggested that it was deorbited over the Pacific.


Kosmos-804 
 

DateTimeEventOrbit  

1976 Feb 16  0829 Launch by 11K69  KB 
 0831  Stage 2 burn 
 0834? Stage 2 MECO 
1976 Feb 16 0845 93.1 149x703x65.2 
1976 Feb 16  0935? Maneuver  96.46 560 x 617 x 65.9 
1976 Feb 16 1000 560x617 x 65.8 
1976 Feb 16 1300
528x620 x 65.8  
1976 Feb 16 1430 rv 3 km with K803 
 1610  Maneuver away? 
 1656  Pass over KB area  
1976 Feb 16   228x928 x 67.6 (SFLT) 
1976 Feb 16  deorbited  25? x 812? x 67.6 

Tall Cool One

https://welib.org/md5/c146dc7d6d0fc613330d01d084e24e9c

May 13,2026

  https://planet4589.org/space/jsr/back/news.855.txt