Tuesday, July 10, 1984
Friday, July 6, 1984
Corona 45
1962-027
The seventh MURAL mission saw the introduction of the Agena D upper stage, destined to be one of the most successful rockets in the early history of space exploration. The satellite carried a battery of scientific experiments for FISHBOWL studies in addition to the CORONA payload. Targets included the Baikonur cosmodrome. The SRV was recovered after 4 days, but the film suffered from corona static and the index camera did not work due to light leaks and overexposure.
| KH-4 Mission 9038 | |||
| Date | Time | Event | Orbit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 Jun 28 | 0109 | Launch by Thor Agena D | V Pad 1 |
| 0111 | Thor MECO (T+2:29) | ||
| 0111 | Thor VECO (T+2:38) | ||
| 0111 | Thor sep (T+2:47) | ||
| 0113 | Agena burn (T+3:22) | ||
| 0116 | Agena D cutoff (T+7:22) | 211 x 722 x ? (VCR) | |
| 1962 Jun 28 | 0517 | 93.64 206 x 699 x 76.1 | |
| 1962 Jun 29 | 2019 | 93.56 207 x 690 x 76.0 | |
| 1962 Jul 1 | 1500? | End of GRD data | |
| 1962 Jul 2 | 0327? | SRV recovered on rev 63 | |
| 1962 Jul 3 | 1200 | 93.55 211 x 689 x 76.0 (RAE) | |
| 1962 Jul | 93.6 205 x 698 x 76.0 (SATCAT) | ||
| 1962 Jul 7 | 2144 | 93.34 202 x 673 x 76.1 | |
| 1962 Aug 20 | 0930 | 91.24 187 x 482 x 76.0 (RAE) | |
| 1962 Sep 8 | 0930 | 89.48 176 x 305 x 76.0 (RAE) | |
| 1962 Sep | 87.7 163 x 163 x 76.0 (SATCAT) | ||
| 1962 Sep 13 | 0754 | 87.74 162 x 162 x 76.0 | |
| 1962 Sep 14 | Reentered | ||
Wednesday, July 4, 1984
Tuesday, July 3, 1984
Thursday, June 28, 1984
NOAA B
1980-043A
NOAA B was launched at 1053 on 1980 May 29 by an Atlas F from SLC3W at Vandenberg. The Atlas booster engine thrust was too low, and the Atlas main engine sustainer burned for an extra 54s in an attempt to compensate. However at 1100 the Atlas separated prematurely from the NOAA satellite - but since it was still thrusting the NOAA remained attached! At 1103 the Star 37S motor fired but attitude control propellant was almost depleted and the orbit acheived was 102.1 min, 264 x 1445 x 92.2 deg, far from the desired circular sun-synchronous orbit. On May 30 NOAA B was powered down and decommissioned; it reentered on 1981 May 3.
| NOAA B | |||
| Date | Time | Event | Orbit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 May 29 | 1053 | Launch by Atlas F | SLC3W V |
| T+2:01 BECO | |||
| T+2:04 BPJ Booster Package Jettison | |||
| T+2:24 NFJ Nose Fairing Jettison | |||
| T+5:24 planned SECO | |||
| T+5:43 planned VECO | |||
| 1058 | T+5:49 Atlas sep command but remained thrusting | ||
| 1059 | T+6:18 Actual SECO | ||
| 1100? | Atlas sep | -350? x 700? x 92? | |
| -2976? x 773 x 98.8? | |||
| 1103 | T+10:27 Star 37 burn | ||
| 1104 | T+11:10 Star 37 burnout | ||
| 102.1 264 x 1445 x 92.2 | |||
| 1980 May 30 | 1104 | NOAA B powered down | |
| 1981 May 3 | Reentered | ||
Wednesday, June 27, 1984
Tuesday, June 26, 1984
Gambit-3 29
1970-090A
KH-8 29 (GAMBIT 4329) was launched on 1970 Oct 23 by Titan IIIB Agena D from Vandenberg on a 19 day flight. Its mission probably included imaging of missile silos for the R-36 (SS-9) missile. Major orbit raising burns were carried out on Oct 24 and around Nov 5.
| KH-8 29 | |||
| Date | Time | Event | Orbit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 Oct 23 | 1740 | Launch by Titan IIIB Agena D | V SLC4W |
| 1742 | Titan stage 1 sep | ||
| 1745 | Titan stage 2 sep | ||
| 1745 | Agena burn | ||
| 1750? | Agena MECO | ||
| 1902 | 89.63 125 x 386 x 111.1 | ||
| 1970 Oct 24 | 0638 | 89.80 133 x 394 x 111.1 | |
| Orbit raise | |||
| 1970 Oct 25 | 1741 | 90.10 135 x 423 x 111.0 | |
| 1970 Oct 27 | 2257 | 89.86 131 x 403 x 111.0 | |
| 1970 Nov 1 | 0742 | 89.61 122 x 387 x 111.0 | |
| 2138? | SRV-1 recovery opp | ||
| 2145? | Entry | ||
| 2210? | SRV-1 recovered | ||
| Orbit raise | |||
| 1970 Nov 2 | 2107 | 89.81 135 x 394 x 111.0 | |
| Orbit raise | |||
| 1970 Nov 5 | 2219 | 90.35 149 x 433 x 111.0 | |
| 1970 Nov 10 | 1035 | 90.04 145 x 407 x 111.0 | |
| 1970 Nov 10 | SRV-2 recovered after planned 18 day mission | ||
| 1970 Nov 11 | Reentered after 19d | ||
| 2311? | Deboost | ||
Sunday, June 24, 1984
Explorer 39
1968-066A
The AD-C (Air Density Explorer C, Explorer XXXIX) satellite was launched from Vandenberg on 1968 Aug 8. The Scout delivered it into a 670 x 2538 km x 80.7 deg orbit, together with Explorer XL. Explorer XXXIX's beacon transmitted until 1971 Jun; it was reactivated on 1976 Feb 20. The satellite reentered on 1981 Jun 22.
The Injun satellite had a mass of 63 kg not counting the ADE. The ADE hardware had a total mass of 16 kg, 9.4 kg of which was the 3.66-m dia balloon satellite, made of Al foil and polyethylene-terephthalate plastic film. Attached to the balloon surface was a battery unit, a solar cell package, and a transmitter. The Al foil sphere had a small 0.01m equatorial gap turning the Al into an antenna.
The AD deployer consists of a container, a spearation mechanism, ejection bellows and an inflation bottle, for a total mass of 7 kg; this remained with the Injun satellite, giving it an orbital mass of 70 kg.
The AD/Injun pair was launched near solar max, to complement the earlier IQSY mission.
The Scout E-section payload adapter had a mass of 4.5 kg.
Debris detected in orbit had a slower decay rate than the balloon, and may be associated with Injun. Debris cataloged starting in 1994 was at an altitude consistent with some of the rest of the debris, suggesting that it separated from Injun in the 1960s or 1970s.
| AD-C | |||
| Date | Time | Event | Orbit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 Aug 8 | 2012:00 | Launch by Scout B S165C | V SLC5 |
| 2013 | Algol burnout T+1:16 | ||
| 2013 | Castor burn T+1:18 | ||
| T+1:56 Castor burnout | |||
| 2014 | Antares burn T+2:00 | ||
| 2014 | Coast T+2:35 | ||
| T+10:03 Spinup | |||
| T+10:04 Antares sep | |||
| 2022:08 | T+10:08 FW4S burn | ||
| 2022:40 | T+10:40 FW4S burnout | ||
| 2040:04 | T+28:04 AD inflation and sep from Injun | ||
| 2110:03 | T+58:03 Injun sep from FW4S | ||
| Injun despin | |||
| VLF antenna out | |||
| Loop antenna out | |||
| 670 x 2538 x 80.7 (RAE) | |||
| 1971 Jun | Deactivated | ||
| 1976 Feb 20 | Reactivated | ||
| 1981 Jun 22 | Reentered | ||
Payload:
- Air density balloon (LaRC/Keating, SAO/Jacchia)
- Radio beacon
- Internal temperature sensor
Friday, June 22, 1984
Discoverer 13
1960-008
A Discoverer diagnostic mission was launched on 1960 Aug 10 by Thor Agena A from Vandenberg. It carried a five-channel FM/FM telemetry system to transmit separation, reentry and recovery operations data, an 8W transmitter instead of the usual 1.2W one, and a continuous-tape recorder to play back data after ionization blackout. The capsule had a VHF beacon, and the thrust cone had an S-band beacon to aid in determining reentry trajectory. On Aug 11, the SRV was successfully recovered from the Pacific Ocean at 161.57W 25.6N and returned to Washington in triumph.
| CORONA 13 | |||
| Date | Time | Event | Orbit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1960 Aug 10 | 2037:54 | Launch by Thor Agena A | V Pad 5 |
| 2040 | Thor MECO (T+2:43) | ||
| 2040 | Thor VECO (T+2:52) | ||
| 2040:56 | Thor sep (T+3:02) | ||
| 2042:56 | Agena burn (T+5:02) 1:58 | ||
| 2044:16 | T+6:22 Thor apogee Vi 3.750 km/s | -5499 x 255 x 82? | |
| 2044:55 | Agena cutoff (T+7:01) | ||
| 258 x 683 x 82.85 (RAE) | |||
| 256 x 703 x ? (VCR) | |||
| 1960 Aug 11 | 1803 | 94.00 252 x 688 x 82.9 | |
| 1960 Aug 11 | 2313:37 | 300.9 km 64.83N 171.23W 7.638 km/s -2.89 163.04 | |
| -206 x 514 x 82.9 | |||
| 1960 Aug 11
| 2313:25 | S+0:00 SRV sep 303.9 km over 65.58N 171.73W | |
| Pitch -61.7 deg | |||
| S+0:02 Spinup | |||
| 2313:28 | S+0:03 Deorbit 290 m/s | -206 x 514 x 82.9 | |
| S+0:14 Despin | |||
| 2313:41 | S+0:15 Thrust cone sep | ||
| 2317:55 | 189 km | ||
| 2318:00 | S+4:34 Reentry | ||
| 2320 | Beacon acquired by recovery force | ||
| 2322:00 | Alt 82 km | ||
| 2322:36 | Alt 67 km | ||
| 2322:48 | 5g-switch closed | ||
| 2323:21 | 31 km alt, HTS acq | ||
| 2324:56 | Parachute deploy at 15 km | ||
| 2324:56 | S+11:32 Para cover off | ||
| 2324:57 | S+11:33 Para deploy, heat shield off | ||
| 2350 | SRV last tracked by HTS | ||
| 2352? | SRV land in Pacific 25 36N 161 34W | ||
| 25 38 +/-2 N 161 33 +/- W | |||
| 1960 Aug 12 | 0005 | Visual sighting in ocean | |
| 0222 | Recovered | ||
| 1960 Aug 13 | 1836 | 93.93 252 x 681 x 82.9 | |
| 1960 Sep 15 | 1327 | 92.93 245 x 590 x 82.9 | |
| 1960 Oct 9 | 2130 | 92.00 250 x 493 x 82.9 (RAE) | |
| 1960 Nov 9 | 0930 | 90.00 226 x 319x 82.9 (RAE) | |
| 1960 Nov 5 | 1438 | 90.41 245 x 343 x 82.9 | |
| 1960 Nov 11 | 2043 | 89.39 216 x 272 x 82.9 | |
| 1960 Nov 14 | 1955? | Agena reentered | |
Payload:
- Agena 1057
- Satellite Recovery Vehicle
- Diagnostic instrumentation
Monday, June 18, 1984
Friday, June 15, 1984
Sunday, June 3, 1984
Friday, June 1, 1984
Monday, May 28, 1984
Kosmos 251
1968-096A
The first Zenit-4M flight, in Oct 1968, flew a 12 day test mission. Sheldon reported a supplementary gamma ray package was carried, but I haven't seen any other report of this. The spacecraft was the first Zenit mission to maneuver in orbit. A burn on Nov 9 raised perigee by 40 km. The spacecraft was recovered after a 12 day flight. The KDU manuevering engine remained in orbit and retained the 96A designation.
| Kosmos-251 | |||
| Date | Time | Event | Orbit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 Oct 31 | 0914:55 | Launch by 11A57 | KB |
| 0919 | Blok-I burn | ||
| 0922 | Blok-I sep | ||
| 1036 | 89.06 197 x 258 x 64.9 | ||
| 1930 | 89.04 199 x 254 x 64.9 | ||
| 1968 Nov 1 | 0126 | 89.04 199 x 254 x 64.9 | |
| 1968 Nov 3 | 0224 | 89.04 200 x 253 x 64.9 | |
| Raise apogee | |||
| 1968 Nov 4 | 0938 | 89.35 210 x 273 x 64.9 | |
| 1968 Nov 5 | 0759 | 89.34 206 x 277 x 65.0 | |
| Raise apogee | |||
| 1968 Nov 6 | 1815 | 89.68 202 x 314 x 64.9 | |
| 1968 Nov 9 | 1628 | 89.38 209 x 278 x 64.9 | |
| 1968 Nov 10 | 0553 | 89.41 207 x 283 x 64.9 | |
| 1968 Nov 12 | |||
| 0530? | Deorbit | ||
| 0540? | PO sep | ||
| 0546? | Entry | ||
| 0601? | Landed | ||