SPX-508 25 February 1996 SPACEWARN BULLETIN 508 A publication of NASA NSSDC/WDC-A-R&S as the WWAS for IUWDS/COSPAR (All information in this publication was received between 25 January 1996 and 25 February 1996.) A. List of New International Designations and Launch Dates (UT). (USSPACECOM Catalog numbers are in parentheses.) 1996-012B (23805) TSS-1R 25 Feb 1996-012A (23801) STS 75 22 Feb 1996-011A (23798) SOYUZ TM-23 21 Feb 1996-010A (23794) RADUGA 33 19 Feb 1996-009F (23792) COSMOS 2330 19 Feb 1996-009E (23791) COSMOS 2329 19 Feb 1996-009D (23790) COSMOS 2328 19 Feb 1996-009C (23789) GONETS D1-3 19 Feb 1996-009B (23788) GONETS D1-2 19 Feb 1996-009A (23787) GONETS D1-1 19 Feb 1996-008A (23784) NEAR 17 Feb 1996-007A (23781) N-STAR-B 05 Feb 1996-006A (23779) PALAPA C-1 01 Feb 1996-005A (23775) GORIZONT 31 25 Jan B. Text of Launch Announcements . 1996-012B TSS-1R is an American/Italian spacecraft that was deployed from STS 75 at the end of a 20 km long braided nylon, copper, and Teflon wire of 2.5 mm thickness at 08:45 UT. It carried instruments for 12 plasma/optics/magnetic field experiments. After extending nearly to its full length of 20 km, the tether broke at the shuttle end, thus rendering all experiments inoperational. Before the tether failure it did verify Faraday's laws of induction by generating 1600 V and 420 mA. The same kind of release was attempted in August 1992, but the tether could not be extended and the spacecraft stayed in the cargo bay. It is expected that the free-flying TSS-1R, along with its tether, will soon re-enter the atmosphere. 1996-012A STS 75 is an American shuttle spacecraft that was launched from Cape Canaveral at 20:18 UT. Its main mission was to release and retrieve an American/Italian tethered spacecraft named TSS-1R. It also carried resources for some microgravity experiments. The tether was slowly extended almost to its full length of 20 km on 25 February 1996, but soon broke near the shuttle end, thus making the TSS-1R an unintended free-flyer; TSS-1R along with the tether is expected to decay soon. The shuttle's orbital parameters were period 90.5 min, apogee and perigee 294 km, and inclination 28.5 deg. 1996-011A SOYUZ TM-23 is a Russian transportation spacecraft that was launched from Baykonur at 12:34 UT, carrying two cosmonauts. It docked with the MIR station at 14:24 UT on 23 February 1996. Soon after launch, its orbital parameters were period 88.6 min, apogee 240 km, perigee 202 km, and inclination 51.6 deg. 1996-010A RADUGA 33 is a Russian communications spacecraft that was launched by a Proton-K rocket from Baykonur and was intended to be geosynchronous; but it turned out to be a failed launch due to the explosion of the fourth stage just prior to the final maneuver. It was launched by a Proton-K rocket from Baykonur. 1996-009D, COSMOS 2328, COSMOS 2329, and COSMOS 2330 are Russian military 009E,009F spacecraft that were launched by a Cyclon-3 rocket from Plesetsk cosmodrome along with the three GONETS spacecraft listed below. Initial orbital parameters of all three were approximately the same as those of the GONETS constellation listed below. 1996-009A, GONETS D1-1, GONETS D1-2, and GONETS D1-3 are Russian 009B,009C communications/photo-reconnoissance spacecraft that were launched by a Cyclon-3 rocket, along with three COSMOS spacecraft listed above. They will monitor disasters like oil spills and illicit transport of radioactive cargo, and provide prompt alerts. Initial orbital parameters of all three GONETS were approximately the same: period 114 min, apogee and perigee 1415 km, and inclination 82.58 deg. 1996-008A NEAR (Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous) is a heliocentric orbiter that was launched from Cape Canaveral by a Delta 2 rocket at 20:43 UT. The 818 kg (including 400 kg of fuel) spacecraft is the first member NASA's low-budget, fast-track Discover class, and will orbit around a major asteroid, Eros (with dimensions of 38 km x 13.5 km x 13.5 km) for a year beginning February 1999. Enroute, NEAR will pass by another asteroid, 253-Mathilde in June 1997 at 1,200 km distance, return near Earth for a gravity boosted speed, and then make the final voyage to Eros to orbit as close as 15 km from its surface. It carries an instument to provide infrared images and spectra, an X-ray/gamma-ray spectrometer, a magnetometer, a laser range finder, and a radioscience instrument. 1996-007A N-STAR-B is a Japanese geosynchronous communications spacecraft that was launched by an Ariane rocket from Kourou in French Guiana at 07:19 UT. The 3,400 kg spacecraft is expected to provide voice and TV broadcasts to Japan and neighboring regions. 1996-006A PALAPA C-1 is an Indonesian geosynchronous spacecraft that was launched from Cape Canaveral by an Atlas 2AS rocket at 01:15 UT.It will provide voice and TV communications to the 17,000 islands of Indonesia and the nearby Asia-Pacific region. It carries 24 C-band, six extended C-band, and four Ku-band transponders, most of which have been leased to several countries. 1996-005A Gorizont is a Russian geosynchronous communications spacecraft that was launched by a Proton booster from Baykonur. It carries transponders to enable telephone and television communications to the Russian republic, after parking at 40 E longitude. C. Spacecraft Particularly Suited for International Participation. 1. Spacecraft with essentially continuous radio beacons on frequencies less than 150 MHz, or higher frequencies if especially suited for ionospheric or geodetic studies. (NNSS denotes U.S. Navy Navigational Satellite System; an asterisk [*] indicates updated/new information since the last issue. Updates or corrections to the list are possible only with information from the user community.) THE LIST REMAINS THE SAME AS IN SPX-504, BUT WITH ADDITIONS LISTED IN SPX-507. THE SECTION WILL BE REVIVED FROM TIME TO TIME WHEN A SIGNIFICANT VOLUME OF UPDATES WOULD BE AVAILABLE FROM THE USER COMMUNITY. Mr. E. Luteran of the HLMS, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska, reports that the current parking longitude of GOES 2 is 174.5 deg W, and that of GOES 3 is 105 deg W. 2. Global Positioning System satellites useful for navigational purposes and geodetic studies. ("NNN" denotes no national name. SPACEWARN Bulletin appreciates suggestions to update this list. An asterisk [*] denotes changes in this issue.) High precision (< 20 cm) GPS constellation tracking data obtained from the network of about 80 dedicated global stations that are of interest to geodetic study may be obtained through the following services provided by the International Association of Geodesy (IGS). FTP: igscb.jpl.nasa.gov [directory /igscb] WWW: http://igscb.jpl.nasa.gov/ E-mail: igscb@cobra.jpl.nasa.gov Designations, Epoch, Frequency, National Name and Orbit Information Remarks 1984-097A (15271) 24 November 1995 [Also known as NAVSTAR 10 USA 5 1575.42 MHz and GPS 10. PRN: 12.] 1227.60 MHz Inclination: 62.1 deg 1985-093A (16129) 24 November 1995 [Also known as NAVSTAR 11 USA 10 1575.42 MHz and GPS 11. PRN: 3.] 1227.60 MHz DEACTIVATED ON April 13, 94. Inclination: 65.2 deg 1989-013A (19802) 24 November 1995 [Also known as GPS 2-1 USA 35 1575.42 MHz (Second Generation Global 1227.60 MHz Positioning Satellite) and Inclination: 55.3 deg NAVSTAR 14. PRN: 14.] 1989-044A (20061) 24 November 1995 [Also known as GPS 2-2 and USA 38 1575.42 MHz NAVSTAR 13. PRN: 2.] 1227.60 MHz Inclination: 54.3 deg 1989-064A (20185) 24 November 1995 [Also known as GPS 2-3 and USA 42 1575.42 MHz NAVSTAR 16. PRN: 16.] 1227.60 MHz Inclination: 55.0 deg 1989-085A (20302) 24 November, 1995 [Also known as GPS 2-4 and USA 47 1575.42 MHz NAVSTAR 19. PRN: 19.] 1227.60 MHz Inclination: 53.3 deg 1989-097A (20361) 24 November 1995 [Also known as GPS 2-5 and USA 49 1575.42 MHz NAVSTAR 17. PRN: 17.] 1227.60 MHz Inclination: 55.9 deg 1990-008A (20452) 24 November 1995 [Also known as GPS 2-6 USA 50 1575.42 MHz and NAVSTAR 18. PRN: 18.] 1227.60 MHz Inclination: 54.0 deg 1990-025A (20533) 24 November 1995 [Also known as GPS 2-7 and USA 54 1575.42 MHz NAVSTAR 20. PRN: 20.] 1227.60 MHz Inclination: 54.7 deg 1990-068A (20724) 24 November 1995 [Also known as GPS 2-8 USA 63 1575.42 MHz and NAVSTAR 21. PRN: 21.] 1227.60 MHz Inclination: 54.9 deg 1990-088A (20830) 24 November 1995 [Also known as GPS 2-9 USA 64 1575.42 MHz and NAVSTAR 15. PRN: 15.] 1227.60 MHz Inclination: 55.8 deg 1990-103A (20959) 24 November 1995 [Also known as GPS 2-10, USA 66 1575.42 MHz GPS 2A-1, and NAVSTAR 23. 1227.60 MHz PRN: 23.] Inclination: 55.1 deg 1991-047A (21552) 24 November 1995 [Also known as GPS 2-11, USA 71 1575.42 MHz GPS 2A-2, and NAVSTAR 24. 1227.60 MHz PRN: 24.] Inclination: 56.1 deg 1992-009A (21890) 24 November 1995 [Also known as GPS 2-12, USA 79 1575.42 MHz GPS 2A-3, and NAVSTAR 25. 1227.60 MHz PRN: 25.] Inclination: 53.9 deg 1992-019A (21930) 24 November 1995 [Also known as GPS 2-13, USA 80 1575.42 MHz GPS 2A-4, and NAVSTAR 28. 1227.60 MHz PRN: 28.] Inclination: 55.7 deg 1992-039A (22014) 24 November 1995 [Also known as GPS 2-14, USA 83 1575.42 MHz GPS 2A-5, and NAVSTAR 26. 1227.60 MHz PRN: 26.] Inclination: 54.8 deg 1992-058A (22108) 24 November 1995 [Also known as GPS 2-15, USA 84 1575.42 MHz GPS 2A-6,and NAVSTAR 27. 1227.60 MHz PRN: 27.] Inclination: 54.1 deg 1992-079A (22231) 24 November 1995 [Also known as GPS 2-16, USA 85 1575.42 MHz GPS 2A-7, and NAVSTAR 32. 1227.60 MHz PRN: 1.] Inclination: 54.7 deg 1992-089A (22275) 24 November 1995 [Also known as GPS 2-17, USA 87 1575.42 MHz GPS 2A-8,and NAVSTAR 29. 1227.60 MHz PRN: 29.] Inclination: 54.6 deg 1993-007A (22446) 24 November 1995 [Also known as GPS 2-18, USA 88 1575.42 MHz GPS 2A-9, and NAVSTAR 22. 1227.60 MHz PRN: 22.] Inclination: 54.3 deg 1993-017A (22581) 24 November 1995 [Also known as GPS 2-19, USA 90 1575.42 MHz GPS 2A-10, and NAVSTAR 31. 1227.60 MHz PRN: 31.] Inclination: 55.2 deg 1993-032A (22657) 24 November 1995 [Also known as GPS 2-20, USA 91 1575.42 MHz GPS 2A-11, and NAVSTAR 37. 1227.60 MHz PRN: 7.] Inclination: 55.2 deg 1993-042A (22700) 24 November 1995 [Also known as GPS 2-21, USA 92 1575.42 MHz GPS 2A-12, and NAVSTAR 39. 1227.60 MHz PRN: 9.] Inclination: 54.3 deg 1993-054A (22779) 24 November 1995 [Also known as GPS 2-22, USA 94 1575.42 MHz GPS 2A-13, and NAVSTAR 35. 1227.60 MHz PRN: 5.] Inclination: 54.5 deg 1993-068A (22877) 24 November 1995 [Also known as GPS 2-23, USA 96 1575.42 MHz GPS 2A-14,and NAVSTAR 34. 1227.60 MHz PRN: 4.] Inclination: 55.5 deg 1994-016A (23027) 24 November 1995 [Also known as GPS 2-24, USA 100 1575.42 MHz GPS 2A-15,and NAVSTAR 36. 1227.60 MHz PRN: 6.] Inclination: 55.1 deg The GPS 2-NN series orbit in six distinct planes that are about 60 deg apart. Each plane has four "slots." Following are the 2-NN members in the planes/ slots. The RAAN decreases or increases by about 1.0 deg each month; below are their approximate RAAN longitudes in November 95. PLANE RAAN OF PLANE SLOT-1 SLOT-2 SLOT-3 SLOT-4 A 235 2-21 2-12 2-15 2-04 B 296 2-18 2-07 2-02 2-22 C 357 2-24 2-13 2-19 2-20 D 62 2-11 2-09 2-05 2-23 E 119 2-01 2-08 2-03 2-10 F 177 2-16 2-14 2-06 2-17 3. Russian Global Navigational (Positioning) Spacecraft, GLONASS constellation. (SPACEWARN requests updates/additions from readers to this list. Entries marked "*" are updates or additions to the list.) All GLONASS spacecraft are in the general COSMOS series. The COSMOS numbers (nnnn) invoked by USSPACECOM have often differed from the numbers (NNNN) associated in Russia; when different, the USSPACECOM COSMOS numbers are shown in parentheses. The corresponding GLONASS numbers are Russian numbers, followed by the numbers in parentheses that are sometimes attributed to them outside Russia. The operating frequencies in MHz are computed from the channel number K. Frequencies (MHz) are L1 = 1602.0 + 0.5625K, and L2 = 1246.0 + 0.4375K. COSMOS NNNN(nnnn) ID, (CAT#) EPOCH,FREQUENCY,ORBIT COMMENT, GLONASS # COSMOS 2111 23 November 1995 GLONASS 249 (49) 90-110C (21008) Channel: 23 Inclination: 65.1 RAAN: 091.8 COSMOS 2178 23 November 1995 GLONASS 769 (54) 92-005B (21854) Channel: 2 Inclination: 65.1 RAAN: 091.5 COSMOS 2179 23 November 1995 GLONASS 771 (55) 92-005C (21855) Channel: 23 Inclination: 65.1 RAAN: 091.4 COSMOS 2204 (2205) 23 November 1995 GLONASS 756 (57) 92-047B (22057) Channel: 24 Inclination: 64.8 RAAN: 330.9 COSMOS 2206 (2204) 23 November 1995 GLONASS 774 (56) 92-047A (22056) Channel: 1 Inclination: 64.8 RAAN: 330.8 COSMOS 2235 (2336) 23 November 1995 GLONASS 759 (61) 93-010C (22514) Channel: 21 Inclination: 65.1 RAAN: 091.3 COSMOS 2236 (2235) 23 November 1995 GLONASS 757 (60) 93-010B (22513) Channel: 5 Inclination: 65.1 RAAN: 091.3 COSMOS 2275 (2277) 23 November 1995 GLONASS 758 (64) 94-021C (23045) Channel: 10 Inclination: 64.7 RAAN: 331.2 COS 2276 (2275) 23 November 1995 GLONASS 760 (62) 94-021A (23043) Channel: 24 Inclination: 64.7 RAAN: 331.2 COSMOS 2277 (2276) 23 November 1995 GLONASS 761 (63) 94-021B (23044) Channel: 3 Inclination: 64.7 RAAN: 331.2 COSMOS 2287 23 November 1995 GLONASS 767 (65) 94-050A (23203) Channel: 22 Inclination: 64.8 RAAN: 211.2 COSMOS 2288 (2289) 23 November 1995 GLONASS 770 (67) 94-050C (23205) Channel: 9 Inclination: 64.8 RAAN: 211.2 COSMOS 2289 (2288) 23 November 1995 GLONASS 775 (66) 94-050B (23204) Channel: 22 Inclination: 64.8 RAAN: 211.2 COSMOS 2294 (2296) 23 November 1995 GLONASS 762 (70) 94-076C (23398) Channel: 12 Inclination: 65.0 RAAN: 091.4 COSMOS 2295 (2294) 23 November 1995 GLONASS 763 (68) 94-076A (23396) Channel: 21 Inclination: 65.0 RAAN: 091.4 COSMOS 2296 (2295) 23 November 1995 GLONASS 764 (69) 94-076B (23397) Channel: 13 Inclination: 65.0 RAAN: 091.3 COSMOS 2307 23 November 1995 GLONASS 765 (73) 95-009C (23513) Channel: 1 Inclination: 64.7 RAAN: 331.4 COSMOS 2308 23 November 1995 GLONASS 766 (71) 95-009A (23511) Channel: 10 Inclination: 64.7 RAAN: 331.5 COSMOS 2309 23 November 1995 GLONASS 777 (72) 95-009B (23512) Channel: 3 Inclination: 64.7 RAAN: 331.5 COSMOS 2316 23 November 1995 GLONASS 780 (74) 95-037A (23620) Channel: 4 Inclination: 64.9 RAAN: 211.0 COSMOS 2317 23 November 1995 GLONASS 781 (75) 95-037B (23621) Channel: 9 Inclination: 64.8 RAAN: 211.0 COSMOS 2318 17 January 1996 GLONASS 785 (76) 95-037C (23622) Channel: 4 Inclination: 64.8 RAAN: 211.0 COSMOS 2323 25 December 1995 GLONASS 776 (??) 95-068A (23734) Channel: 6 Inclination: 64.8 RAAN: 211.0 COSMOS 2324 25 December 1995 GLONASS 778 (??) 95-068B (23735) Channel: 11 Spare. Inclination: 64.8 RAAN: 211.0 COSMOS 2325 25 December 1995 GLONASS 782 (??) 95-068C (23736) Channel: 6 Inclination: 64.8 RAAN: 211.0 The GLONASS NNN series orbit in three distinct planes that are 120 deg apart. Each plane has eight "slots". Following are the members of the planes/slots. Plane 1 Plane 2 Plane 3 slot-1 771 slot-9 776/778 slot-17 760 slot-2 757 slot-10 781 slot-18 758 slot-3 763 slot-11 785 slot-19 777 slot-4 762 slot-12 767 slot-20 765 slot-5 249 slot-13 782 slot-21 756 slot-6 764 slot-14 770 slot-22 766 slot-7 759 slot-15 780 slot-23 761 slot-8 769 slot-16 775 slot-24 774 CONTACT: Coordinational Scientific Information Center(CSIC) Russian Space Forces E-mail: sfcsic@iki3.bitnet; sfcsic@iki3.iki.rssi.ru; sfcsic@mx.iki.rssi.ru Home Page WWW.IKI: http://www.rssi.ru/SFCSIC/SFCSIC_main.html 4. Actual decays/landings of payload spacecraft and rocket bodies (R/B) only. No further information is available. Designations Common Name 1996 1995-070A (23744) PROGRESS M-30 22 Feb 1996-005B (23776) R/B SL-12 29 Jan 1996-001A (23762) STS 72 Landed on 20 Jan 1996-001B (23763) OAST FLYER Retrieved on 20 Jan 1995-011A (23521) SFU Retrieved on 20 Jan 5. Miscellaneous Items. (This section contains information/data that are entered on occasion and may not be repeated in each issue of the SPACEWARN Bulletin.) Mr. Geoffrey Perry, MBE, of the Kettering Group, Cornwall, England has communicated to us on 18 February 96 the following message about an orbiter he numbers as 1995-000A: "EXPRESS, a German capsule, procured from Russia's KB Salyut, carrying microgravity experiments and heatshield test samples, intended for recovery after 5.5 days in Woomera, Australia, was launched by a Japanese M-3S II rocket from Uchinoura at 13:45 UT, January 15, 1995. A second stage guidance failure resulted in a very low orbit with an 88 min period, apogee 250 (?) km, perigee 115 (?) km, and inclination 31.2 deg. It was initially assumed to have fallen into the Pacific ocean off the coast of South America. No objects from the launch were catalogued by USSPACECOM. Mr. G. E. Perry, MBE of the Kettering Group, England, published a paper, based on reports in the Ghanaian Times and Ghanaian Chronicle, in the November 1995 issue of the Astronautical Society of Western Australia's News Bulletin suggesting that the "strange object" which had landed at Kotorigu, near Tamale, could be the recoverable capsule which would have passed over Ghana after 2.5 orbits. This paper was brought to the notice of Daimler-Benz Aerospace and DARA whose subsequent enquiries and on the spot investigations confirmed that the object in the hanger at Tamale was indeed the Express capsule. Diplomatic negotiations are in progress to secure the return of the capsule to Germany." NSSDC/WDC-A-R&S is an archival center for science data from many spacecraft. Some data are on line for electronic access. Please contact the Request Office, NSSDC, Code 633, NASA/GSFC, Greenbelt, Maryland 20771, U.S.A., for specific information (REQUEST@NSSDCA.GSFC.NASA.GOV). Precomputed trajectory files and orbital parameters of many magnetospheric and heliospheric science-payload spacecraft may be FTP'ed from NSSDC's ANON_DIR:[000000.ACTIVE] and its several subdirectories. (See the last page of the bulletin for the access method; a file in the ACTIVE directory named AAREADME.DOC outlines the contents.) It can also be accessed through WWW URL: http://sscop1.gsfc.nasa.gov/ssc.html This html also enables executing several codes related to the orbits of many geocentric science payload spacecraft. The codes related to the heliospheric spacecraft trajectories can be executed through URL: http://nssdc/space/helios/heli.html SPACEWARN Bulletin ------------------ The Bulletin is intended to serve as an international communication medium for the rapid distribution of information on satellites and space probes. The material it contains is based on guidelines in the COSPAR Guide to Rocket and Satellite Information and Data Exchange, COSPAR Transactions #8, December 1972, and various Committee on Space Research (COSPAR) resolutions. Hard copy recipients and electronic accessers are encouraged to disseminate the bulletin to interested individuals and institutions in their regions or countries. All bulletins beginning with January 1991 (SPX-447) are now available on line; the SPX number increases by one for each succeeding month (for example, the January 1993 bulletin is SPX-471). Through DECnet: At prompt type: copy nssdca::anon_dir:[000000.active.spx]spx.471 Through FTP: At prompt type: ftp nssdca.gsfc.nasa.gov At the next prompt type: anonymous At the PASSWORD (NSSDCA.GSFC.GOV.ANONYMOUS) prompt hit: return At the next prompt type: get anon_dir:[000000.active.spx]spx.471 spx.471 Other subdirectories in [000000.active] carry many files of interest on science payload spacecraft. The bulletin may also be accessed through the World Wide Web (WWW). The URL is http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/spacewarn/spacewarn.html. Users are urged to submit their comments and suggestions for the improvement of this bulletin to SPACEWARN Bulletin, World Data Center-A for Rockets and Satellites, Code 633, Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland 20771 U.S.A. Categories of Spacecraft To improve the effectiveness of international distribution of satellite and space probe information via the SPACEWARN system, spacecraft are identified in categories according to the urgency and detail of information needed by the scientific community as follows: CATEGORY 1: Spacecraft that carry essentially continuous telemetry or radio beacons, usually on frequencies less than 150 MHz. CATEGORY 2: GPS constellation of positioning/navigational spacecraft. CATEGORY 3: GLONASS constellation of positioning/navigational spacecraft. CATEGORY 4: Occassionally, a list of bright, orbiting objects of visual magnitude 4 or brighter. The bulletin also carries launch dates, international ID's and USSPACECOM catalog numbers, followed by a brief outline of the payload and orbital parameters, re-entry of major objects, and miscellaneous sections. These data are based on launch announcements or on information received from individuals, launching authorities, FBIS and USSPACECOM telexes, and news magazines.