SPX-520 25 February 1997 SPACEWARN Activities A publication of NASA NSSDC/WDC-A-R&S and the WWAS for ISES/COSPAR (All information in this publication was received between 25 January 1997 and 24 February 1997.) A. List of New International Designations and Launch Dates (UT). (USSPACECOM Catalog numbers are in parentheses.) 1997-008A (24737) USA 130 24 Feb 1997-006A (24725) GONETS D-1 4 14 Feb 1997-007A (24732) JCSAT 4 17 Feb 1997-005A (24720) HALCA 12 Feb 1997-006F (24730) COSMOS 2339 14 Feb 1997-004A (24719) STS 82 11 Feb 1997-006E (24729) COSMOS 2338 14 Feb 1997-003A (24717) SOYUZ TM-25 10 Feb 1997-006D (24728) COSMOS 2337 14 Feb 1997-002B (24714) NAHUEL 1A 30 Jan 1997-006C (24727) GONETS D-1 6 14 Feb 1997-002A (24713) GE 2 30 Jan 1997-006B (24726) GONETS D-1 5 14 Feb B. Text of Launch Announcements. 1997-008A USA 130 is an American military spacecraft that was launched by a Titan 4B rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Station. 1997-007A JCSAT 4 is a Japanese communications spacecraft that was launched by a Centaur rocket from Cape Canaveral to provide voice and video communications. Initial orbital parameters were period 42 hr, 14 min, apogee 94,203 km, perigee 14,250 km, and inclination 6.3 deg. 1997-006F, COSMOS 2339, COSMOS 2338, and COSMOS 2337 are Russian military 006E,006D spacecraft that were launched by a Cyclone 3 rocket from Plesetsk cosmodrome at 03:47 UT. Initial orbital parameters of all three were period 114 min, apogee 1,409 km, perigee 1,409 km, and inclination 82.6 deg. 1997-006C, GONETS D-1 6, GONETS D-1 5, and GONETS D-1 4 are Russian 006B,006A spacecraft that were launched by a Cyclone 3 rocket from Plesetsk cosmodrome at 03:47 UT. Like the earlier GONETS launched last year, these are to provide urgent alerts on natural and man-made disasters or emergencies. Initial orbital parameters of all three were period 114 min, apogee 1,409 km, perigee 1,409 km, and inclination 82.6 deg. 1997-005A HALCA (meaning "far away") is the post-launch name of the Japanese MUSES-B radio astronomy satellite that was launched by an M-5 rocket from Uchinoura (in Kagoshima prefecture). The 830 kg, 2.5 W spacecraft carries a wire mesh dish antenna of eight-meter diameter as one arm of a radio astronomy interferometer, with the other arm being any one of the ground-based telescopes. It will enable the highest yet angular resolution in VLBI. Initial orbital parameters were period 6 hr, 20 min, apogee 21,400 km, perigee 560 km, and inclination 31.3 deg. 1997-004A STS 82 is an American shuttle spacecraft that was launched from Cape Canaveral at 08:55 UT. Its main mission was to install 2,250 kg of instruments in the Hubble Space Telescope (HST): Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS, replacing the older Faint Objects Spectrograph), and Near Infrared Camera and Multi-Object Spectrometer (NICMOS). Other activities were directed to replace an older data recorder with a 12 Gigabytes recorder, replace one of the momentum wheels, and patch up the wearing insulation on the HST. Initial orbital parameters were period 95.2 min, apogee 574 km, perigee 475 km, and inclination 28.5 deg. 1997-003A SOYUZ TM-25 is a Russian passenger module that was launched to carry astronauts and supplies to MIR station. It was launched by a Soyuz-U rocket from Baykonur cosmodrome at 14:09 UT to ferry three cosmonauts for a 162-day stay at the station; it docked with the station at 15:51 UT on 12 February 1997. Within meters of automatic approach to the station, a slight misalignment was noted, and the commander of the module had to dock it by manual steering. Initial orbital parameters were period 90.1 min, apogee 330 km, perigee 258 km, and inclination 51.6 deg. 1997-002B NAHUEL 1A is an Argentine geostationary communications spacecraft that was launched by an Ariane 44L rocket from Kourou at 23:04 UT. It carries 18 transponders in Ku-band to provide direct-to-home voice and video communications to Central and South America, after parking at 71.8 W deg. 1997-002A GE 2 is an American geostationary communications spacecraft that was launched from Kourou by an Ariane 44L rocket to provide voice and video communications to North and South America. 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 FULL UPDATED LIST APPEARS BELOW AGAIN AFTER SEVEN MONTHS. IT WILL REAPPEAR AGAIN ONLY WHEN MAJOR UPDATES ARE MADE. Designations Epoch, Frequency, Remarks and Inclination 1966-110A (02608) 16 June 1988 [Weak signals. VHF translator ATS 1 137.35 MHz on ~12 hr/day.] Inclination: 14.0 deg 1967-111A (03029) 16 June 1988 [Weak signals.] ATS 3 136.37 MHz 137.35 MHz Location: 105 deg W Inclination: 12.1 deg 1971-93A (5580) 1 February 1993 X 3 137.56 MHz Inclination: 82.05 deg 1973-081A (06909) 15 September 1988 [Operational transit. OSCAR (NAV) 20 150 MHz at 0.75 W Also known as NNSS 30200.] 400 MHz at 1.25 W Inclination: 89.9 deg 1975-100A (08366) 29 June 1991 GOES 1 136.38 MHz Location: 81.2 deg W Inclination: 10.5 deg 1977-048A (10061) 24 February 1996 GOES 2 136.38 MHz Location: 174.0 deg W Inclination: 9.4 deg 1978-012A (10637) 26 December 1991 IUE 136.86 MHz Inclination: 33.201 deg 1978-062A (10953) 24 February 1996 [Frequency drifts caused by GOES 3 136.38 MHz temperature variations.] Location: 105.0 deg W Inclination: 11.0 deg 1981-044A (12458) 4 March 1991 [Stored in orbit at NOVA I 150 MHz at 3.00 W maintenance frequency. 400 MHz at 5.00 W Also known as NNSS 30480.] Inclination: 90.0 deg 1981-122A (13010) 21 March 1993 MARECS-A 137.17 MHz Location: 22.8 deg E Inclination: 5.7 deg 1984-110A (15362) 24 December 1992 [Operational transit. NOVA III 150 MHz at 3.00 W Also known as NNSS 30500.] 400 MHz at 5.00 W Inclination: 90.0 deg 1984-114B (15386) 21 March 1993 MARECS-B2 137.17 MHz Location: 14.9 deg W Inclination: 3.6 deg 1984-123A (15427) 29 January 1995 NOAA 9 137.62 MHz (Inoperative) 137.77 MHz Inclination: 99.158 deg 1985-066B (15936) 26 February 1991 [Stored in orbit at OSCAR (NAV) 30 150 MHz at 1.00 W maintenance frequency. 400 MHz at 2.00 W Also known as NNSS 30300.] Inclination: 89.9 deg 1986-017A (16609) 27 October 1991 MIR 145.550 MHz Inclination: 51.604 deg 1986-073A (16969) October 28, 1994 NOAA 10 137.50 MHz 136.77 MHz Inclination: 98.549 deg 1986-088A (17070) 15 September 1988 [Experimental. POLAR BEAR 150 MHz at 0.75 W Also known as NNSS 30170.] 400 MHz at 1.25 W Inclination: 89.9 deg 1987-18A (17527) 1 February 1993 MOS 1A 136.11 MHz Inclination: 99.09 deg 1987-054A (18129) 27 October 1991 COSMOS 1861 29.357 MHz 29.403 MHz 29.407 MHz Inclination: 82.926 deg 1987-080A (18361) 5 December 1988 [Operational transit. OSCAR (NAV) 27 150 MHz at 0.75 W Also known as NNSS 30270.] 400 MHz at 1.25 W Inclination: 90.3 deg 1987-080B (18362) 7 February 1991 [Operational transit. OSCAR (NAV) 29 150 MHz at 0.75 W Also known as NNSS 30290.] 400 MHz at 1.25 W Inclination: 90.3 deg 1988-033A (19070) 31 January 1989 [Operational transit. OSCAR (NAV) 23 150 MHz at 0.75 W Also known as NNSS 30230.] 400 MHz at 1.25 W Inclination: 90.4 deg 1988-033B (19071) 26 February 1991 [Operational transit. OSCAR (NAV) 32 150 MHz at 1.00 W Also known as NNSS 30320.] 400 MHz at 2.00 W Inclination: 90.4 deg 1988-051A (19215) 31 March 1993 [Transmits on command.] METEOSAT 3 137.080 MHz Location: 72.8 deg W Inclination: 0.7 deg 1988-052A (19223) 15 September 1988 [Operational transit. NOVA II 150 MHz at 3.00 W Also known as NNSS 30490.] 400 MHz at 5.00 W Inclination: 90.0 deg 1988-074A (19419) 15 September 1988 [Stored in orbit at an OSCAR (NAV) 25 150 MHz at 0.75 W offset frequency. 400 MHz at 1.25 W Also known as NNSS 30250.] Inclination: 90.0 deg 1988-074B (19420) 8 March 1990 [Stored in orbit at an OSCAR (NAV) 31 150 MHz at 1.00 W offset frequency. 400 MHz at 2.00 W Also known as NNSS 30310.] Inclination: 98.971 deg 1988-089A (19531) 29 January 1995 NOAA 11 137.62 MHz [Inoperative] 137.77 MHz [Inoperative?] Inclination: 99.059 deg 1990-13A (20478) 1 February 1993 MOS 1B 136.11 MHz Inclination: 99.09 deg 1990-017A (20508) 6 August 1994 [INACTIVE. Replaced by NADEZHDA 2 150 MHz NADEZHDA 4.] 400 MHz Inclination: 82.955 deg 1990-086A (20826) 27 October 1991 METEOR 2-20 137.850 MHz Inclination: 82.530 deg 1991-006A (21087) 1 January 1993 INFORMATOR 1 145.815 MHz Inclination: 82.94 deg 1991-007A (21089) 18 July 1991 COSMOS 2123 150 MHz 400 MHz Inclination: 82.923 deg 1991-019A (21152) 10 July 1996 [Plane 12] NADEZHDA 3 150 MHz 400 MHz Inclination: 82.929 deg 1991-029A 10 July 1996 [Plane 5. Replacing COSMOS 2142 150.03 MHz COSMOS 2233.] 400.08 MHz Inclination: 82.953 1991-030A (21232) 27 October 1991 METEOR 3-4 137.300 MHz Inclination: 82.548 deg 1991-032A (21236) 28 October 1994 NOAA 12 137.500 MHz 136.770 MHz Inclination: 98.723 deg 1991-056A (21655) 29 January 1995 METEOR 3-5 137.85 MHz Inclination 82.55 deg 1991-081A (21796) 6 December 1993 [Plane 4] COSMOS 2173 149.97 MHZ [INACTIVE. Replaced by COSMOS 388.84 MHz 2336 on 26 December 1996.] Inclination: 82.955 deg 1991-086E (21835) 1 February 1993 MAGION 3 137.85 MHz Inclination: 82.57 deg 1992-008A (21875) 25 May 1994 [INACTIVE. COSMOS 2180 149.94 MHz Replaced by COSMOS 2279.] 399.84 MHz Inclination: 82.931 deg 1992-020A (21937) *12 February 1997 [INACTIVE. Replaced by COSMOS 2184 149.91 MHz reactivated COSMOS 2310.] 399.76 MHz Inclination: 82.934 deg 1992-036A (22006) 6 December 1993 [INACTIVE. Replaced by COSMOS 2195 149.97 MHz reactivated COSMOS 2135 on 399.92 MHz 3 August 1993.] Inclination: 82.934 deg 1992-073A (22207) 3 November 1992 [Replacing 1991-059A, COSMOS 2218 149.94 MHz COSMOS 2154, in plane #3 399.84 MHz on 4 November 1992.] Inclination: 82.923 deg 1993-001A (22307) 1 January 1993 [Replacing 1992-12A, COSMOS COSMOS 2230 150.00 MHz 2181, in plane #11 on 400.00 MHz 20 January 1993.] Inclination: 82.945 deg 1993-008A (22487) 18 February 1993 [INACTIVE. Replaced by COSMOS COSMOS 2233 150.03 MHz 2142, in plane #5 on 17 400.08 MHz February 1993.] Inclination: 82.944 deg 1993-020A (22590) 6 December 1993 [Replacing 1991-081A, COSMOS COSMOS 2239 149.97 MHz 2173, in plane #4 on 7 April 399.84 MHz 1993.] Inclination: 82.93 deg 1993-070A (22888) *2 February 1997 [REACTIVATED in plane #1.] COSMOS 2266 149.97 MHz 399.92 MHz Inclination 82.95 deg 1994-024A (23092) 25 May 1994 [Replacing 1992-08A, COSMOS 2279 149.94 MHz COSMOS 2180, in plane #6 399.84 MHz on 11 May 1994.] Inclination: 82.946 deg 1994-041A (23179) 16 July 1994 [Replacing NADEZHDA, NADEZHDA 4 150.00 MHz 1990-017A, in plane #14 400.00 MHz on 28 July 1994.] Inclination: 82.946 deg 1994-089A (23455) 29 January 1995 NOAA 14 137.62 MHz 137.77 MHz Inclination: 98.9 deg 1995-002A (23463) 1 January 1996 [Plane 13] TSIKADA 150 MHz 400 MHz Inclination: 82.925 deg 1995-012A (23526) *12 February 1997 COSMOS 2310 149.91 MHz 399.76 MHz Inclination: 82.94 deg 1995-032A (23603) 1 January 1996 [Plane 11] COSMOS 2315 150.00 MHz 400.00 MHz Inclination: 82.905 deg 1996-004A (23773) 21 January 1996 [INACTIVE. Replaced by COSMOS 2327 149.97 MHz COSMOS 2334 on 399.92 MHz 11 September 1996.] Inclination: 82.98 deg 1996-052A (24304) *2 February 1997 [INACTIVE. Replaced by COSMOS 2334 150.03 MHz COSMOS 2266.] 400.08 MHz Inclination 82.94 deg 1996-073A (24677) 20 December 1996 [ACTIVE in plane #4.] COSMOS 2336 149.97 MHz 399.92 MHz Inclination: 82.949 deg 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 An excellent source of trajectory- and science-related GPS information is http://www.utexas.edu/depts/grg/gcraft/notes/gps/gps.html#DODSystem. It provides many links to GPS-related data bases. 3. Russian Global Navigational (Positioning) Spacecraft, GLONASS constellation. (SPACEWARN requests updates/additions from readers to this list. An asterisk [*] indicates updates or additions to the list.) All GLONASS spacecraft are in the general COSMOS series. The COSMOS numbers invoked by USSPACECOM have sometimes differed from the numbers (NNNN) associated in 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. The standard format of the GLONASS situation appeared in SPX-515. It will not be repeated in view of the excellent updated source, with the URL http://www.rssi.ru/SFCSIC/glonass.html maintained by the Coordinational Scientific Information Center (CSIC), Russian Space Forces. 4. Actual decays/landings of payload spacecraft and rocket bodies (R/B) only. No further information is available. Designations Common Name 1997 1997-004A (24719) STS 82 Landed on 21 Feb 1997-003B (24718) R/B SOYUZ-U 13 Feb 1996-073B (24702) R/B BION 2 28 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.) 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). Information on the current status of the instruments on board from the investigators will be most welcomed. 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 the 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 the URL http://nssdc/space/helios/heli.html Magnetospheric, planetary, and astronomical science data from many spacecraft may be accessed through links from the URL http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/ =========================================================================== 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.