SPX-527 1 October 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 August 1997 and 30 September 1997.) A. List of New International Designations and Launch Dates (UT). (USSPACECOM Catalog numbers are in parentheses.) 1997-057A (24971) IRS 1D 29 Sep 1997-051E (24948) IRIDIUM 31 14 Sep 1997-056E (24969) IRIDIUM 34 27 Sep 1997-051D (24947) IRIDIUM 30 14 Sep 1997-056D (24968) IRIDIUM 35 27 Sep 1997-051C (24946) IRIDIUM 29 14 Sep 1997-056C (24967) IRIDIUM 36 27 Sep 1997-051B (24945) IRIDIUM 28 14 Sep 1997-056B (24966) IRIDIUM 37 27 Sep 1997-051A (24944) IRIDIUM 27 14 Sep 1997-056A (24965) IRIDIUM 19 27 Sep 1997-050A (24936) GE 3 04 Sep 1997-055A (24964) STS 86 26 Sep 1997-049B (24932) METEOSAT 7 02 Sep 1997-054A (24960)MOLNIYA 1-90 24 Sep 1997-049A (24931) HOT BIRD 3 02 Sep 1997-053A (24957)INTELSAT 803 23 Sep 1997-048B (24926) DUMMY S2 01 Sep 1997-052B (24954) FAISAT 2V 23 Sep 1997-048A (24925) DUMMY S1 01 Sep 1997-052A (24953) COSMOS 2346 23 Sep 1997-047A (24920) FORTE 29 Aug 1997-051G (24950) IRIDIUM 33 14 Sep 1997-046A (24916) PANAMSAT 5 28 Aug 1997-051F (24949) IRIDIUM 32 14 Sep 1997-045A (24912) ACE 25 Aug B. Text of Launch Announcements. 1997-057A IRS 1D is an Indian remote sensing Sun-synchronous orbiter that was launched by a PSLV-1C (Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle) rocket from Shriharikota (in southeast India) at 04:47 UT. (The 44.4 meter, four-stage, 468 tonne PSLV-1C complex is now an operational vehicle, after earlier test launches.) It is the fourth of the IRS series. The 1,200 kg orbiter carries three main instruments: a panchromatic camera (PAN), a linear imaging self-scanner (LISS-3), and a wide field sensor (WIFS). PAN has reflective optics and the other have two refractive optics. The color imagery will have a resolution of 23.5 meters and the black and white, 5 meters. An on-board tape recorder stores data over unreachable intervals. Sensed data on Indian and foreign terrains will be sold through an American company (after the usual clearance by Indian military). Orbit maneuvers may be planned to raise the perigee. Initial orbital parameters were period 95.9 min, apogee 803 km, perigee 288 km, and inclination 98.6 deg. 1997-056E, IRIDIUM 34, 35, 36, 37, and 19 are five American satellites 56D,56C, that joined the IRIDIUM fleet; they were launched by a Delta-2 56B,56A rocket from Vandenberg AFB. They enable voice communications between mobile telephones beyond the reach of cellular zones. Initial orbital parameters of all five were similar: period 95.7 km, apogee 559 km, perigee 542 km, and inclination 86.7 deg. 1997-055A STS 86 is an American Shuttle spacecraft that was launched from Cape Canaveral at 02:30 UT. The main mission was to haul equipment and supplies to the troubled MIR space station: 700 kg of water, 500 kg of American science equipment, and 2,000 kg of Russian supplies and hardware. It was also to haul back to Earth 700 kg of American research output and 500 kg of trashed Russian equipment. On board was an American astronaut required to spend several months in MIR to strengthen his endurance. The current American astronaut on MIR will be returned to Earth. STS 86 docked with MIR on 27 September at 19:58 UT. Initial orbital elements were period 92.2 min, apogee 392 km, perigee 370 km, and inclination 51.6 deg. 1997-054A MOLNIYA 1-90 is a Russian communications spacecraft that was launched from Plesetsk by a Molniya-M rocket at 21:31 UT. It will provide voice and video communications to the far-north Russia. Initial orbital parameters were period 718 min, apogee 39,915 km, perigee 451 km, and inclination 62.9 deg. 1997-053A INTELSAT 803 is a geosynchronous communications spacecraft of that consortium that was launched by an Ariane 4 rocket from Kourou. The 3,455 kg satellite carries six Ku-band transponders to provide voice and video communications after parking at 175-E longitude. 1997-052B FAISAT 2V is an American (civilian or military) communications spacecraft that was launched by a Kosmos-3M rocket from Plesetsk at 16:44 UT (along with COSMOS 2346). Its main mission is to look for and warn of natural disasters on land and sea and aid rescue efforts. Initial orbital parameters were period 104.4 min, apogee 1,012 km, perigee 956 km, and inclination 82.9 deg. 1997-052A COSMOS 2346 is a Russian military spacecraft that was launched by a Kosmos-3M rocket from Plesetsk at 16:44 UT. Initial orbital parameters were period 104.4 min, apogee 1,015 km, perigee 953 km, and inclination 82.9 deg. 1997-051G, IRIDIUM 33, 32, 31, 30, 29, 28, and 27 are American communications 51F,51E, spacecraft that were launched by a Proton-K rocket from Baykonur. 51D,51C, They joined the current fleet of IRIDIUMs to provide voice 51B,51A communications between mobile telephones. Initial orbital parameters of all seven were similar: period 94.9 min, apogee 541 km, perigee 522 km, and inclination 86.6 deg. 1997-050A GE 3 is an American geosynchronous communication spacecraft that was launched from Cape Canaveral by an Atlas 2AS rocket. It carries 24 C-band transponders to provide voice and video communications to North America after parking at 127-W longitude. 1997-049B METEOSAT 7 is a European geosynchronous weather satellite that was launched by an Arianne 4 rocket from Kourou. The 3,455 kg spacecraft will provide cloud cover and other weather-related data over western Europe. 1997-049A HOT BIRD 3 is a European geosynchronous direct-TV spacecraft that was launched to provide voice and video communications to Europe after parking at 13-E longitude. It was launched by an Ariane 4 rocket from Kourou and carries 18 Ku-band transponders. 1997-048B DUMMY S2 is one of two dummies simulating IRIDIUM spacecraft. They were launched by a (newly developed) Long March 2-3 rocket from the new Taiyuan launch center. The goal was to offer that Long March 2-3 as a potential carrier for future launches of IRIDIUMs. Initial orbital parameters were period 97.2 min, apogee 634 km, perigee 623 km, and inclination 86.3 deg. 1997-048A DUMMY S1 is one of two dummies simulating IRIDIUM spacecraft. They were launched by a (newly developed) Long March 2-3 rocket from the new Taiyuan launch center. The goal was to offer that Long March 2-3 as a potential carrier for future launches of IRIDIUMs. Initial orbital parameters were period 93 min, apogee 622 km, perigee 231 km, and inclination 86.2 deg. 1997-047A FORTE (Fast On-Orbit Recording of Transient Events) is an American military spacecraft that was launched by a Pegasus XL rocket from an airplane flying out of Vandenberg AFB. Its primary mission is to keep track of violations of nuclear test ban treaties by the signatories and others. Initial orbital parameters were period 101.2 min, apogee 833 km, perigee 799 km, and inclination 70.0 deg. 1997-046A PANAMSAT 5 is an American geosynchronous communications spacecraft that was launched by a Proton-K rocket from Baykonur at 00:33 UT. It will provide direct-TV to South American and Caribbean countries through its 24 C-band transponders after parking at 58-W longitude. 1997-045A ACE (Advanced Composition Explorer) is an American space physics spacecraft that was launched by a Delta 2 rocket from Cape Canaveral at 14:39 UT. After a few low Earth orbits the 596 kg, 464 W spacecraft will be maneuvered many times to reach the first Lagrangian point (L-1) located at about 1.5 million km in the Sunward direction. It carries nine instruments to monitor the magnetic field, solar wind electrons and ions, and the more energetic cosmic ray ions; more details are available at the URL http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/database/www-nmc?97-045A. Initial orbital parameters were period 1,398 hr, apogee 1,256,768 km, perigee 179 km, and inclination 28.7 deg. 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 or new information since the last issue. Updates or corrections to the list are possible only with information from the user community.) SEE LIST IN SPX-520. THE LIST WILL REAPPEAR ONLY AFTER MAJOR UPDATES TO THE LIST ARE AVAILABLE. 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 The standard format of the GPS situation appeared in SPX-518. It will not be repeated since an excellent source of trajectory- and science-related GPS information is at URL http://www.utexas.edu/depts/grg/gcraft/notes/gps/gps.html#DODSystem. It provides many links to GPS-related data bases. The latest member of the GPS fleet is NAVSTAR 43 (1997-035), launched on 23 July 1997. 3. Russian Global Navigational (Positioning) Spacecraft, GLONASS constellation. (SPACEWARN requests updates or 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 or landings of payload spacecraft and rocket bodies (R/B) only. No further information is available. Designations Common Name 1997 1997-024A (24805) COSMOS 2343 18 Sep 1997-051H (24951) R/B PROTON-K 14 Sep 1989-100A (20389) COSMOS 2053 02 Sep 1995-052A (23676) COSMOS 2321 21 Aug 5. Miscellaneous Items. (This section contains information or 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 the prompt type: copy nssdca::anon_dir:[000000.active.spx]spx.471 Through FTP, at the 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: Occasionally, a list of bright, orbiting objects of visual magnitude 4 or brighter. The bulletin also carries launch dates, international IDs, 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.