SPACEWARN Bulletin Number 459

A publication of NASA's National Space Science Data Center/World Data Center-A for Rockets and Satellites on behalf of IUWDS/COSPAR
January 27, 1992

SPACEWARN Activities

All information in this publication was received between December 26, 1991 and January 26, 1992.

A. List of New International Designations and Launch Dates.

USSPACECOM Catalog numbers are in parentheses.

1992-004A (21851) Progress M-11 Jan 25	1992-001A (21844) Cosmos 2175   Jan 21
     003A (21847) Cosmos 2176   Jan 24	1991-086E (21835) MAGION 3      Dec 18
     002A (21846) STS-42        Jan 22	     088A (21833) PRC 34        Dec 28

B. Text of Launch Announcements.

1992-004A
Progress M-11 was launched on January 25, 1992 by the C.I.S. to deliver expendable material and other cargo to the space station Mir. Initial orbital parameters: period 88.6 min, apogee 245 km, perigee 190 km, inclination 51.6 deg.

1992-003A
Cosmos 2176 launched on January 24, 1992 by the C.I.S. to continue space research using the Molniya launch vehicle. Initial orbital parameters: period 11 hr 49 min, apogee 39,342 km, perigee 613 km, inclination 62.8 deg.

1992-002A
STS-42, the space shuttle Discovery, was launched on January 22, 1992 by the U.S. Its mid-deck payload consists of the IML-1 (International Microgravity Laboratory 1), the first in a series of STS flights dedicated to microgravity research in materials and life sciences. Initial orbital parameters: period 90.5 min, apogee 305 km, perigee 293 km, inclination 56.9 deg. SPACEWARN appreciates the updates in this section supplied by Walter I. Nissen, Jr., of Capital Area Astronomers, Silver Spring, Maryland.

1992-001A
Cosmos 2175 launched on January 21, 1992 by the C.I.S. to continue space research using the Soyuz launch vehicle. Initial orbital parameters: period 88.6 min, apogee 373 km, perigee 173 km, inclination 67.1 deg.

1991-086E
MAGION 3 on December 28, 1991 separated from the orbiting spacecraft INTERCOSMOS 25. The implementation of a comprehensive scientific program with the use of these two spacecraft and a network of geophysical observatories in various countries began after the separation.

1991-088A
PRC 34, a communications satellite, was launched on December 28, 1991 by the PRC using the Long March 3 carrier rocket. The satellite has been placed in a high elliptical orbit with an apogee of 35,176 km.

C. Spacecraft Particularly Suited for International Participation

Category I
  1. Spacecraft with essentially continuous radio beacons on frequencies less than 150 MHz, or higher frequencies if especially suited for ionospheric or geodetic studies. To see a list select here.

  2. Global Positioning System satellites useful for navigational purposes and geodetic studies. To see a list select here.

  3. Optical objects used for geophysical studies. To see a list select here.

  4. Satellites useful for simultaneous observation programs with small cameras; and for gravitational and atmospheric studies. (* indicates updated information since the last issue. The magnitude is an approximation; it assumes 75% illumination of the satellite and 900 km range. SPACEWARN would appreciate suggestions to update this list.) To see a list select here.

  5. Satellite objects that are nearing their decay into the atmosphere. (Orbital observations of these objects during the decaying phase are useful for atmospheric studies. Note: For maneuverable spacecraft the prediction may be invalid.)

            Objects predicted to decay within 60 days from January 16, 1992

Designations, National Name     1992     Designations, National Name      1992

1962-A APL4 (00313)             Jan 19   1991-051B  (21581) MICROSAT-2    Jan 24
1973-080A   (06907) COSMOS 604  Jan 18   1991-051C  (21582) MICROSAT-3    Jan 24
1975-004GD  (09682)             Jan 16   1991-051D  (21583) MICROSAT-4    Jan 22
1981-028BD  (13681)             Jan 20   1991-051F  (21585) MICROSAT-6    Jan 25
1984-021C   (14782)             Jan 20   1991-051G  (21586) MICROSAT-7    Jan 24
1991-051A   (21580) MICROSAT-1  Jan 24

         (The above space objects have since decayed, see Section C.6)

1968-097EH (17668)              Feb  9   1977-065Q  (10186)               Feb  9
1970-025L  (04608)              Jan 26   1980-051A  (11848) METEOR 1-30   Mar  6
1970-025BS (04704)              Jan 27   1981-053JB (14399)               Jan 31
1970-025NU (14468)              Jan 29   1986-017FX (21810)               Feb 27
1970-025PM (18419)              Jan 21   1986-019CX (17315)               Jan 22
1971-015BK (05336)              Feb 16   1986-019LD (17698)               Feb 14
1972-058JF (14875)              Feb 27   1991-051E  (21584) MICROSAT-5    Jan 24
1972-058JH (14877)              Feb 11   1991-072B  (21744)               Mar  7
1975-033A  (07752) ARIABAT      Feb  7
  6. Actual decays/landings of payload spacecraft and rocket bodies (R/B) only. Additional information is not available.

    Designations, National Name     1991     Designations, National Name      1991

1961-OMI 206 (00662)            Dec 27   1978-026FX (14457)               Dec 26
1975-004HM   (19053)            Dec 27   1986-019DQ (17343)               Dec 27
1975-052DP   (21431)            Dec 11   1990-038B  (20582)               Dec 30
1975-052DU   (21436)            Dec 19   1991-085B  (21817)               Dec 22
1975-052HY   (21672)            Dec 24

Designations, National Name     1992     Designations, National Name      1992

1962-A APL4  (00313)            Jan 19   1991-051A  (21580) MICROSAT-1    Jan 23
1966-070B    (02404)            Jan  3   1991-051B  (21581) MICROSAT-2    Jan 23
1973-080A    (06907) COSMOS 604 Jan 19   1991-051C  (21582) MICROSAT-3    Jan 24
1975-004GD   (09682)            Jan 16   1991-051D  (21583) MICROSAT-4    Jan 23
1975-052GJ   (21513)            Jan  4   1991-051F  (21585) MICROSAT-6    Jan 25
1980-030T    (12345)            Jan  9   1991-051G  (21586) MICROSAT-7    Jan 23
1981-028BD   (13681)            Jan 21   1991-073A  (21746) PROGRESS M-10 Jan 20
1984-021C    (14782)            Jan 21   1991-078A  (21787) COSMOS 2171   Jan 17
1986-017EA   (21482)            Jan  7   1991-078C  (21843)               Jan 18
1986-019CW   (17314)            Jan  6   1992-001B  (21845)               Jan 24
1990-049B    (20639)            Jan 15

D. Launching Reports and Updated Information.

  1. Postlaunch announcement. (This section covers only those reports that are sent directly to us by the national agencies.)

    Spacecraft Name:            TELECOM-2A
Country:                    France - launching pad in KOUROU (French Guiana)
Launching Agency:           CNES (Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales
Launcher:                   Ariane 44L
Obrit Type:                 Geostationary
Orbital Position:           3 deg EST
Initial On-Station Mass:    1380 km

                  Transmitting Frequencies and Orbit Power

          C-Band (6/4 GHz)        10 transponders - 10 Watts each
          Ku-Band (14/12 GHz)     11 transponders - 55 Watts each
          X-Band (8/7 GHz)         5 transponders - 20 and 40 Watts

Expected Life Duration:  10.25 years

Spacecraft Mission:
    TELECOM-2 is a family of three communcations satellites: A, B, and C.
    The objectives of TELECOM-2A are to succeed the TELECOM-1 family (which
    reaches its end of life) providing for telephone, FAX, TV, and data
    transfer services between mainland and French overseas departments;
    government communications; high-rate data transfer for professional
    applications of French industrial firms; and TV retransmission for
    commercial channels.
  2. Prelaunch announcement. (This section covers only those reports that are sent directly to us by the national agencies.)

    Spacecraft Name:      ATLAS-1 (Atmospheric Laboratory for Applications and
                               Science-1)
Planned Launch Date:  March 14, 1992
Country:              United States of America

Mission Description: 
    The Spacelab Atmospheric Laboratory for Applications and Science (ATLAS)
    mission is a configured payload complement of experiments previously flown
    on the early Spacelab missions.  The ATLAS-1 payload consists of experiments
    for atmospheric physics, plasma physics, solar physics, astronomy, and Earth
    observations.  The Spacelab configuration consists of two pallets and an
    IGLOO which contains the standard Command and Data Management System
    elements.

Flight Profile:
    a)  STS Flight:     STS-45
    b)  Launch Site:    Kennedy Space Center
    c)  Landing Site:   Kennedy Space Center
    d)  Inclination:    57.0 deg
    e)  Altitude:       296 km (160 nmi)
    f)  Duration:       8 days


SN/GN Operating Frequencies:
                                Frequency (MHz)         Data Rates (kbps)
System        Location        Receive    Transmit           RT        PB	

S-Band (GN)   Shuttle      2041.9/          -            72/32          -
                           2106.4  
TTC&V         Shuttle      2041.9/          -            72/32          -
                           2106.4                                       -
                                -        2217.5/        192/96
                                         2287.5
K-Band        Shuttle           -          15.0034     Mode 1 (PM)   (note 2)
TLM                                        GHz          (note 2)
(TDRSS)
(note 1)
                                                       Mode 2 (FM)   (note 3)
                                                        (note 3)
K-Band        Shuttle        13.774         -            Mode 1         -
CMD                          GHz                        (note 4)
(TDRSS)
                                                         Mode 2
                                                        (note 5)
VHF Voice     Shuttle       259.7/        259.7/      Simplex voice     -
                            296.8         296.8
Radar         Ground          5.4-        Skin            Pulse         -
                              5.9 GHz     track
  3. Update information.
    1985-001A (15464) SAKIGAKE
    SAKIGAKE made its nearest approach to Earth, reaching a geocentric distance of 90,000 km over the Indian ocean at 14:00 UT January 8, 1992, and entered a new orbit similar to the Earth's around the Sun.

    1987-022A (17561) GOES 7
    GOES 7 is being moved to 112 deg west, and will arrive on station by April 23, 1992.

    1991-073A (21746) PROGRESS M-10
    Undocked from MIR on January 20, 1992. Capsule with geophysical research data parachuted and landed in the landing area designated for C.I.S. spacecraft.

    1991-085A (21816) Unknown
    The spacecraft is now named COSMOS 2174.

    The planned launch date of EUVE announced in SPACEWARN Bulletin Number 456 has been changed to May 28, 1992.

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Page Curator:
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NSSDC, Mail Code 633, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771
NASA Official: J. H. King, joe.king@gsfc.nasa.gov
Last updated: 07 December 1995, EVB II