SPACEWARN Bulletin Number 487

SPACEWARN Activities

A. List of New International Designations and Launch Dates.

1994-031A (23114) Progress M-23  May 22
    -030A (23108) Gorizont 30    May 20
    -029A (23105) STEP 2         May 19
    -028A (23101) MSTI 2         May 09
    -027A (23099) SROSS C2       May 04
    -026A (23097) USA 103        May 03
    -025A (23095) Cosmos 2280    Apr 28
    -024A (23092) Cosmos 2279    Apr 26

B. Text of Launch Announcements.

1994-031A

Progress M-23, a Russian automatic cargo spacecraft, was launched from Baykonur cosmodrome at 04:30 UT. The spacecraft delivered 2,207 kg of various supplies to the MIR station after docking on May 24. Initial orbital parameters were period 88.6 min, apogee 247 km, perigee 192 km, and inclination 51.6 deg.

1994-030A

Gorizont 30, a Russian geostationary communications spacecraft, was launched from Baykonur cosmodrome at 02:01 UT by a three-stage Proton-K/DM-2 booster. It will be parked over the Asian Pacific. It is the first of the fleet of seven spacecraft to be leased to the U.S.-Malaysian RIMSAT company.

1994-029A

STEP 2 (Space Test Experiment Platform 2), a U.S.A. defense spacecraft, was launched by a four-stage Pegasus rocket. It could not attain exactly the planned orbital parameters. Initial orbital parameters were period 99 min, apogee 834 km, perigee 606 km, and inclination 81.9 deg.

1994-028A

MSTI 2 (Miniature Sensor Technology Integration 2), a U.S.A. defense spacecraft, was launched from Vandenberg AFB by a Scout rocket. It was the last of the now discontinued Scout series. During an orbit it successfully spotted and locked onto a test rocket launched from Edwards AFB. Initial orbital parameters were period 92.8 min, apogee 469 km, perigee 367 km, and inclination 96.8 deg.

1994-027A

SROSS C2, a 113 kg Indian spacecraft, was launched by a ASLV-D4 test booster from Sriharikota station at 00:00 UT. It carried a Retarding Potential Analyzer (RPA) for measuring ionospheric plasma, and a Gamma ray detector. Initial orbital parameters were period 98.1 min, apogee 917 km, perigee 433 km, and inclination 46.0 deg.

1994-026A

USA 103, a U.S.A. defense spacecraft, was launched.

1994-025A

Cosmos 2280, a Russian defense spacecraft, was launched from Baykonur cosmodrome by a three-stage Soyuz-5 booster. Initial orbital parameters were period 89 min, apogee 290 km, perigee 198 km, and inclination 70 deg.

1994-024A

Cosmos 2279, a Russian defense spacecraft, was launched from Plesetsk cosmodrome by a Cosmos booster at 02:14 UT. Initial orbital parameters were period 105 min, apogee 1,019 km, perigee 973 km, and inclination 83 deg.

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.

   The GPS 2-NN series orbit in six distinct planes that are 60 deg apart. Each plane has four "slots." Following are the members of the planes/slots:

   PLANE      RAAN OF PLANE       SLOT-1     SLOT-2      SLOT-3      SLOT-4
                                                                
     A           269               2-21       2-12        2-15        2-04
     B           329               2-18       2-07        2-02        2-22
     C            29               2-23       2-13        2-19        2-20
     D            89               2-11       2-09        2-05        ----
     E           149               2-01       2-08        2-03        2-10
     F           209               2-16       2-14        2-06        2-17
   
   

3. Actual decays/landings of payload spacecraft and rocket bodies (R/B) only. Additional information is not available.

   Designations         Common Name                      1994
   
   1994-019A (23035) PROGRESS M-22                     24 May
   1994-030B (23109) R/B GORIZONT 30                   23 May
   1994-018A (23033) COSMOS 2274                       21 May
   1984-059B (15040) R/B USA 1                         11 May
   1994-016B (23028) R/B USA 100                       08 May
   1994-025B (23096) R/B COSMOS 2280                   02 May
   
   

4. Miscellaneous Items. (This section contains information/data that are entered on occasion and may not be repeated in each issue of the SPACEWARN Bulletin.)

   Erratum: In SPACEWARN Bulletin No. 486, it was erroneously reported that STS 59 (1994-020A) radars were to map 46 square kilometers of terrain They were to map 46 million square kilometers.

Questions/comments about the content of these pages should be directed to: The World Warning Agency for Satellites, wwas@nssdca.gsfc.nasa.gov National Space Science Data Center, Mail Code 633 NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771

NASA Official: J. H. King, joe.king@gsfc.nasa.gov
Last updated: 23 May 1995, EVB II