SPACEWARN Bulletin Number 480

SPACEWARN Activities

A. List of New International Designations and Launch Dates.

1993-066A (22871) INTELSAT 7-F1 Oct 22  1993-061F (22828) ITAMSAT      Sep 26
     065A (22869) STS 58        Oct 18       061E (22827) HEALTHSAT 1  Sep 26
     064A (22867) PROGRESS M-20 Oct 11       061D (22826) POSAT 1      Sep 26
     063A (22859) JIANBING 93   Oct 08       061C (22825) KITSAT 2     Sep 26
     062A (22836) RADUGA 30     Sep 30       061B (22824) STELLA       Sep 26
     061G (22829) EYESAT 1      Sep 26       061A (22823) SPOT 3       Sep 26

B. Text of Launch Announcements.

1993-066A

INTELSAT 7-F1 (sometimes known as INTELSAT 701), an international geostationary communications spacecraft, was launched by an Ariane booster from Kourou, French Guiana. It will cover the Asia-Pacific region with resources for three television channels and 18,000 telephone channels. It replaces an older INTELSAT, which will be moved over the Indian Ocean.

1993-065A

STS 58, a U.S.A. shuttle spacecraft, was launched from Cape Canaveral AFS at 15:53 UT. On board were 48 rodents for biological microgravity experiments. Initial orbital parameters are period 90.2 min, apogee 291 km, perigee 282 km, and inclination 39.0 deg.

1993-064A

PROGRESS M-20, a C.I.S. automatic cargo craft, was launched at 21:33 UT to dock with MIR station and deliver provisions and scientific apparatus. Initial orbital parameters were period 83.5 min, apogee 242 km, perigee 191 km, and inclination 51.6 deg. It docked with the KVANT module of MIR at 23:25 UT on 13 October 1993.

1993-063A

JIANBING 93, a P.R.C. experimental, retrievable spacecraft, was launched by a Long March 2C rocket from Jiuquan launch center at 08:00 UT. The 2,099 kg spacecraft became inoperational soon after the separation and could not be retrieved.

1993-062A

RADUGA 30, a C.I.S. military communications spacecraft, was launched by a Proton rocket from Baykonur cosmodrome at 17:06 UT. Initial orbital parameters are period 1,434.3 min, apogee 35,950 km, perigee 35,547 km, and inclination 1.5 deg.

1993-061G

EYESAT 1, a U.S.A. microsatellite was one of the six microsatellites that were launched along with SPOT 3 (see below). It is a relay satellite to acquire and relay environmental data from ground-based stations and certain industrial facilities. Initial orbital parameters are period 101 min, apogee 823 km, perigee 794 km, and inclination 98.5 deg.

1993-061F

ITAMSAT is an Italian microsatellite that was launched along with SPOT 3 (see below). It is intended to receive and retransmit amateur radio communications. Initial orbital parameters are period 100.9 min, apogee 823 km, perigee 799 km, and inclination 98.6 deg.

1993-061E

HEALTHSAT 1 is a U.K./U.S.A. microsatellite that was launched along with SPOT 3 (see below). It is intended to relay medical emergency information from Africa to hospitals and health documentation centers. Initial orbital parameters are period 100.8 min, apogee 821 km, perigee 797 km, and inclination 98.6 deg.

1993-061D

POSAT 1 is a Portuguese experimental microsatellite that was launched along with SPOT 3 (see below). It is intended to receive and retransmit images, to determine its own position with the help of the GPS system, and to experiment with signal compression techniques. Initial orbital parameters are period 100.9 min, apogee 822 km, perigee 800 km, and inclination 98.6 deg.

1993-061C

KITSAT 2 is a South Korean experimental microsatellite that was launched along with SPOT 3 (see below). Its mission is very similar to POSAT 1. Initial orbital parameters are period 100.9 min, apogee 823 km, perigee 800 km, and inclination 98.6 deg.

1993-061B

STELLA is a 48 kg French satellite that was launched along with SPOT 3 (see below). It is a dense sphere of uranium alloy with 60 laser reflectors on the surface. Reflected laser beams enable accurate geodetic measurements for the determination, with 1 cm accuracy of 1 cm, of the geoid, of oceanic and terrestrial tides, and of tectonic movements. It joins its still operational twin, STARLETTE, that was launched in 1975. Initial orbital parameters are period 100.9 min, apogee 826 km, perigee 802 km, and inclination 98.6 deg.

1993-061A

SPOT 3, a French natural resources satellite weighing 1,907 kg, was launched by an Ariane rocket from Kourou, French Guiana, along with six microsatellites (see above) at 01:40 UT. It is black/white; and color imaging instruments are similar to the earlier SPOT; and it has a resolution of ten meters. It has the ability to take images of the same location from different angles so as to provide elevation information. Initial orbital parameters are period 101.2 min, apogee 846 km, perigee 819 km, and inclination 98.6 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                (0009)      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
   
   

   0009 will soon be replaced by GPS 2-23 (NAVSTAR 34; PRN 4), to be launched in October 1993.

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

   Designations          Common Name                     1993
   
   1992-060C (22118)    R/B HISPASAT                     20 Oct
   1993-064B (22868)    R/B PROGRESS M-20                13 Oct
   1993-052A (22745)    PROGRESS M-19                    13 Oct
   1993-063B (22865)    R/B JIANBING 93                  09 Oct
   1993-051B (22742)    R/B COSMOS 2261                  06 Oct
   1993-062B (22837)    R/B RADUGA 30                    03 Oct
   1977-082A (10315)    MOLNIYA 1-38                     28 Sep
   1993-058C (22798)    ORFEUS SPA                       22 Sep
   1993-058A (22795)    STS 51              Landed on    22 Sep
   
   

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.)

   GRO (1991-027B) was maneuvered in October 1993 to move to a higher apogee at 450 km; a similar maneuver in late November will move the perigee to 450 km. These maneuvers enable extension of the life span of the spacecraft.

   ESA BULLETIN, August 1993, pages 91-94

   A DESCRIPTION OF MIR STATION

   The MIR space station circles the Earth at an altitude of between 350 and 400 km in an orbit with an inclination of 51.6 degrees. In its present configuration, MIR consists of four main modules: the MIR core module and the scientific modules known as KVANT, KVANT-2,S and KRISTALL.

   The MIR core module, which was launched in February 1986, has a mass of approximately 21 tons, a length of about 13.1 m, and a maximum diameter of 4.2 m. It consists primarily of a passage area with five docking ports, a working area housing the command station, living/eating and hygiene facilities, and a propulsion section through which a tunnel allows access to the KVANT module.

   KVANT, an astrophysics module that accommodates instruments from several countries, was docked to the MIR core module in April 1987. It is about 5.8 m long, has a maximum diameter of 4.15 m, and a mass of about 11 tons.

   KVANT-2, a module housing scientific and technological experiment equipment, a shower facility, and an airlock supporting extravehicular activities (EVA) by the crew, was docked to the station in December 1989. It has a mass of 19.5 tons, a length of 11.9 m, and a maximum diameter of 4.35 m.

   The KRISTALL module joined the station in June 1990. It is mainly dedicated to technological research, such as semiconductor and biological experiments. It also houses Earth-observation instruments. The mass and dimensions of KRISTALL are similar to those of KVANT-2.

   In August 1992, a thruster package, known as SOFORA, was installed on a 14-m mast mounted on top of the KVANT module. These thrusters allow efficient and propellant-saving attitude control of the station. Two further modules are plannned to be added to MIR. The PRIRODA module, mainly dedicated to Earth- observation tasks such as ocean surface-temperature measurement and studies of ocean/atmosphere interactions, and the SPECTR module, supporting studies of the Earth's atmosphere.

   Logistical resupply of MIR is provided by the unmanned PROGRESS system, with a payload capacity in the order of 2.5 tons. The crew is transported to and from the station with the SOYUZ-TM vehicle, which can accommodate three astronauts/cosmonauts per trip. Both the SOYUZ-TM and PROGRESS are expendable systems and are launched by the SOYUZ launch vehicle.

   The results of the experiments, including samples, film, etc., are usually returned to Earth by the astronaut/cosmonaut on board the SOYUZ-TM capsule. A special unmanned re-entry capsule enhances these return capacities.

   Erratum: In SPACEWARN Bulletin Number 472 covering February 1993 launches, the correct launch date of OXP-1 (1993-009A) is 9 February 1993.

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