SPACEWARN Bulletin Number 483

A publication of NASA's National Space Science Data Center/World Data Center-A for Rockets and Satellites on behalf of IUWDS/COSPAR
January 25, 1994

SPACEWARN Activities

All information in this publication was received between December 25, 1993, and January 24, 1994.

A. List of New International Designations and Launch Dates.

USSPACECOM Catalog numbers are in parentheses.

1994-002A (22963) GALS 1        Jan 20
    -001A (22957) Soyuz TM-18   Jan 08

B. Text of Launch Announcements.

1994-002A
GALS 1, a Russian television-relay, geostationary spacecraft was launched from Baykonur cosmodrome by a Proton rocket. It is the first of the five in the GALS series. Initial parking was 90 deg (E), but it will be moved to the longterm position at 44 deg (E).

1994-001A
Soyuz TM-18, a Russian passenger craft was launched from Baykonur cosmodrome at 10:05 UT, carrying three cosmonauts to MIR station. Initial orbital parameters are: period 90.1 min, apogee 335 km, perigee 244 km, and inclination 51.6 deg. It docked with Mir on 10 January at 10:50 UT. The two previous Mir-based cosmonauts will return via Soyuz TM-17 on 14 January.

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

1994-002B (22964)    R/B GALS-1                       22 Jan
1990-025C (20535)    R/B USA 54                       18 Jan
1993-043A (22704)    SOYUZ TM-17                      14 Jan
1994-001B (22958)    R/B SOYUZ TM-18                  11 Jan
1993-079B (22950)    R/B MOLNIYA 1-87                 10 Jan
1992-057A (22789)    COSMOS 2262                      28 Dec (93)
  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.)

    The repaired Hubble Telescope is functioning normally, enabling better focussed stellar images.

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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
Page Curator:
Dr. Edwin V. Bell, II, ed.bell@gsfc.nasa.gov, +1-301-286-1187
NSSDC, 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