SPACEWARN Bulletin Number 484

SPACEWARN Activities

A. List of New International Designations and Launch Dates.

1994-013A (23016) Galaxy 1R     Feb 19
    -012A (23010) RADUGA 31     Feb 18
    -011F (23004) Cosmos 2273   Feb 12
    -011E (23003) Cosmos 2272   Feb 12
    -011D (23002) Cosmos 2271   Feb 12
    -011C (23001) Cosmos 2270   Feb 12
    -011B (23000) Cosmos 2269   Feb 12
    -011A (22999) Cosmos 2268   Feb 12
    -010C (23009) SJ 4-2        Feb 08
    -010A (22996) SJ 4          Feb 08
    -009A (22988) USA 99        Feb 07
    -008A (22981) RADUGA 1-3    Feb 05
    -007B (22979) VEP           Feb 03
    -007A (22978) OREX          Feb 03
    -006H (22998) BREMSAT       Feb 03
    -006G (22995) ODERACS F     Feb 03
    -006F (22994) ODERACS E     Feb 03
    -006E (22993) ODERACS D     Feb 03
    -006D (22992) ODERACS C     Feb 03
    -006C (22991) ODERACS B     Feb 03
    -006B (22990) ODERACS A     Feb 03
    -006A (22977) STS 60        Feb 03
    -005A (22975) Progress M-21 Jan 28
    -004A (22973) DSPSE         Jan 25
    -003B (22970) TUBSAT        Jan 25
    -003A (22969) METEOR 3      Jan 25

B. Text of Launch Announcements.

1994-013A

Galaxy 1R, a U.S.A. geostationary spacecraft, was launched by a Delta 2 rocket from Cape Canaveral. It carried 24 C-band transponders, and will replace the aging Galaxy 1, which is expected to become inoperative in April 1994.

1994-012A

RADUGA 31, a Russian near-geostationary spacecraft, was launched from Baykonur cosmodrome by a Proton-K rocket at 07:56 UT. It carried six channels of telephone/telegraph relays. It will be moved to the designated parking longitude of 45 deg (E) from the initial 90 deg (E). Initial period is 24.55 min, and inclination 1.5 deg.

1994-011F, -011E, -011D, -011C, -011B, -011A

Cosmos 2273, 2272, 2271, 2270, 2269, 2268, a fleet of six Russian spacecraft, were launched from Plesetsk cosmodrome by a Cyclone 3 booster at 09:54 UT into near-circular orbits. Initial orbital parameters of all of them are approximately: period 114.13 min, altitude 1,416 km, and inclination 82.57 deg.

1994-010C

SJ 4-2, a PRC "simulated satellite", was launched into geostationary orbit by a Long March 3-A booster from Xichang launch site in southwestern PRC.

1994-010A

SJ 4 (also known as Shijian 4, and Practice 4), a PRC science payload spacecraft, was launched by a Long March 3-A booster from Xichang site into a near-geostationary orbit. It carried six instruments for measuring particle fluxes and spacecraft electric potential.

1994-009A

USA 99, the first of the six Milstar, geostationary communication spacecraft, was launched from Cape Canaveral AFS by a Titan 4 rocket.

1994-008A

RADUGA 1-3, a Russian near-geostationary communications spacecraft, was launched by a Proton-K booster from Baykonur cosmodrome. It carried several channels for telephone/telegraph messages. Period is 24.55 hr, and inclination 1.4 deg.

1994-007B

VEP (Vehicle Evaluation Payload), renamed MYOJO after launch, is a Japanese spacecraft that was launched by a H-2 rocket from Tanegashima Space Center at 22:20 UT. Initial orbital parameters are period 645 min, apogee 36,261 km, perigee 449 km, and inclination 28.6 deg.

1994-007A

OREX (Orbital Re-entry Experiment vehicle), renamed RYUSEI after launch, is a Japanese spacecraft that was launched by an H-2 rocket from Tanegashima Space Center at 22:20 UT. Initial orbital parameters are: period 93.5 min, apogee 6,829 km, perigee 6,828 km, and inclination 30.5 deg.

1994-006H

BREMSAT, a German minisatellite, was released from STS 60. Initial orbital parameters are period 91.4 min, apogee 363 km, perigee 344 km, and inclination 56.9 deg.

1994-006G, -006F, -006E, -006D, -006C, -006B

ODERACS-F, -E, -D, -C, -B, -A are the U.S.A.'s six mini-targets that were released from STS 60. They are intended to provide radar cross-sections of very small objects. Initial orbital parameters are the same as those of STS 60.

1994-006A

STS 60, a U.S.A. shuttle, was launched from Cape Canaveral. On board was the SPACEHAB-02 facility to conduct 12 experiments. Among them were four GAS (Get Away Special) microgravity experiments: G-536--Pool Boiling experiment; G-557--Capillary Pumped Loop experiment; G-071--Ball Bearing experiment; and G-514--Orbiter Stability experiment. It also carried resources for high school/college science experiments. The shuttle released six minitargets (ODERACS A-F) to provide radar calibration, and a German minisatellite, BREMSAT. Repeated efforts to deploy a three-meter diameter, retrievable shield (Wake Shield Facility) behind which pure crystals of Gallium Arsenide were planned to be grown were unsuccessful. Initial orbital parameters are period 91.7 min, apogee 386 km, perigee 358 km, and inclination 59.9 deg.

1994-005A

Progress M-21, a Russian automatic cargo shift was launched at 02:12 UT to deliver supplies to the Mir space station. Initial orbital parameters are period 88.5 min, apogee 236 km, perigee 194 km, and inclination 51.6 deg. It docked with Mir at 03:56 UT on 30 January, 94.

1994-004A

DSPSE (commonly known as Clementine) is a U.S.A. spacecraft that was launched from Vandenberg AFB by a Titan 2 rocket. Its main objective is to test the durability of lighter weight sensors that are required for interceptor missiles. It was maneuvered towards Moon to take high resolution pictures, then to move away toward an asteroid to take pictures again, and finally to fade away for ever into deep space. Initial orbital parameters are period 89.9 min, apogee 305 km, perigee 242 km, and inclination 66.9 km.

1994-003B

TUBSAT, a German test spacecraft was launched by a Cyclone booster from Plesetsk space station. Initial orbital parameters are the same as of METEOR 3 (see below).

1994-003A

METEOR 3, a Russian spacecraft was launched by a Cyclone booster from Plesetsk space station. It carried meteorological and radiation budget instruments. Also on board was a German, PRARE navigational system to measure parameters of spacecraft motion. Initial orbital parameters are period 109.4 min, apogee 1,221 km, perigee 1,198 km, and inclination 82.6 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               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
   1994-012B (23011)    R/B RADUGA 31                    21 Feb
   1979-091A (11589)    Molniya 1-45                     18 Feb
   1994-004B (22974)    R/B DSPSE                        11 Feb
   1994-006A (22977)    STS 60                Landed on  11 Feb
   1994-008B (22982)    R/B RADUGA 1-3                   07 Feb
   1994-007A (22978)    OREX                             04 Feb
   1994-005B (22976)    R/B PROGRESS M-21                29 Jan
   1993-078C (22932)    R/B DBS                          27 Jan
   
   

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.)

   An IACG/NASA-HQ sponsored science workshop was held in Easton, Maryland, U.S.A., during 26-29 January 1994, involving experiments on board IMP 8, Ulysses, Yohkoh, and other spacecraft of heliospheric interest.

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