SPACEWARN Bulletin Number 516

SPACEWARN Activities

A. List of New International Designations and Launch Dates.

1996-060A (24640) Molniya 3-48      24 Oct
1996-059A (24634) FSW-2 3           20 Oct
1996-058A (24435) EXPRESS 12        26 Sep

B. Text of Launch Announcements.

1996-060A

Molniya 3-48 is a Russian communications spacecraft that was launched by a Molniya-M booster from Plesetsk at 11:37 UT. It will provide voice and video communications throughout Russia. It will also carry a "hot line" between Moscow and Washington. Initial orbital parameters were period 736.3 min, apogee 40,649 km, perigee 608 km, and inclination 62.8 deg.

1996-059A

FSW-2 3 is a PRC remote sensing satellite that was launched by a Long March 3 rocket from Xichuan. Initial orbital parameters were period 89.6 min, apogee 332 km, perigee 168 km, and inclination 63 deg.

1996-058A

EXPRESS 12 is a Russian geostationary spacecraft that was launched by a Proton booster from Baykonur at 21:51 UT. The EXPRESS class is an updated version of the discontinued Gorizont class. The 2,500 kg spacecraft attained geostationary orbit about eight hours after launch, and will provide video and voice communications throughout Russia.

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. Russian Global Navigational (Positioning) Spacecraft, GLONASS constellation. To see a list select here.

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

   Designations       Common Name                    1996
   
   1991-079F (21794)  R/B SL-12                     15 Oct
   1986-057D (16889)  R/B SL-6                      14 Oct
   1996-035B (23916)  R/B ARIANE 44P                30 Sep
   1996-058B (24436)  R/B SL-12                     29 Sep
   1995-051A (23674)  COSMOS 2320                   28 Sep
   1996-057A (24324)  STS 79            Landed on   26 Sep
   

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

   For several weeks after the launch of the FAST spacecraft (1996-049A), its two-line orbital elements were carried under the NORAD Catalog number 24286, and International ID 1996-049B. The situation was corrected in early October, and the elements are now available under the catalog number 24285 and ID 1996-049A.

   NSSDC/WDC-A-R&S is an archival center for science data from many spacecraft. Some data are on line for electronic access. Please contact the NSSDC Request Coordination Office, Code 633, NASA/GSFC, Greenbelt, Maryland 20771, U.S.A., for specific information (request@nssdca.gsfc.nasa.gov). Information on the current status of the instruments on board from the investigators will be most welcomed. Precomputed trajectory files and orbital parameters of many magnetospheric and heliospheric science-payload spacecraft may be FTP'ed from NSSDC's ANON_DIR:[000000.ACTIVE] and its several subdirectories. (See About the SPACEWARN Bulletin for access method; a file in the ACTIVE directory named AAREADME.DOC, outlines the contents.) It can also be accessed via the WWW at:
   http://sscop1.gsfc.nasa.gov/ssc.html

   This URL also enables executing several codes related to the orbits of many geocentric science payload spacecraft. The codes related to the heliospheric spacecraft trjectories can be executed through:
   http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/space/helios/heli.html

   Magnetospheric, Planetary, and Astronomical science data from many spacecraft may be accessed through links from the URL:
   http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/

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
V1.0: 04 November 1996
Last Updated: 26 November 1996, EVB II