SPX-515 25 September 1996 SPACEWARN Activities A publication of NASA NSSDC/WDC-A-R&S and the WWAS for ISES/COSPAR (All information in this publication was received between 25 August 1996 and 24 September 1996.) A. List of New International Designations and Launch Dates (UT). (USSPACECOM Catalog numbers are in parentheses.) 1996-057A (24324) STS 79 16 Sep 1996-056A (24320) USA 128 12 Sep 1996-055A (24313) ECHOSTAR 2 11 Sep 1996-054A (24315) GE 1 08 Sep 1996-053A (24307) INMARSAT 3 F2 06 Sep 1996-052B (24305) UNAMSAT-B 05 Sep 1996-052A (24304) COSMOS 2334 05 Sep 1996-051A (24297) COSMOS 2333 04 Sep 1996-050C (24293) INTERBALL AURORA 29 Aug 1996-050B (24292) MAGION 5 29 Aug 1996-050A (24291) MICROSAT 29 Aug B. Text of Launch Announcements. 1996-057A STS 79 is an American Shuttle spacecraft that was launched from Cape Canaveral at 08:54 UT to dock with the Russian MIR station. It ferried an American astronaut to MIR and was to return another American astronaut from MIR. It also hauled 924 kg of scientific instruments and 636 kg of water to MIR and hauled back from MIR 397 kg of material. It docked with MIR at 03:13 on 19 September and undocked at 01:34 UT on 24 September. A high-temperature oven capable of melting iron was to be tested inside the Spacehab module on the shuttle. Initial orbital parameters were period 92.1 min, apogee 385 km, perigee 375 km, and inclination 51.6 deg. 1996-056A USA 128 is an American military/navigational spacecraft that was launched by a Delta 2 rocket from Cape Canaveral Sir Station. It is the latest addition to the GPS constellation listed in section C2. Initial orbital parameters were period 937.5 min, apogee 33,649 km, perigee 17,055 km, and inclination 61.5 deg. 1996-055A ECHOSTAR 2 is an American geosynchronous communications spacecraft that would provide voice and video transmissions to North America. 1996-054A GE 1 is an American geosynchronous communications spacecraft that was launched by an Atlas 2A rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Station at 09:49 UT to provide voice and video communications to North America. 1996-053A INMARSAT 3 F2 is a geosynchronous communications spacecraft of that international consortium that was launched by a Proton rocket from Baykonur cosmodrome. It will enable communications among mobile objects on sea, land, and air. 1996-052B UNAMSAT-B is a Mexican microsatellite of 17 kg mass that was launched from Plesetsk cosmodrome by the light-weight Kosmos 3M booster at 12:48 UT. It will monitor micrometeorite impacts in the upper atmosphere. Initial orbital parameters were period 104.8 min, apogee 1,010 km, perigee 966 km, and inclination 82.9 deg. 1996-052A COSMOS 2334 is a Russian military spacecraft that was launched by a Kosmos 3M booster from Plesetsk cosmodrome. Initial orbital parameters were period 104.9 min, apogee 1,023 km, perigee 988 km, and inclination 82.9 deg. 1996-051A COSMOS 2333 is a Russian military spacecraft that was launched from Baykonur cosmodrome by a Zenith 2 rocket at 21:01 UT. Initial orbital parameters were period 101.9 min, apogee 852 km, perigee 842 km, and inclination 71.0 deg 1996-050C INTERBALL AURORA, also known as PROGNOZ 2M (or M2) or as INTERBALL 2, is a Russian-Ukrainian space physics spacecraft that was launched from Plesetsk cosmodrome by a Molniya-M booster at 05:22 UT. The 1,250 kg spacecraft carries several instruments to monitor the magnetic field, plasma, and energetic particles in the Earth's magnetosphere as they relate to the auroral phenomena. (A companion spacecraft, INTERBALL TAIL, had been launched a year earlier.) Initial orbital parameters were period 347 min, apogee 19,202 km, perigee 774 km, and inclination 62.5 deg. 1996-050B MAGION 5 is a 58 kg Czech sub-satellite of INTERBALL AURORA that was launched by a Molniya-M booster from Plesetsk cosmodrome. It carries a number of instruments to measure the magnetic field, plasma, and energetic particles in the magnetosphere. Its initial orbital parameters (after release from INTERBALL AURORA at 09:45 UT) were period 347 min, apogee 19,204 km, perigee 774 km, and inclination 62.5 deg. It is reported to have experienced malfunctions (at least) during the initial orbits. 1996-050A MICROSAT, also known as MuSat, is an Argentine 33 kg microsatellite that was laucnhed by a Molniya-M booster from Plesetsk cosmodrome at 05:22 UT. It carries instruments to photograph natural resources. Initial orbital parameters were period 98.7 min, apogee 1,149 km, perigee 231 km, and inclination 62.08 deg. C. Spacecraft Particularly Suited for International Participation. 1. Spacecraft with essentially continuous radio beacons on frequencies less than 150 MHz, or higher frequencies if especially suited for ionospheric or geodetic studies. (NNSS denotes U.S. Navy Navigational Satellite System; an asterisk [*] indicates updated/new information since the last issue. Updates or corrections to the list are possible only with information from the user community.) THE FULL LIST APPEARED in SPX-513. IT WILL APPEAR AGAIN ONLY WHEN MAJOR UPDATES ARE MADE. * Mr. Geoffrey Perry of the Kettering Group, Cornwall, England, has kindly provided the following revision to that list: 1996-004A (23773) 21 January 1996 INACTIVE. Replaced by 149.97 MHz Cosmos 2334 on 399.92 MHz 11 September 1996. Inclination: 82.98 deg 1996-052A (24304) 12 September 1996 ACTIVE in plane #1 150.03 MHz 400.08 MHz Inclination 82.94 deg 2. Global Positioning System satellites useful for navigational purposes and geodetic studies. ("NNN" denotes no national name. SPACEWARN Bulletin appreciates suggestions to update this list. An asterisk [*] denotes changes in this issue. The SPACEWARN Bulletin thanks Richard Langley of the University of New Brunswick for the update.) High precision (< 20 cm) GPS constellation tracking data obtained from the network of about 80 dedicated global stations that are of interest to geodetic study may be obtained through the following services provided by the International Association of Geodesy (IGS). FTP: igscb.jpl.nasa.gov [directory /igscb] WWW: http://igscb.jpl.nasa.gov/ E-Mail: igscb@cobra.jpl.nasa.gov Designations, Epoch, Frequency, National Name and Orbit Information Remarks 1989-013A (19802) 24 November 1995 [Also known as GPS 2-1 USA 35 1575.42 MHz (Second Generation Global 1227.60 MHz Positioning Satellite) and Inclination: 55.3 deg NAVSTAR 14. PRN: 14.] 1989-044A (20061) 24 November 1995 [Also known as GPS 2-2 and USA 38 1575.42 MHz NAVSTAR 13. PRN: 2.] 1227.60 MHz Inclination: 54.3 deg 1989-064A (20185) 24 November 1995 [Also known as GPS 2-3 and USA 42 1575.42 MHz NAVSTAR 16. PRN: 16.] 1227.60 MHz Inclination: 55.0 deg 1989-085A (20302) 24 November 1995 [Also known as GPS 2-4 and USA 47 1575.42 MHz NAVSTAR 19. PRN: 19.] 1227.60 MHz Inclination: 53.3 deg 1989-097A (20361) 24 November 1995 [Also known as GPS 2-5 and USA 49 1575.42 MHz NAVSTAR 17. PRN: 17.] 1227.60 MHz Inclination: 55.9 deg 1990-008A (20452) 24 November 1995 [Also known as GPS 2-6 USA 50 1575.42 MHz and NAVSTAR 18. PRN: 18.] 1227.60 MHz Inclination: 54.0 deg 1990-025A (20533) *24 August 1996 [Also known as GPS 2-7 and USA 54 1575.42 MHz NAVSTAR 20. PRN: 20. 1227.60 MHz Decommissioned in May 1996.] Inclination: 54.7 deg 1990-068A (20724) 24 November 1995 [Also known as GPS 2-8 USA 63 1575.42 MHz and NAVSTAR 21. PRN: 21.] 1227.60 MHz Inclination: 54.9 deg 1990-088A (20830) 24 November 1995 [Also known as GPS 2-9 USA 64 1575.42 MHz and NAVSTAR 15. PRN: 15.] 1227.60 MHz Inclination: 55.8 deg 1990-103A (20959) 24 November 1995 [Also known as GPS 2-10, USA 66 1575.42 MHz GPS 2A-1, and NAVSTAR 23. 1227.60 MHz PRN: 23.] Inclination: 55.1 deg 1991-047A (21552) 24 November 1995 [Also known as GPS 2-11, USA 71 1575.42 MHz GPS 2A-2, and NAVSTAR 24. 1227.60 MHz PRN: 24.] Inclination: 56.1 deg 1992-009A (21890) 24 November 1995 [Also known as GPS 2-12, USA 79 1575.42 MHz GPS 2A-3, and NAVSTAR 25. 1227.60 MHz PRN: 25.] Inclination: 53.9 deg 1992-019A (21930) 24 November 1995 [Also known as GPS 2-13, USA 80 1575.42 MHz GPS 2A-4, and NAVSTAR 28. 1227.60 MHz PRN: 28.] Inclination: 55.7 deg 1992-039A (22014) 24 November 1995 [Also known as GPS 2-14, USA 83 1575.42 MHz GPS 2A-5, and NAVSTAR 26. 1227.60 MHz PRN: 26.] Inclination: 54.8 deg 1992-058A (22108) 24 November 1995 [Also known as GPS 2-15, USA 84 1575.42 MHz GPS 2A-6,and NAVSTAR 27. 1227.60 MHz PRN: 27.] Inclination: 54.1 deg 1992-079A (22231) 24 November 1995 [Also known as GPS 2-16, USA 85 1575.42 MHz GPS 2A-7, and NAVSTAR 32. 1227.60 MHz PRN: 1.] Inclination: 54.7 deg 1992-089A (22275) 24 November 1995 [Also known as GPS 2-17, USA 87 1575.42 MHz GPS 2A-8,and NAVSTAR 29. 1227.60 MHz PRN: 29.] Inclination: 54.6 deg 1993-007A (22446) 24 November 1995 [Also known as GPS 2-18, USA 88 1575.42 MHz GPS 2A-9, and NAVSTAR 22. 1227.60 MHz PRN: 22.] Inclination: 54.3 deg 1993-017A (22581) 24 November 1995 [Also known as GPS 2-19, USA 90 1575.42 MHz GPS 2A-10, and NAVSTAR 31. 1227.60 MHz PRN: 31.] Inclination: 55.2 deg 1993-032A (22657) 24 November 1995 [Also known as GPS 2-20, USA 91 1575.42 MHz GPS 2A-11, and NAVSTAR 37. 1227.60 MHz PRN: 7.] Inclination: 55.2 deg 1993-042A (22700) 24 November 1995 [Also known as GPS 2-21, USA 92 1575.42 MHz GPS 2A-12, and NAVSTAR 39. 1227.60 MHz PRN: 9.] Inclination: 54.3 deg 1993-054A (22779) 24 November 1995 [Also known as GPS 2-22, USA 94 1575.42 MHz GPS 2A-13, and NAVSTAR 35. 1227.60 MHz PRN: 5.] Inclination: 54.5 deg 1993-068A (22877) 24 November 1995 [Also known as GPS 2-23, USA 96 1575.42 MHz GPS 2A-14, and NAVSTAR 34. 1227.60 MHz PRN: 4.] Inclination: 55.5 deg 1994-016A (23027) 24 November 1995 [Also known as GPS 2-24, USA 100 1575.42 MHz GPS 2A-15, and NAVSTAR 36. 1227.60 MHz PRN: 6.] Inclination: 55.1 deg 1996-019A (23833) 25 April 1996 [Also known as GPS 2-25, USA 117 1575.42 MHz GPS 2A-16, and NAVSTAR 33. 1227.60 MHz PRN: 3.] Inclination: 54.7 deg 1996-041A (23953) 24 July 1996 [Also known as GPS 2-26, USA 126 1575.42 MHz GPS 2A-17. PRN: 10.] 1227.60 MHz Inclination: 55.03 *1996-056A (24320) 28 September 1996 [Also known as GPS 2-27. USA 128 1575.42 MHz PRN: 30] 1227.60 MHz Inclination: 55 deg * The GPS 2-NN series orbits in six distinct planes that are about 60 deg apart. Each plane has five "slots." Following are the 2-NN members in the planes/slots. The RAAN decreases or increases by about 1.0 deg each month; below are their approximate RAAN longitudes in July 1996. PLANE RAAN OF PLANE SLOT-1 SLOT-2 SLOT-3 SLOT-4 SLOT-5 A 226 2-21 2-12 2-15 2-04 B 286 2-18 2-02 2-22 C 348 2-24 2-25 2-19 2-20 2-13 D 51 2-11 2-09 2-05 2-23 E 108 2-01 2-08 2-26 2-10 2-03 F 167 2-16 2-14 2-06 2-17 3. Russian Global Navigational (Positioning) Spacecraft, GLONASS constellation. (SPACEWARN requests updates/additions from readers to this list. An asterisk [*] indicates updates or additions to the list. All GLONASS spacecraft are in the general COSMOS series. The COSMOS numbers (nnnn) invoked by USSPACECOM have often differed from the numbers (NNNN) associated in Russia; when different, the USSPACECOM COSMOS numbers are shown in parentheses. The corresponding GLONASS numbers are Russian numbers. The operating frequencies in MHz are computed from the channel number K. Frequencies (MHz) are L1 = 1602.0 + 0.5625K and L2 = 1246.0 + 0.4375K. COSMOS NNNN(nnnn) ID (Catalog #) Epoch, Frequency, and Orbit Comments, GLONASS # COSMOS 2111 *28 September 1996 GLONASS 249 90-110C (21008) Channel: 23 Inclination: 65.1 COSMOS 2178 *28 September 1996 GLONASS 769 92-005B (21854) Channel: 2 Inclination: 65.1 COSMOS 2179 *28 September 1996 GLONASS 771 92-005C (21855) Channel: 23 Inclination: 65.1 COSMOS 2204 (2205) *28 September 1996 GLONASS 756 92-047B (22057) Channel: 24 Inclination: 64.8 COSMOS 2206 (2204) *28 September 1996 GLONASS 774 92-047A (22056) Channel: 1 Inclination: 64.8 COSMOS 2235 (2336) *28 September 1996 GLONASS 759 93-010C (22514) Channel: 21 Inclination: 65.1 COSMOS 2236 (2235) *28 September 1996 GLONASS 757 93-010B (22513) Channel: 5 Inclination: 65.1 COSMOS 2275 (2277) *28 September 1996 GLONASS 758 94-021C (23045) Channel: 10 Inclination: 64.7 COSMOS 2276 (2275) *28 September 1996 GLONASS 760 94-021A (23043) Channel: 24 Inclination: 64.7 COSMOS 2277 (2276) *28 September 1996 GLONASS 761 94-021B (23044) Channel: 3 Inclination: 64.7 COSMOS 2287 *28 September 1996 GLONASS 767 94-050A (23203) Channel: 22 Inclination: 64.8 COSMOS 2288 (2289) *28 September 1996 GLONASS 770 94-050C (23205) Channel: 9 Inclination: 64.8 COSMOS 2289 (2288) *28 September 1996 GLONASS 775 94-050B (23204) Channel: 22 Inclination: 64.8 COSMOS 2294 (2296) *28 September 1996 GLONASS 762 94-076C (23398) Channel: 12 Inclination: 65.0 COSMOS 2295 (2294) *28 September 1996 GLONASS 763 94-076A (23396) Channel: 21 Inclination: 65.0 COSMOS 2296 (2295) *28 September 1996 GLONASS 764 94-076B (23397) Channel: 13 Inclination: 65.0 COSMOS 2307 *28 September 1996 GLONASS 765 95-009A (23511) Channel: 1 Inclination: 64.7 COSMOS 2308 *28 September 1996 GLONASS 766 95-009B (23512) Channel: 10 Inclination: 64.7 COSMOS 2309 *28 September 1996 GLONASS 777 95-009C (23513) Channel: 3 Inclination: 64.7 COSMOS 2316 *28 September 1996 GLONASS 780 95-037A (23620) Channel: 4 Inclination: 64.9 COSMOS 2317 *28 September 1996 GLONASS 781 95-037B (23621) Channel: 9 Inclination: 64.8 COSMOS 2318 *28 September 1996 GLONASS 785 95-037C (23622) Channel: 4 Inclination: 64.8 COSMOS 2323 *28 September 1996 GLONASS 776 95-068C (23736) Channel: 6 Inclination: 64.8 COSMOS 2324 *28 September 1996 GLONASS 778 95-068B (23735) Channel: 11 Spare. Inclination: 64.8 COSMOS 2325 *28 September 1996 GLONASS 782 95-068A (23734) Channel: 6 Inclination: 64.8 The GLONASS NNN series orbits in three distinct planes that are 120 deg apart. Each plane has eight "slots." Following are the members of the planes/slots. Plane 1 Plane 2 Plane 3 slot-1 771 slot-9 776/778 slot-17 760 slot-2 757 slot-10 781 slot-18 758 slot-3 763 slot-11 785 slot-19 777 slot-4 762 slot-12 767 slot-20 765 slot-5 249 slot-13 782 slot-21 756 slot-6 764 slot-14 770 slot-22 766 slot-7 759 slot-15 780 slot-23 761 slot-8 769 slot-16 775 slot-24 774 CONTACT: Coordinational Scientific Information Center (CSIC) Russian Space Forces E-Mail: sfcsic@iki3.bitnet; sfcsic@iki3.iki.rssi.ru; sfcsic@mx.iki.rssi.ru Home Page WWW.IKI: http://www.rssi.ru/SFCSIC/SFCSIC_main.html 4. Actual decays/landings of payload spacecraft and rocket bodies (R/B) only. No further information is available. Designations Common Name 1996 1996-053B (24308) R/B INMARSAT 3 06 Sep 1996-011A (23798) SOYUZ TM-23 03 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.) 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 Request Office, NSSDC, 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 the last page of the bulletin for the access method; a file in the ACTIVE directory named AAREADME.DOC outlines the contents.) It can also be accessed through the WWW URL http://sscop1.gsfc.nasa.gov/ssc.html This HTML also enables executing several codes related to the orbits of many geocentric science payload spacecraft. The codes related to the heliospheric spacecraft trajectories can be executed through the URL http://nssdc/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/ SPACEWARN Bulletin ------------------ The Bulletin is intended to serve as an international communication medium for the rapid distribution of information on satellites and space probes. The material it contains is based on guidelines in the COSPAR Guide to Rocket and Satellite Information and Data Exchange, COSPAR Transactions #8, December 1972, and various Committee on Space Research (COSPAR) resolutions. Hard copy recipients and electronic accessers are encouraged to disseminate the bulletin to interested individuals and institutions in their regions or countries. All bulletins beginning with January 1991 (SPX-447) are now available on line; the SPX number increases by one for each succeeding month (for example, the January 1993 bulletin is SPX-471). Through DECnet: At prompt type: copy nssdca::anon_dir:[000000.active.spx]spx.471 Through FTP: At prompt type: ftp nssdca.gsfc.nasa.gov At the next prompt type: anonymous At the PASSWORD (NSSDCA.GSFC.GOV.ANONYMOUS) prompt hit: return At the next prompt type: get anon_dir:[000000.active.spx]spx.471 spx.471 Other subdirectories in [000000.active] carry many files of interest on science payload spacecraft. The bulletin may also be accessed through the World Wide Web (WWW). The URL is http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/spacewarn/spacewarn.html. Users are urged to submit their comments and suggestions for the improvement of this bulletin to SPACEWARN Bulletin, World Data Center-A for Rockets and Satellites, Code 633, Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland 20771 U.S.A. Categories of Spacecraft To improve the effectiveness of international distribution of satellite and space probe information via the SPACEWARN system, spacecraft are identified in categories according to the urgency and detail of information needed by the scientific community as follows: CATEGORY 1: Spacecraft that carry essentially continuous telemetry or radio beacons, usually on frequencies less than 150 MHz. CATEGORY 2: GPS constellation of positioning/navigational spacecraft. CATEGORY 3: GLONASS constellation of positioning/navigational spacecraft. CATEGORY 4: Occassionally, a list of bright, orbiting objects of visual magnitude 4 or brighter. The bulletin also carries launch dates, international ID's and USSPACECOM catalog numbers, followed by a brief outline of the payload and orbital parameters, re-entry of major objects, and miscellaneous sections. These data are based on launch announcements or on information received from individuals, launching authorities, FBIS and USSPACECOM telexes, and news magazines.