March 1981:satellite digest

Cosmos 1215

1980 Oct 14.86

Cylinder:2 long,1 dia

Plesetsk

1980-83A

10 years

496

544

74.04

95.12

C-1

USSR/USSR

Cosmos 1216

1980 Oct 16.51

Cylinder+sphere:6 long, 2.4 dia

193

387

72.86

90.36

Plesetsk

1980-84A

14 days (R)

1980 Oct 30

A-2

USSR/USSR (1)

Cosmos 1217

1980 Oct 24.45

Cylinder:4 long, 1.5 dia

594

40133

62.92

725.32

Plesetsk

1980-85A

12 years

A-2

USSR/USSR (2)

Cosmos 1218

1980 Oct 30.42

Cylinder+sphere:6 long, 2.4 dia

170

353

64.89

89.75

Tyuratam

1980-86A

10 years

A-2

USSR/USSR (3)

FLTSATCOM 4

1980 Oct 31.16

Hexagonal cylinder:1.27 long, 2.45 dia

35032

36236

2.46

1428.20

ETR

1980-87A

Atlas-Centaur

DoD/NASA (4)

Cosmos 1219

1980 Oct 31.50

Cylinder+sphere:6 long, 2.4 dia

193

326

72.86

89.74

Plesetsk

1980-88A

13 days (R)

1980 Nov 12

A-2

USSR/USSR (5)

Cosmos 1220

1980 Nov 4.63

Cylinder:6 long, 2 dia

Plesetsk

1980-89A

25 years

428

446

65.38

93.32

F-1-m

USSR/USSR (6)

Supplementary notes:

(1) Orbital data are at 1980 Oct 16.6, Oct 17,and Oct 17.9.

(2) Probably an early warning satellite. Orbital data are at 1980 Oct 25.0 and Oct 30.5.

(3) Orbital data are at 1980 Oct 30.5, Nov 10.7 and Nov 11.0.

(4) US military communications satellite providing two way communication between small ground stations, using the 200-400 MHz frequency band. The satellite is located above longitude 172 degrees east.

(5) Orbital data are at 1980 Oct 31.6, Nov 1.8 and Nov 7.0.

(6) Microthruster-controlled reconnaissance satellite,working in conjunction with Cosmos 1167 (1980-21A). Its orbit is such that ground tracks repeat themselves every four days, with those of Cosmos 1220 lying precisely half way between those of Cosmos 1167.