September-October 1982:satellite digest

COSMOS 1342 1982-18A

Launched: 1050, 5 Mar 1982 from Plesetsk by A-2.

Spacecraft data: Possibly based on the Vostok manned spacecraft with spherical re-entry module, instrument unit and a cylindrical, supplementary payload at the forward end. Length about 6 m, diameter (max) 2.4 m and mass around 6000 kg.

Mission: Military photo-reconnaissance, recovered after 14 days.

Orbit: Initially 194X 299 km, 89.48 min, 72.88 degrees but manoeuvred during the first day to 227 X 288 km, 89.70 min, 72.86 degrees and maintained near this height for the rest of the flight with a small manoeuvre on 11 Mar to counteract decay.

IMEWS 13 (OPS 8701) 1982-19A

Launched: 2015, 6 Mar 1982 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station by Titan 3C.

Spacecraft data: not available.

Mission: US Air Force-launched early warning satellite for missile launches. The previous launch in the series was IMEWS 12 (1981-107A).

Orbit: Initially a geostationary transfer orbit at 29 degrees inclination, then injected into a drift orbit before final stabilisation above 68 degrees west longitude, the same as IMEWS 11 (1981-25A).

GORIZONT 5 1982-20A

Launched: 0439,15 Mar 1982 from Tyuratam by D-1-e+apogee motor.

Spacecraft data: Cylinder with a pair of solar panels, an array of aerial horns and reflectors is located at one end. Length about 5 m and max diameter about 2 m, the mass is around 2000 kg.

Mission: To provide telephone, telegraph and television relay links both within and outside the USSR.

Orbit: Initially a low parking orbit at 51.6 degrees inclination, then an elliptical transfer orbit at 47 degrees prior to injection into geostationary drift orbit with final stabilisation above 54 degrees east longitude (Statsionar 5).

COSMOS 1343 1982-21A

Launched; 1030, 17 Mar 1982 from Plesetsk by A-2.

Spacecraft data: as Cosmos 1342.

Mission; Military photo-reconnaissance, recovered after 14 days.

Orbit: Initially 197X287 km, 89.37 min, 72.86 degrees, manoeuvred during first day to 227x 288 km, 89.69 min, 72.84 degrees. Further raised on 25 Mar to 222x328 km, 90.04 min, 72.84 degrees.

STS-3 1982-22A

Launched: 1600, 22 Mar 1982.from pad A of launch complex 39 at the Kennedy Space Center.

Spacecraft data: Re-usable Shuttle Columbia, lift off mass 2,031,619 kg including 9658.5 kg of cargo.

Mission; Third flight in the Shuttle system’s Orbital Flight Test Programme, crewed by commander Col. Jack R. Lousma of the US Marine Corps and pilot Col Charles C. Fullerton of the US Air Force (both NASA astronauts).

The major objectives of the flight were engineering and included further tests of the remote manipulator system (started on STS-2) as well as measuring the thermal response of the Orbiter’s structure during long periods of holding constant attitude with respect to the Sun. The payload bay held a number of experiments as part of a package put together by NASA’s Office of Space Science (OSS) and a test article connected with future ’’Getaway Special” payloads (officially titled Small Self Contained Payloads). The OSS-1 package was mounted on an engineering model of the Spacelab pallet built by British Aerospace.

The instruments consisted of;

Contamination Monitor Package: to measure the build-up of contaminants on the surfaces of the Shuttle during launch and flight. Sources of contaminating materials include outgassing from orbiter and payload structures, thruster firings and waste dumping activities by the crew.

Micro-abrasion Foil Experiment: the first non-US originated experiment to fly on a Shuttle mission, this was developed by the University of Kent, England. The effect of micrometeorite impacts on different thicknesses of aluminium coated on plastic were studied after recovery of the payload.

Plasma Diagnostics Package: a cluster of instruments to study the interaction of the Orbiter with the surrounding space, in particular the magnetic and electric fields present. For part of the time, the package was deployed away from the Orbiter body using the manipulator arm.

Induced Atmosphere Experiment: designed to measure the optical effects of any atmosphere created around the vehicle by volatile materials evaporating from the structure.

Solar Flare X-ray Polarimeter: an astronomical instrument which used metallic lithium to detect solar X-rays and to measure their polarisation.

Solar UV Spectral Irradiance Monitor: consisted of a pair of UV spectrometen and a calibration source for solar studies.

Vehicle Charging and Potential Experiment: an experiment to investigate the electrical charging of the Orbiter’s structure caused by interaction with the natural plasma of the ionosphere.

Other experiments in the cargo bay but not part of the pallet were:

Getaway Special Verification: a test item containing instrumentation to measure the environment in which future such payloads will fly and operate.

Induced Environment Contamination Monitor: further measurements of the general environment of an orbiting Shuttle, this time actually analysing the induced atmosphere for cross reference with results obtained from the Contamination Monitor package.

Some experiments were also carried in the crew deck area of the vehicle:

Plant Growth Unit: an investigation of plants’ production of lignin which has an industrial application as the source of a polymer for bonding wood with other materials. The plants involved were a slash pine (native to the East and Gulf coasts of the US), the mung bean and oats.

Monodisperse Latex Reactor: a materials processing experiment studying a means of producing monodisperse (identical sized) polystyrene latex beads up to 20 microns diameter for medical and industrial use.

Electrophoresis Test: designed to evaluate the feasibility of separating living cells by their differing surface electric charges.

Student Involvement Project: the first of a series of experiments evolved by students and submitted through a competition. This particular one, devised by Todd Nelson of Adams, Minnesota, studied the abilities of Velvetbean Caterpillar Moths and Honey Bee drones to fly in zero gravity.

STS-3 landed at White Sands, New Mexico rather than the originally planned site of Edwards Air Force Base, because of heavy rains softening the dry lake bed. Touchdown was at 1605, 30 Mar 1982 with Columbia coming to a standstill one minute later. The flight time from lift off to touch down was 8 days and 5 minutes.

Orbit: The highest orbit attained on this flight as a result of manoeuvres using the OMS was 244X255 km, 89.36 min, 38.02 degrees.

MOLNIYA-3 (18) 1982-23A

Launched: 0018, 23 Mar 1982 from Plesetsk by A-2-e.

Spacecraft data: Cylindrical body housing instrumentation and the payload is surmounted by a conical motor section. Power is provided by a windmill of six solar panels. Length is about 4m, diameter 1.6m and the mass around 2000 kg.

Mission: Replacement or backup for Molniya-3(15), 1981-30A. The satellite provides long distance telephone and telegraphic communications and transmits Central Television programmes to “Orbita" ground stations in the USSR and other countries.

Orbit: Initially a low parking orbit and then injected into a highly elliptical orbit of 626x40619 km, 735.82 min, 62.87 degrees. Later manoeuvred to 627x39768 km, 718.59 min, 62.84 degrees to ensure daily  repetition of ground tracks.

COSMOS 1344 1982-24A

Launched: 1947, 24 Mar 1982 from Plesetsk by C-1.

Spacecraft data: Cylindrical body with domed ends, enclosed in a cylindrical solar array with length and diameter both around 2m. The mass may be around 700 kg.

Mission: Navigation satellite replacing or backing up Cosmos 1244 (1981-13A).

Orbit: 967X1011 km, 104.95 min, 82.92 deg.

METEOR 2 (8) 1982-25A

Launched: 0950, 25 Mar 1982 from Plesetsk, possibly by a version of the F vehicle though the Meteor 2 is usually an A-1 launch.

Spacecraft data: Cylindrical body with two, Sun-seeking solar panels. Length about 5 m, diameter about 1.5m and mass around 2200 kg.

Mission: The return of cloud cover and other meteorological data through scanning radiometers and other instruments. The satellite may also have an Earth rescources role.

Orbit: 941x961 km, 104.12 min, 82.54 deg. This is slightly higher than previous Meteor 2s which have flown around 900 km, 102.5 min.

COSMOS 1345 1982-26A

Launched: 0902, 31 Mar 1982 from Plesetsk by C-1

Spacecraft data: not available.

Mission: Military, possibly radar calibration.

Orbit: 504X545 km, 95.15 min, 74.04 deg.

COSMOS 1346 1982-27A

Launched: 1627, 1 Apr 1982 from Plesetsk by A-1.

Spacecraft data- Possibly based on the Meteor satellites; see Meteor 2(8) above. Mass around 2000 kg.

Mission: Possibly electronic reconnaissance. Like the previous launch, this vehicle’s orbit plane is 12.5 degrees to the east of the existing six satellite system. Cosmos 1346 replaces or backs up Cosmos 1222 (1980-93A).

Orbit: 621X660 km, 97.58 min, 81.18 degrees.

COSMOS 1347 1982-28A

Launched: 1015, 2 Apr 1982 from Tyuratam by A-2.

Spacecraft data: As Cosmos 1342.

Mission: Military photo-reconnaissance, 2 month lifetime.

Orbit: Initially 172X340 km, 89.66 min, 70.36 degrees then manoeuvred several times to counteract decay and provide specific target coverage.

COSMOS 1348 1982-29A

Launched: 1342, 7 Apr 1982 from Plesetsk by A-2-e.

Spacecraft data: Possibly based on the Molniya satellites.

Mission: Part of the USSR's missile early warning system, replacing or backing up Cosmos 1172 (1980-28A).

Orbit: Initially a low parking orbit then injected into a highly elliptical one of 592x39315 km, 708.71 min, 62.85 degrees. Later manoeuvred to 596x39751 km, 717.61 min, 62.85 degrees.

COSMOS 1349 1982-30A

Launched: 0015,8 Apr 1982 from Plesetsk by C-1.

Spacecraft data: as Cosmos 1344.

Mission: Navigation satellite replacing or backing up Cosmos 1153 (1980-7A).

Orbit: 968x1012 km, 104.96 min, 82.93 degrees.

INSAT 1A 1982-31A Launched: 0650, 8 Apr 1982 from Launch Complex 17A, Eastern Space and Missile Center, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station,by Delta 3910 with PAM upper stage

Spacecraft data: A box shaped body, 1.55x1.42x2.18 m, and with a fully fuelled mass of 1152 kg. A single solar panel is counterbalanced by a solar "sail”. The satellite was built by Ford Aerospace of the USA for the Indian government.

Mission: The first of two Indian National Satellites (from which the name is derived), it provides 12 transponders for communications (6 GHz uplink and 4 GHz down) and two for direct television broadcasts to small installations (6 GHz up, 2.5 GHz down). These channels can also be used for radio programme distribution and giving disaster warnings.

The dual purpose satellite also carries a very high resolution radiometer for returning whole hemisphere meteorological images (similar to Meteosat), which it does every half hour. The radiometer works in visible and infra-red light.

Some problems were encountered early on with the apogee boost motor firing and satellite deployment. These were eventually overcome.

Orbit.- Initially a geostationary transfer orbit at 28 degrees but raised by several firings of the apogee boost motor. Eventually stabilised above 74 degrees east.

COSMOS 1350 1982-32A

Launched: 1430, 15 Apr 1982 from Plesetsk by A-2.

Spacecraft data: as Cosmos 1342.

Mission: Military photo-reconnaissance,recovered or re-entered after 31 days.

Orbit: Initially 171X357 km, 89.80 min, 67.16 degrees but manoeuvred several times during the mission to prevent decay and provide specific target coverage.

SALYUT 7 1982-33A

Launched: 1945, 19 Apr 1982 from Tyuratam by D-1.

Spacecraft data: Similar to Salyut 6, ie a cylinder about 15m long and up to approx 4m diameter with three large solar panels. There is a docking unit at each end designed to take larger spacecraft than Soyuz and Progress, such as the "Star" module tested with Cosmos 929 and Cosmos 1267. The latter was still attached to Salyut 6 at the time of Salyut 7’s launch. The mass is around 19 tonnes.

Mission: Manned orbiting space laboratory.

Orbit: Initially 213X261 km, 89.17 min, 51.61 degrees, later manoeuvred to the Salyut 6 operating height of around 340 km, 91.4 min for manned occupation, initally by the Soyuz-T5 crew.

COSMOS 1351 1982-34A

Launched: 0135, 21 Apr 1982 from Kapustin Yar by C-1.

Spacecraft data: Possibly based on the small “Cosmos" standard body with solar panels, ie an octagonal ellipsoid, mass around 550 kg.

Mission: Not known but probably military in nature.

Orbit: 348x547 km, 93.48 min, 50.69 degrees.

COSMOS 1352 1982-35A

Launched: 0915, 21 Apr 1982 from Tyuratam by A-2.

Spacecraft data: As Cosmos 1342.

Mission: Military photo-reconnaissance,recovered after 14 days.

Orbit: Initially 208 x 360 km, 90.22 min, 70.37 degrees but manoeuvred after one day to its operating height of 349X415 km, 92.22 min, 70.38 degrees to ensure constant spacing between equivalent ground tracks on succes¬ sive days.

COSMOS 1353 1982-36A

Launched: 0940, 23 Apr 1982 from Plesetsk by A-2.

Spacecraft data: As Cosmos 1342.

Mission: Military photo-reconnaissance,

recovered after 13 days.

Orbit: 211X241 km, 89.06 min, 82.36 degrees, maintained near this height for the whole mission with a manoeuvre on 30 May to counteract decay.

COSMOS 1354 1982-37A

Launched: 0255, 28 Apr 1982 from Plesetsk by C-1.

Spacecraft data: Not known but may be similar to the navigation satellites (see Cosmos 1344).

Mission: Military communications using a store/dump technique.

Orbit: 794X807 km, 100.91 min, 74.04 deg.

COSMOS 1355 1982-38A

Launched: 0955, 29 Apr 1982 from Tyuratam by F-1.

Spacecraft data: Not available but probably several tonnes mass.

Mission: Probably an ocean surveillance satellite carrying out electronic reconnaissance.

Orbit: Initially 428 x446 km, 93.33 min, 65.06 deg. and then maintained precisely at that height by a low thrust motor.