October 1981:satellite digest

Cosmos 1259

1981 Mar 17.36

Cylinder+sphere:6 long,2.4 dia

206

382

70.35

90.43

Tyuratam

1981-26A

14 days (R)

1981 Mar 31

A-2

USSR/USSR (1)

Raduga 8

1981 Mar 18.2

Cylinder+2 panels:5 long,2 dia

36544

36544

0.75

1475.04

Tyuratam

1981-27A

indefinite

D-1-e

USSR/USSR (2)

Cosmos 1260

1981 Mar 20.99

Cylinder:6 long,2 dia

Tyuratam

1981-28A

428

447

65.03

93.34

150 years

F-1

USSR/USSR (3)

Soyuz 39

1981 Mar 22.624

Sphere+cone+cylinder:7.5 long,2.2 dia

Tyuratam

1981-29A

7.863 days (R)

1981 Mar 30.487

336

350

51.63

91.33

A-2

USSR/USSR (4)

Molniya-3 (15)

1981 Mar 24.15

Cylinder-cone:4.2 long,1.6 dia

608

40655

62.73

736.00

Plesetsk

1981-30A

12 years

A-2-e

USSR/USSR (5)

Cosmos 1261

1981 Mar 31.40

Cylinder-cone:4 long,2 dia

588

39405

62.95

710.46

Plesetsk

1981-31A

12 years

A-2-e

USSR/USSR (6)

Cosmos 1262

1981 Apr 7.45

Cylinder+sphere:6 long,2.4 dia

196

392

72.87

90.42

Plesetsk

1981-32A

14 days (R)

1981 Apr 21

A-2

USSR/USSR (7)

Cosmos 1263

1981 Apr 9.51

Cylinder:2 long,2 dia

Plesetsk

1981-33A

30 years

396

1968

82.98

109.06

C-1

USSR/USSR

STS-1

1981 Apr 12.500

Aeroplane:37 long,24 span

ESMR

1981-34A

2.265 days (R)

1981 Apr 14.765

238

250

40.35

89.26

STS Columbia

NASA/NASA (8)

Cosmos 1264

1981 Apr 15.48

Cylinder+sphere:6 long,2.4 dia

208

385

70.36

90.48

Tyuratam

1981-35A

14 days (R)

1981 Apr 29

A-2

USSR/USSR (9)

Cosmos 1265

1981 Apr 16.2

Cylinder+sphere:6 long,2.4 dia

198

287

72.85

89.39

Plesetsk

1981-36A

12 days (R)

1981 Apr 28

A-2

USSR/USSR (10)

Cosmos 1266

1981 Apr 21.15

Cylinder:6 long,2 dia

248

267

64.97

89.66

Tyuratam

1981-37A

500 years

F-1

USSR/USSR (11)

SDS 7

1981 Apr 24

WSMR

1981-38A

Titan 3B/Agena D

DoD/USAF (12)

Cosmos 1267

1981 Apr 25.08

Cylinder+panels:15 long,6 dia

Tyuratam

1981-39A

192

260

51.59

88.25

10 years

D-1

USSR/USSR (13)

Cosmos 1268

1981 Apr 28.37

Cylinder+sphere:6 long,2.4 dia

208

368

70.41

90.31

Tyuratam

1981-40A

14 days (R)

1981 May 12

A-2

USSR/USSR (14)

Cosmos 1269

1981 May 7.56

Cylinder:2 long,1 dia

794

808

74.06

100.94

200 years

1981-41A

Plesetsk

C-1

USSR/USSR

Soyuz 40

1981 May 14.719

Sphere+cone+cylinder:7.5 long,2.2 dia

Tyuratam

1981-42A

7.86 days (R)

1981 May 22.58

262

350

51.63

90.58

A-2

USSR/USSR (15)

Meteor 2 (7)

1981 May 14.91

Cylinder:5 long,2 dia

Plesetsk

1981-43A

500 years

853

892

81.27

102.46

A-1

USSR/USSR (16)

Nova 1

1981 May 15.26

353

935

90.16

97.67

WSMR

1981-44A

5000 years

Scout

DoD/USAF (17)

Cosmos 1270

1981 May 18.49

Cylinder+sphere:6 long,2.4 dia

Tyuratam

1981-45A

173

348

64.86

89.72

A-2

USSR/USSR (18)

Cosmos 1271

1981 May 19.16

Cylinder:5 long,2 dia

Plesetsk

1981-46A

60 years

626

649

81.22

97.52

A-1

USSR/USSR (19)

Cosmos 1272

1981 May 21.38

Cylinder+sphere:6 long,2.4 dia

208

379

70.37

90.43

Plesetsk

1981-47A

14 days (R)

1981 Jun 5

A-2

USSR/USSR (20)

Cosmos 1273

1981 May 22.30

Cylinder+sphere:6 long,2.4 dia

Plesetsk

1981-48A

14 days (R)

1981 Jun 7

211

249

82.32

89.15

A-2

USSR/USSR

SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES:

(1) Orbital data are at 1981 Mar 17.4 and Mar 21.3.

(2) Communications satellite at the Statsionar 4 location (35° east longitude).

(3) Reconnaissance satellite, possibly working in conjunction with Cosmos 1220 (1980-89A).

(4) Manned ferry carrying the international crew of Vladimir Dzanibekhov and Jugderdemidiyn Gurragcha of Mongolia to Salyut 6. Soyuz 39 docked with the rear unit of Salyut 6 at 1981 Mar 23.686 (1628 UT). Orbital data are at 1981 Mar 22.7, Mar 23.0 (estimated data) and Mar 24.3.

(5) USSR communications satellite. Orbital data are at 1981 Mar 24.2 and Apr 8.3.

(6) Possibly a missile early warning satellite. Orbital data are at 1981 Mar 31.5 and Apr 4.4.

(7) Orbital data are at 1981 Apr 7.5 and Apr 10.2.

(8) First test flight of the Space Transportation System, flown by astronauts John Young and Robert Crippen. The craft landed on a dry lake bed at Edwards Air Force Base, California. Orbital data are at 1981 Apr 12.5 and Apr 12.51.

(9) Orbital data are at 1981 Apr 15.5 and Apr 16.3.

(10) Orbital data are at 1981 Apr 16.5, Apr 17.3 and Apr 24:3.

(11) Ocean survey satellite which appears to have terminated its mission early. Orbital data are at 1981 Apr 21,3 and Apr 29.9.

(12) DoD communications satellite.

(13) Test flight of the ‘Star’ space station module, related to Cosmos 929 (1977-66A). The initial orbit plane was ten degrees to the east of that of Salyut 6. By virtue of the two vehicles’ differing heights, the difference reduced slowly to allow the new craft to dock with the rear unit of Salyut 6 on 1981 Jun 19.

(14) Orbital data are at 1981 Apr 28.4, May 2.2, and May 2.6.

(15) Manned ferry carrying the last international crew to Salyut 6. Flight Engineer Dmitru Prunariu of Romania accompanied mission commander Leonid Popov,making his second visit to Salyut 6. Soyuz 40 docked with the rear unit of Salyut 6 about 25 hours after launch. Orbital data are at 1981 May 14.9, May 15.0, May 15.7 and May 17.2 (after docking).

(16) Meteorological satellite.

(17) US Navy's improved TRANSIT navigation satellite. Orbital data are at 1981 May 16.2 and May 29.2.

(18) Long life, manoeuvrable reconnaissance satellite.

(19) Probably an electronic ferret.

(20) Orbital data are at 1981 May 21.4 and May 22.5.

AMENDMENT:Soyuz T-4, 1981-23A was recovered 1981 May 26.526, lifetime 74.73 days.