December 1982:milestones

August 1982

16 A rocket motor of the type to be used to boost the communication satellites carried on the fifth Shuttle flight in November fails during a ground test. Engineers will carry out further tests to see if the flight will be affected.

25 The Soyuz T-7 crew, including female cosmonaut Svetlana Savitskaya, return to Earth in the Soyuz T-5 craft aftfer a week aboard the Salyut 7 space station.

27 Launch of the Anik D1 communications satellite marks the first use of the Delta 3920/Payload Assist Module vehicle. NASA has had to re-activate the LC-17B launch facility at the Cape to cope with the launch rate expected.

September 1982

2 The first of Shuttle Orbiter Challenger's main engines is test fired for 14 seconds to begin the qualification programme which must be completed before the three SSMEs can be installed in the vehicle. This ignition test will be followed by a 100 second calibration firing and, finally, a 500 second endurance test. The engines will reach thrust levels of 109% of normal; Challenger will be able to carry heavier payloads than Columbia.

7 Space Services, Inc. launches its Conestoga 1 rocket to a height of 195 mi (314 km). The 46,500 lbf (207 kN) thrust Minuteman 1 second stage will be used as part of an orbital rocket to be tested next year, with a commercial flight in 1984. Mission director was Deke Slayton, ex-NASA astronaut.

8 Shuttle Orbiter Columbia is moved from its processing facility to the Vehicle Assembjy Building for mating with the External Tank and boosters for STS-5. Columbia spent only 41 days in its "hangar”. Officials are now worried that Challenger's debut flignt, planned for 20 January, may be delayed because of late delivery of the main engines.

9 A Chinese satellite is launched into a 393 X 172 km, 63 deg. orbit by the space launcher version of the CSS-X-4 ICBM. Apparently on a reconnaissance mission, the satellite is reported to be recovered five days later.

10 Launch of the fifth Ariane rocket, carrying Marecs B and Sirio 2 satellites, ends in failure after problems with the third stage. The lower stages performed well but 560 seconds after launch, approximately half way through the 10-minute third stage burn, the turbine speed began to drop and engine pressure fell from 32 atmospheres to zero. This was the first of the “promotional series” of flights after the first four test launches, the second of which failed in May 1980.

11 It is reported that two Indian pilots will be chosen this month for cosmonaut training, beginning before the end of October. Also, Academician Oleg Gazenko has implied that more women cosmonauts will fly.

14 It is reported that NASA will not take Shuttle Orbiter Columbia out of service for.modifications after the STS-5 mission because of launch schedule pressure. It may have to wait until Orbiter Discovery is delivered in late 1983.

20 West German Ulf Merbold and American Bvron Lichtenberg are named as the Spacelab 1 Payload Specialists for the September 1983 mission. They will fly with pilots John Young and Brewster Shaw, and Mission Specialists Owen Garriott and Robert Parker. Wubbo Ockels (Holland) and Michael Lampton (US) will act as backups.