June 1982:satellite digest

COSMOS 1331 1982-1A

Launched: 1541, 7 Jan 1982 from Plesetsk by C-1.

Spacecraft data: Not available but may be similar to the Cosmos navigation satellites - ie a 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: Military communications using a store/dump technique.

Orbit: 773 x 810 km, 100.73 min, 74.05 degrees. The orbit is co-planar with the previous launch - Cosmos 1302 (1981-84A).

COSMOS 1332 1982-2A

Launched: 1230, 12 Jan 1982 from Plesetsk by A-2.

Spacecraft data: Possibly based on the Vostok manned spacecraft with spherical re-entry module and instrument unit. Length about 5m, diameter about 2.4m and mass around 5500 kg.

Mission.- Military photo reconnaissance, recovered after 13 days.

Orbit: 210x248 km, 89.13 min, 82.32 degrees, decaying to 195x224 km, 89.74 min just before recovery.

COSMOS 1333 1982-3A

Launched: 0751, 14 Jan 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 1150 (1980-3A).

Orbit: 970x1016 km, 105.02 min, 82.94 degrees.

RCA SATCOM 4 1982-4A

Launched: 0150, 16 Jan 1982 from Launch Complex 17A, Eastern Space and Missile Centre, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station by Delta 3910.

Spacecraft data: A box shaped body 1.62m x 1.25m x 1.25m carries spacecraft systems and a communications relay package. Power is provided from an 11.2m span solar array. The spacecraft is three axis stabilised using a gyroscope with a backup jet thruster system. The mass injected into transfer orbit was 1082 kg including a Thiokol Star 30 apogee boost motor, reducing to 550 kg at the end of the vehicle’s working life.

Mission: To provide commercial communications for all of the United States and to support cable television systems through 24 channels.

Orbit.- Placed into geostationary transfer orbit of 635 minutes period at 27.40 degrees by the launcher, the apogee motor was fired on 19 Jan placing it into a geostationary drift orbit before final stabilisation above 83 degrees west longitude on 28 Jan.

COSMOS 1334 1982-5A

Launched: 1131, 20 Jan 1982 from Plesetsk by A-2.

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

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

Orbit: Initially 194 x 289 km, 89.36 min, 72.87 degrees, manoeuvred on 21 Jan to 226x289 km, 89.69 min and maintained close to this height for the rest of the flight with a manoeuvre to counteract decay on 24 Jan.

OPS 2849 1982-6A

Launched: 1930,21 Jan 1982 from Vandenberg AFB, probably by Titan 3B-Agena D.

Spacecraft data:Not available.

Mission: Military reconnaissance.

Orbit: Initially 141X531 km, 91.31 min, 97.32 degrees, then circularised to 560X644 km, 96.78 min.

COSMOS 1335 1982-7A

Launched: 1102, 29 Jan 1982 from Plesetsk by C-1.

Spacecraft data: Not available, but probably light mass (<400 kg).

Mission: Military, possibly radar calibration.

Orbit: 479x514 km. 94.58 min, 74.05 degrees.

COSMOS 1336 1982-8A

Launched: 1130, 30 Jan 1982 from Tyuratam by A-2.

Spacecraft data: As Cosmos 1334.

Mission: Military photo-reconnaissance,recovered or re-entered after 27 days.

Orbit: Initially 169x356 km, 89.78 min, 70.34 degrees.

EKRAN 8 1982-9A

Launched: 0912, 5 Feb 1982 from Tyuratam by D-1-e+apogee motor.

Spacecraft data -A cylinder with a pair of boom mounted solar panels and a transmitting array. Length 5m, diameter 2m and mass (in geostationary orbit) around 2000 kg.

Mission: To transmit programmes of Central Television to collective receiving stations in remote areas.

Orbit: Initially a low parking orbit at 51.6 degrees inclination, then transferred to an elliptical orbit at 47 degrees inclination, followed by circularisation into geostationary drift orbit before stabilisation above 99 degrees east (Statsionar 8).

COSMOS 1337 1982-10A

Launched: 0115, 11 Feb 1982 from Tyuratam by F-1.

Spacecraft data: Not available, but probably several tonnes mass.

Mission: Probably an ocean surveillance sat¬ ellite carrying out electronic reconnaissance. It is working in conjunction with two satellites already in orbit, Cosmos 1286 (I981-72A) and Cosmos 1306 (1981-89A).

Orbit.- Initially 428X446 km, 93.33 min, 65.05 degrees, then maintained at that height by operation of a low thrust motor to ensure the required orbital relationship with the other vehicles.