March 1982:satellite digest

COSMOS 1306 1981-89A

Launched: 2030, 13 Sep 1981 from Tyuratam by F vehicle.

Spacecraft data: No details available, but may be several tonnes mass.

Mission: Probably an ocean surveillance satellite carrying out electronic reconnaissance, working in conjunction with Cosmos 1286 (1981-72A), and replacing Cosmos 1260 (1981-28A).

Orbit: Initially 171X424 km, 90.49 min, 64.96 degrees, possibly resulting from a launch vehicle malfunction. Subsequent manoeuvres over a period of eight days resulted in the craft reaching its operational orbit of 430x442 km, 93.31 min, 64.94 degrees. An onboard, low thrust motor ensures a constant positional relationship with respect to Cosmos 1286.

COSMOS 1307 1981-90A

Launched: 1129, 15 Sep 1981 from Plesetsk by A-2.

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

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

Orbit: Initially 196x393 km, 90.45 minutes, 72.89 degrees. Manoeuvred by the end of the second day to an operational orbit of 354X417 km, 92.29 min, 72.87 degrees, in which it was maintained by small thrusts to ensure constant spacing between equivalent ground tracks on successive days

COSMOS 1308 1981-91A

Launched: 0334, 18 Sep 1981 from Plesetsk by F-1.

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

Mission: Navigation satellite replacing or backing up Cosmos 1275 (1981-53A).

Orbit. 968X1003 km, 104.85 min, 82.92 degrees.

COSMOS 1309 1981-92A

Launched: 0930,18 Sep 1981 from Plesetsk by A-2.

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

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

Orbit: 211X256 km, 89.21 min, 82.30 degrees at launch which decayed to 196x224 km, 88.74 min just before recovery.

CHINA 9 (3 payloads) 1981-93B, D&A

Launched: 2132, 19 Sep 1981 from Shuang Cheng Tse.

Spacecraft data: The main satellite is an octahedral prism, 1m high and maximum diameter 1.2m. Electrical power is provided by four rectangular solar panels at one end. The second satellite takes the form of a cone, and the third was a balloon linked to a metal ball by a wire (it has decayed).

Mission: Space Physics experiments including studies of magnetic fields, infra-red and ultra-violet radiation, charged particle measurements, x-ray detection and atmospheric density. The latter was the function of the balloon which decayed after six days.

Orbits: All three' satellites achieved orbits of about 390x1600km, 103.3 mins, 59.4degrees.

AUREOLE 3 1981-94A

Launched: 1309, 21 Sep 1981 from Plesetsk by F vehicle.

Spacecraft data: Standard Soviet Automatic Unified Orbital Station (AUOS) consisting of a cylinder about 2.5m long and 1m diameter (maximum) with electrical power provided by 8 solar panels each about 2.5m long, 0.5m wide. The mass is 1000 kg, including 170 kg of experiments

Mission: Ionospheric and magnetospheric studies. Onboard sensors include spectrometers for studying protons and electrons, an energetic particles detector, an ion spectrometer, a hot ion mass spectrometer, a plasma interferometer, an electric field instrument, a magnetometer and a number of photometers.

Orbit. 404X1999 km. 109.48 mins, 82.50 degrees.

COSMOS 1310 1981-95A

Launched.0801,23 Sep 1981 from Plesetsk by C-1.

Spacecraft data; Not available, the mass may be around 1000 kg.

Mission: Possibly a military test vehicle.

Orbit; 476x517 km, 94.56 min, 65.83 degrees.

SBS 2 1981-96A

Launched: 2309, 24 Sep 1981 from the Eastern Space and Missile Centre by Delta 3910, using a PAM-D 3rd stage.

Spacecraft data; Cylindrical structure coverei in solar cells, 2.16m in diameter and 2.82m high in the stowed position. An extending, cylindrical solar panel which was deployed after launch increased the length to 6.60m. Built by the Hughes Aircraft Company to an 'off the peg’ design, the satellite is spin sta¬ bilised with a de-spun aerial array. The orbital mass is 550 kg.

Mission: To provide commercial communications through a network operated by Satellite Business Systems. The SBS system is the first to commercially use the 12-14 CHz band. The satellite contains an all digital relay system using 10 transponders capable of relaying up to 480 million data bits per second. It carries telephone, computer, electronic mail and video communications for business and industrial clients.

Orbit: Placed into a geostationary transfer orbit by the launch vehicle and injected into a geostationary drift orbit by an inboard apogee motor. It was later stabilised at its operating location, 97 degrees west longitude.

COSMOS 1311 1981-97A.

Launched; 2101,28 Sep 1981 from Plesetsk by C-1.

Spacecraft data; May be similar to the navigation satellites (see Cosmos 1308).

Mission; Not known but probably military.

Orbit; 465x557 km, 94.47 min, 82.95 degrees.

COSMOS 1312 1981-98A

Launched; 0803, 30 Sep 1981 from Plesetsk by F vehicle.

Spacecraft data; Not available.

Mission: Not announced but may be geodetic,

Orbit. 1492X1503 km, 115.98 min, 82.59 degrees.

COSMOS 1313 1981-99A

Launched; 0859, 1 Oct 1981 from Tyuratam by A-2.

Spacecraft data; As Cosmos 1307.

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

Orbit: 231X 279 km, 89.64 min, 70.36 degrees with a manoeuvre on 9 Oct to counteract decay.

SOLAR MESOSPHERE EXPLORER 1981-100A

Launched: 1127, 6 Oct 1981 from the Western Space and Missile Centre by Delta.

Spacecraft data.-Cylinder, 1.7m long and 1.25m diameter with a 2.2m diameter disk shaped solar array fixed to one face. The mass is 437 kg.

Mission: To study the Earth's atmosphere at heights between 20 and 80 km. Specific areas of interest are the formation of ozone in a layer 30 km high, changes in ozone distribution resulting from solar radiation, ozone density changes and their causes, the relationship between solar radiation and physical atmospheric parameters and processes, whether a relationship exists between solar radiation and ozone occurrence, and to determine other causes of ozone changes. Onboard instruments scan the atmosphere five times each second as the result of the satellite’s spin stabilization.

Orbit: Sun synchronous at 536x540 km, 95.45 min, 97.47 degrees.

COSMOS 1314 1981-101A

Launched: 1039, 9 Oct 1981 from Plesetsk by A-2.

Spacecraft data: As Cosmos 1307.

Mission: Possibly military photo-reconnaissance, part or all of the payload was an Earth resources survey package. Recovered after 13 days.

Orbit: 212X235 km, 89.02 min, 82.34 degrees with small manoeuvres to counteract decay.

RADUGA 10 1981-102A

Launched: 1658, 9 Oct 1981 from Tyuratam by D-1-e + apogee motor.

Spacecraft data- A cylinder with a pair of solar panels, and an aerial array at one end. Length about 5m, maximum diameter about 2m and mass (in geostationary orbit) around 2000 kg.

Mission: To provide round-the-clock radio and telegraphic communications in the UHF band and to relay Central television colour and monochrome programmes to stations of the ‘Orbita’ network.

Orbit: Initially a low, parking orbit at 51.6 degrees, then to an elliptical transfer orbit at 47 degrees prior to injection into geostationary drift orbit, before final stabilisation at 84 degrees east longitude (Statsionar 3).

COSMOS 1315 1981-103A

Launched: 2258, 13 Oct 1981 from Plesetsk by A-1.

Spacecraft data: Possibly based on the Meteor satellites with a cylindrical body and two. Sun-seeking solar panels. Length about 5m, diameter about 1.5m and mass around 2000 kg.

Mission: Electronic reconnaissance, replacement or backup for Cosmos 1154 (1980-8A).

Orbit: 625X665 km, 97.68 min, 81.19 degrees.

COSMOS 1316 1981-104A

Launched: 0914, 15 Oct 1981 from Tyuratam by A-2.

Spacecraft data- As Cosmos 1307.

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

Orbit: 232X278 km, 89.65 min, 70.34 degrees with manoeuvres to counteract decay.

MOLNIYA-3 (17) 1981-105A

Launched: 0556,17 Oct 1981 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 mass around 2000 kg.

Mission: Replacement or backup to Molniya-3 (12), 1979-48A. The satellite provides long distance telephone and telegraphic communications and transmits Central television programmes to 'Orbita' ground stations, not only within the USSR but also to ground stations in other countries.

Orbit: Initially a low parking orbit and then injected into a highly elliptical orbit of 618X 40646 km, 736.29 mins, 62.82 degrees. Later manoeuvred to 617x 39771 km, 718.41 min, 62.81 degrees to ensure daily repetition of ground tracks.

VENERA 13 1981-106A

Launched: 0602, 30 Oct 1981 from Tyuratam by D-1-e.

Spacecraft data: Cylinder with two solar panels and an experiments package located at one end. Length (excluding experiments) about 2.7m, diameter about 2.3m maximum, mass around 5000 kg.

Mission: Continuation of the Soviet Union's Venus exploration programme, the craft is due to arrive near Venus in March 1982 and carries a surface lander.

Orbit: Heliocentric, but initially a low parking orbit around the Earth at 51.6 degrees.

IMEWS 12 (OPS 4029) 1981-107A

Launched: 0922, 31 Oct 1981 from Eastern Space and Missile Centre by Titan 3C.

Spacecraft data: Not available.

Mission: US Air Force-launched Early Warning satellite for missile launches.

Orbit: Geostationary.

COSMOS 1317 1981-108A

Launched: 2252, 31 Oct 1981 from Plesetsk by A-2-e.

Spacecraft data: Possibly based on the Molniya design, see Molniya-3 (17) above.

Mission: Probably part of the USSR’s system of missile early warning satellites.

Orbit: Initially a low parking orbit and then injected into a highly elliptical orbit of 584X40162 km, 725.75 min, 62.87 degrees. Later manoeuvred to 585x39788 km, 718.14 min, 62.89 degrees to ensure daily repetition of ground tracks.

UPDATES:

COSMOS 1285 1981-71A may have been a failure, as the usual manoeuvre to stabilise the ground track had not been forthcoming by mid-November 1981.