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Aviation History
1962
1962 - 0495.PDF
FLIGHT International, 29 March 1962 493 United Nations' First Space Register INCLUDED in the list of 72 "space vehicles and associate objects" forwarded for the USA by Mr Adlai Stevenson to the United Nations on March 5 were basic orbital data for Midas 4, launched on October 21, 1961, and two associated "non-functional objects." This is the first time that this information has been published: the orbital details had even been omitted from the list of US launchings given in President Kennedy's report to Congress on US space activities during 1961. Midas 4, alias 1961 Alpha Delta 1, is stated to have a nodal period of 166min, inclination 95.88°, apogee 3,746.9km (2,328 miles) and perigee 3,503km (2,177 miles). The two associated objects, presumably parts of the Agena stage, were listed as 1961 Alpha Delta 3 (165.6min, 95.87°, 3,715km and 3,503km) and 1961 Alpha Delta 4 (166.4min, 95.9°, 3,761.8km and 3,521.3km). These figures were stated to be correct as at February 15, 1962; the absent 1961 Alpha Delta 2 was the Midas 4 nose-cap which had decayed prior to that date. The full list, as supplied by Mr Stevenson to the UN, is printed (to the right of the heavy vertical line) below. To the left of the heavy vertical line Flight International has identified the objects and their sponsoring agencies. As mentioned in a leading article last week, two satellite launches announced by the US Air Force on November 22, 1961 and December 22, 1961 are omitted from the UN list. REGISTRATION DATA FOR US SPACE LAUNCHES (AS AT FEBRUARY 15, IH2) Sponsor Name International designation Launch vehicle Cate gory B D B B D B B B D B D C D D C D A C B D C D D D D C D B D D D j c D D i D A D B D D D A A B A D B C A D C D D D A D D B A D D A C B D A A B C D D D Launch date 1 Feb 58 17 Mar 58 17 Mar 58 17 Feb 59 17 Feb 59 18 Sep 59 3 Mar 59 13 Oct 59 13 Oct 59 1 1 Mar 60 1 Apr 60 1 Apr 60 1 Apr 60 1 Apr 60 13 Apr 60 13 Apr 60 24 May 60 22 Jim 60 22 Jun 60 22Jun60 12 Aug 60 12 Aug 60 12 Aug 60 12 Aug 60 12 Aug 60 4 Oct 60 4 Oct 60 3 Nov 60 3 Nov 60 3 Nov 60 3 Nov 60 23 Nov 60 23 Nov 60 23 Nov 60 23 Nov 60 31 Jan 61 31 Jan 61 16 Feb 61 16 Feb 61 16 Feb 61 16 Feb 61 17 Feb 61 18 Feb 61 25 Mar 61 8 Apr 61 8 Apr 61 27 Apr 61 29 Jun 61 29 Jun 61 29Jun 61 12 Jul 61 12 Jul 61 12 Jul 61 12 Jul 61 12 Jul 61 12 Jul 61 12 Jul 61 l6Aug6l 21 Oct 61 21 Oct 61 21 Oct 61 5 Nov 61 I5NOV6I I5NOV6I 15 Nov 61 12 Dec 61 12 Dec 61 26 Jan 62 8 Feb 62 8 Feb 62 8 Feb 62 8 Feb 62 Nodal period (min) 105.9 138.3 133.8 125.3 129.6 129.8 398D 101.1 100.9 3II.6D 99.1 99.1 97.8 99.8 94.7 96.8 94.2 101.6 101.6 101.4 116.2 118.0 118.2 118.2 118.3 106.9 106.4 112.4 112.2 110.8 II 1.7 98.2 98.1 98.1 98.3 94.9 94.9 118.1 118.5 118.1 Position 92.8 92.6 Position 91.6 95.1 107.8 103.8 103.8 103.4 100.3 100.3 98.8 101.9 161.5 161.2 161.9 1587.3 166.0 165.6 166.4 96.2 105.6 105.6 105.5 90.8 88.2 406.4D 100.3 101.4 99.4 100.2 Inclination (deg) 33.19 34.25 34.25 32.87 32.90 33.30 0.127 ! 50.31 : 50.30 3.35 48.41 48.39 48.46 48.15 51.28 51.21 33.01 66.77 66.71 66.77 47.30 47.22 47.20 47.23 47.20 28.26 28.22 49.92 49.98 49.39 50.52 48.57 48.57 48.46 48.51 97.38 97.35 38.81 38.77 38.87 uncertain 80.84 80.73 uncertain 82.26 81.88 28.78 66.81 66.82 66.82 47.90 47.85 47.92 47.89 91.15 91.14 91.17 33.43 95.88 95.87 95.90 82.52 32.43 32.43 32.41 81.22 81.14 0.3988 48.25 48.44 48.44 48.26 Apogee (km) 1706.3 4260.8 3937.9 3358 3642.8 3697.5 I.I42IAU 1076.4 1058.7 0.995 IAU 745 751.4 716 809.3 644.2 736.1 498.8 1044.6 1054.2 1033.6 1966.2 1687.8 1687.8 1723.2 1705.5 1207.1 1209 2267.1 2249.4 2133.5 2189.8 741.7 732.1 728.9 732.1 545.6 542.4 2448.9 2582.4 2502 545.3 559.1 429.1 847.3 1782.8 997.7 996.6 984.2 820.6 807.7 804.5 934.8 3544.3 3541.7 3552 76632 3746.9 3715 3761.8 919.2 1108.3 II 16.5 1103.3 404.8 180.5 I.I63AU 838.3 947.7 767.5 841.5 Perigee (km) 384.4 708 648.6 490.7 ! 582.5 543.8 0.987 IAU 553.5 551.9 0.806 IAU 690.3 690.3 603.4 698.3 368 480.4 480.6 626.2 614.6 616.4 1058.7 1499.6 1514.1 1483.5 1512.5 971.8 926.6 415.1 411.9 402.3 421.6 608.2 608.2 616.2 625.9 474.3 474.5 749.8 651.6 704.7 267.9 234.6 266.8 191.1 487.5 880.3 882.2 851.8 735.3 743.4 605 772.3 3344.1 3318.4 3368.6 773.9 3503 3503 3521.3 225.6 953.3 947 945.6 217 179.9 0.9839AU 711.2 706.3 701.5 706.3 NASA NASA NASA NASA NASA NASA NASA NASA NASA NASA NASA NASA NASA NASA USN USN USAF USN USN USN NASA NASA NASA NASA NASA US Army US Army NASA NASA NASA NASA NASA NASA NASA NASA USAF USAF NASA NASA NASA NASA USAF USAF NASA USAF USAF NASA USN USN USN NASA NASA NASA NASA USAF USAF USAF NASA USAF USAF USAF USAF USN USN USN USAF USAF NASA NASA NASA NASA NASA Explorer I Vanguard I rocket Vanguard I Vanguard 2 Vanguard 2 rocket Vanguard 3 Pioneer 4 Explorer 7 Explorer 7 rocket Pioneer 5 Tiros I rocket Tiros I Tiros I fragment Tiros I fragment Transit IB Transit IB fragment Midas 2 Transit 2A Greb I Transit 2A rocket Echo I Echo I rocket Echo I fragment Echo I fragment Echo 1 fragment Courier IB Courier IB rocket Explorer 8 Explorer 8 rocket Explorer 8 fragment Explorer 8 fragment Tiros 2 Tiros 2 rocket Tiros 2 fragment Tiros 2 fragment Samos 2 Samos 2 nose-cap Explorer 9 Explorer 9 rocket Explorer 9 fragment Explorer 9 fragment Discoverer 20 Discoverer 21 Explorer 10 Discoverer 23 Discoverer 23 capsule Explorer I I Transit 4A Greb 3/lnjun Transit 4A fragment Tiros 3 Tiros 3 rocket Tiros 3 fragment Tiros 3 fragment Midas 3 Midas 3 fragment Midas 3 fragment Explorer 12 Midas 4 Midas 4 fragment Midas 4 fragment Discoverer 34 Transit 4B Traac Transit 4B rocket Discoverer 36 Oscar Ranger 3 Tiros 4 Tiros 4 rocket Tiros 4 fragment Tiros 4 fragment 1958 Alpha I 1958 Beta I 1958 Beta 2 1959 Alpha I 1959 Alpha 2 1959 Eta I 1959 Nu* 1959 lota I 1959 lota 2 1960 Alpha* 1960 Beta I 1960 Beta 2 1960 Beta 3 1960 Beta 4 1960 Gamma 2 I960 Gamma 4 l960Zeta I I960 Eta I I960 Eta2 I960 Eta 3 1960 lota I I960 lota 2 1960 lota 3 1960 lota 4 I960 lota 5 l960Nu I I960NU2 l960Xi I l960Xi2 l960Xi3 l960Xi4 1960 Pi I 1960 Pi 2 I960 Pi 3 1960 Pi 4 1961 Alpha I 1961 Alpha 2 1961 Delta I 1961 Delta 2 1961 Delta 3 1961 Delta 4 1961 Epsilon I 1961 Zeta I 1961 Kappa I 1961 Lambda I 1961 Lambda 2 1961 Nu I 1961 Omicron I 1961 Omicron 2 1961 Omicron 3 1961 Rho I 1961 Rho2 1961 Rho3 1961 Rho4 1961 Sigma I 1961 Sigma 3 1961 Sigma4 1961 Upsilon I 1961 Alpha Delta I 1961 Alpha Delta 3 1961 Alpha Delta 4 1961 Alpha Epsilon I 1961 Alpha Eta I 1961 Alpha Eta2 1961 Alpha Eta 3 1961 Alpha Kappa I 1961 Alpha Kappa 2 1962Alpha I* 1962 Beta I 1962 Beta 2 1962 Beta 3 1962 Beta 4 Jupiter C Vanguard Vanguard Vanguard Vanguard Vanguard Juno 2 Juno 2 Juno 2 ThorAble ThorAble ThorAble ThorAble ThorAble Thor AbleStar Thor AbleStar Atlas Agena Thor AbleStar Thor AbleStar Thor AbleStar Thor Delta Thor Delta Thor Delta Thor Delta Thor Delta Thor AbleStar Thor AbleStar Juno 2 Juno 2 Juno2 Juno 2 Delta Delta Delta Delta Atlas Agena Atlas Agena Scout Scout Scout Scout Thor Agena Thor Agena Thor Delta Thor Agena Thor Agena Juno 2 Thor AbleStar Thor AbleStar Thor AbleStar Thor Delta Thor Delta Thor Delta Thor Delta Atlas Agena Atlas Agena Atlas Agena Delta Atlas Agena Atlas Agena Atlas Agena Thor Agena Thor AbleStar Thor AbleStar Thor AbleStar Thor Agena Thor Agena Atlas Agena Delta Delta Delta Delta 'Aphelion and perihelion in astronomical units; inclination to ecliptic; nodal period in days. Satellite Categories: A, Development of spaceflight techniques and technology; B, Space research and exploration; C, Practical applications of space based technology; D. Non-functional objects. Dote of Launch based on Greenwich Universal Time.
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