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Aviation History
1989
1989 - 2380.PDF
OPERATIONS: SPACE Soviet spy satellite revealed BY TIM FURNISS The Soviet Union has released details of its civilian Resurs F natural-resources photographic satellite and, in so doing, has revealed its third-generation military photo-reconnaissance satellite. Resurs F, which has flown 21-day and 14-day missions this year, the latter launched on June 27, carries a recoverable Vostok- class photographic capsule "con taining multi-zonal and spectro- zonal imaging equipment". The spacecraft flies almost identical missions to the Soviet military Resurs F has a recoverable photographic reconnaissance capsule photo-reconnaissance satellites. First- and second-generation photo-reconnaissance satellites, launched between 1962 and 1968, were based on the manned Vostok and were powered solely by batteries. These flew typical eight-day missions before the Vostok capsule was recovered. The third-generation photo- reconnaissance satellite was introduced as Cosmos 208 in 1968, flying extended, typically 21-day, missions and using a pair of solar panels to augment the battery power. These craft are still in use, eight having been launched up to June 30 this year. The accompanying illustration shows the spherical, recoverable Vostok capsule, with a funnel attachment apparently associ ated with the imaging equip ment. The conical instrument section has a retro rocket with a cover, which is presumably ejec ted once in orbit. The pair of solar panels are mounted at the other end of the spacecraft on a conical mounting which could be a reserve retro- rocket pack. • Ariane launch plan released Arianespace plans 13 Ariane launches to the end of 1990, starting with Flight 33 on August 8, an Ariane 44LP carrying West Germany's TV-Sat 2 commu nications satellite and Europe's Hipparcos astrometry spacecraft. The next launch had been scheduled for July 27, but the TV Sat 2 was damaged in a thunder storm while in a hangar at the Kourou launch site. Arianespace has orbited 22 satellites over the past 22 months in 14 launches, and has a backlog of 35 satellites still to launch. Following Flight 33, Ariane space plans three more flights in 1989: Flight 34 in October, an Ariane 44L carrying the first Intelsat VI; Flight 35 in Novem ber, an Ariane 40 carrying France's second SPOT Earth- observation spacecraft; and Flight 36 in December, an Ariane 44L carrying Japan's Superbird B and BS-2X satellites. The nine flights scheduled for 1990 begin in February with Flight 37, an Ariane 44L carrying France's TDF 2 and Germany's DFS 2. Flight 38 in April is either an Ariane 44P carrying the first Eutelsat II and the second opera tional Meteosat, MOP 2, or a more-powerful 44LP carrying Eutelsat IIA and Britain's military Skynet 4C. Flight 39 in May, therefore, is either an Ariane 44P carrying Skynet 4C and GTE's GStar IV, or a less-powerful 42P carrying GStar IV and MOP 2. Olympus flies the last Ariane 3 Flight 40 in June 1990 is an Ariane 44L carrying SBS-6 and Galaxy VI for Hughes Commu nications. Flight 41 in July is another 44L carrying Intelsat VI-F5, while further 44L will launch Eutelsat IIB and Italy's Italysat 1 on Flight 42 in September. Flight 43 in October is an Ariane 40 carrying Europe's ERS-1 Earth-resources satellite. Flight 44 in November is an Ariane 44L carrying Satcom K3 and Inmarsat 2-F3. Flight 45, in December, an Ariane 44P carry ing Canada's first Anik E will end the year's launches. • Germany books third Spacelab West Germany has formally booked a third Spacelab laboratory Shuttle mission, in November 1993, following the February 1922 second mission. Spacelab D3, which will carry at least two West German payload specialists, will conduct several experiments to prepare for operations on board the Columbus module attached to the Freedom international space station, and could be followed by further national missions. During the first Spacelab D mission, in October 1985, 17 fluid-physics, 31 solidification, 17 biological, five medical, and six space-time interaction experiments were conducted by an eight-member crew including two West Germans, Ernst Messerschmitt and Reinhard Furrer. One of these will fly on Spacelab D2 with, one of five new science astronauts in training. Spacelab D2 will be launched on the first Endeavour mission, STS52. Spacelab D3 is scheduled for STS 75 Columbia. • Amroc launch goes ahead The first launch of an Ameri can Rocket Amroc booster will take place from Vandenberg AFB on August 14, as scheduled, despite the July death of the company's co-founder and presi dent, George Koopman, from injuries sustained in a car crash. The sub-orbital flight of the single-module launch vehicle, (SMLV) comprising a 315kN- thrust hybrid propulsion module, will provide an as-yet-unidenti fied commercial customer with about 10 minutes exposure to microgravity. Payload recovery will be made by an early version of Amroc's fly-back re-entry vehicle, which uses a radio-guided manoeuvrable ram-air parachute. If successful, the mission will be followed by an SMLV-2 flight later this year. Amroc's third commercial mission, next year, will be the first to orbit a payload. This will use the Slingshot, or Industrial Launch Vehicle ILV S, which can place 135kg into low earth orbit (LEO). • NEWS IN BRIEF INMARSAT AGREEMENT Soviet satellite communica tions organisation Morsvia- sputnik, and space agency Glavkosmos, are to assist Inmarsat in the study of a geo stationary civil complement to the Glonass global naviga tion system, the Soviet equiv alent to the US Navstar global positioning system. 14 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 5 August 1989
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