This is the draft of the NEXT issue of JSR. WARNING: Information on this page is up to date but not well checked, and may include wild rumours and downright nonsense. For the CURRENT issue of JSR, click here
Jonathan's Space Report
No. 700 draft 2014 Jul 13 Somerville, MA
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
International Space Station
---------------------------
Expedition 40 is continuing with ISS in a 411 x 417 km x 51.7 deg orbit.
The SS Janice Voss cargo freighter, on flight Orb-2, has arrived at the
ISS. The SSRMS arm grappled it at 1036 UTC on Jul 16 and berthed it on
the Harmony module at 1253 UTC. Progress M-42M (vehicle 423) was
launched on Jul 23 on flight 56P into a 189 x 204 km orbit;
it docked with the Pirs module at 0331 UTC Jul 24.
Orbcomm
-------
A SpaceX Falcon 9 flew to a 614 x 749 km x 47.0 deg orbit on Jul 14 to deploy
a set of six VHF messaging relay satellites for Orbcomm. The second stage
carried two ESPA rings (developed for EELV auxilary payloads) each carrying
four slots for the 172 kg satellites; the two extra slots were filled with
mass dummies which remained attached.
The Falcon 9 first stage made a flyback maneuver and deployed landing legs
as part of engineering tests for future recovery; the stage was destroyed
as it landed on the ocean.
Foton-M
--------
Foton-M No. 4 was launched from Baykonur on Jul 18 by a Soyuz-2-1A into
a 252 x 552 km x 64.9 deg orbit. This Foton-M, while retaining the
Vostok spherical cabin, uses the new extended length service module
(probably derived from the Yantar' series?). Microgravity and life
sciences experiments are on board; life science speciments include geckos and tardigrades;
I don't know the specific species of gecko used. The return capsule
includes samples exposed on the exterior for reentry studies.
On Jul 24 it was revealed that the satellite was not responding to ground
commands, although it continued to send back telemetry.
Nicolas Pillet points out that this mission is the first 34KSM Foton-M spacecraft;
the previous three missions, although named Foton-M, were spacecraft number 13 to 15
in the original 34KS Foton series.
Cassini
-------
Cassini completed the T-103 flyby of Titan at 1042 UTC Jul 20. Closest
approach was 5103 km above that world. Cassini is now in a 909900 x 2852000 km x 48.0 deg
orbit around Saturn, and will reach apoapsis (apochronon) 208 on Aug 3.
ISEE-3
------
ISEE-3 continues to approach its lunar flyby as the Reboot Project begins science operations
with it. The probe's propulsion system is not working and attempts to recapture the satellite in the
Earth-Moon system have been abandoned.
AFSPC-4
-------
United Launch Alliance launched a Delta 4 rocket on Jul 28 with three
payloads. GSSAP 1 and 2, built by Orbital for US Air Force Space
Command, will catalog satellites and space debris in geostationary
orbit. ANGELS is a smaller satellite, around 70 kg, for the Air Force
Research Lab and will make observations of the Delta rocket's second stage
at ranges from 50 km down to a few km, for further development of satellite
inspection technology.
Erratum
--------
Canopus Systems is an independent affiliate of Dauria Aerospace, not a subsidiary.
Thanks to Tomas Svitek for the clarification.
Table of Recent (orbital) Launches
----------------------------------
Date UT Name Launch Vehicle Site Mission INTL.
Jul 2 0956 OCO-2 Delta 7320 Vandenberg SLC2W Science 35A
Jul 3 1243 Gonets-M No. 18 ) Rokot Plesetsk LC133/4 Comms 36A
Gonets-M No. 19 ) Comms 36B
Gonets-M No. 20 ) Comms 36C
Jul 8 1558 Meteor-M No. 2 ) Soyuz-2-1B/Fregat Baykonur LC31 Weather 37A
Relek ) Space sci 37B
TDS-1 ) Tech 37H
SkySat-2 ) Imaging 37D
DX-1 ) Tech 37C
AISSAT-2 ) Comms AIS 37G
UKube-1 ) Tech 37F
Jul 10 1855 O3b No. 3 ) Soyuz ST-B/Fregat CSG ELS Comms 38D
O3b No. 6 ) Comms 38C
O3b No. 7 ) Comms 38B
O3b No. 8 ) Comms 38A
Jul 13 1652 SS Janice Voss Antares 120 Wallops MARS LA0 Cargo 39A
Jul 14 1515 Orbcomm OG2-3 ) Falcon 9 v1.1 Canaveral SLC40 Comms 40F
Orbcomm OG2-4 ) Comms 40E
Orbcomm OG2-6 ) Comms 40C
Orbcomm OG2-7 ) Comms 40B
Orbcomm OG2-9 ) Comms 40A
Orbcomm OG2-11 ) Comms 40D
Jul 18 2050 Foton-M No. 4 Soyuz-2-1A Baykonur LC31 Micrograv 41A
Jul 23 2144 Progress M-24M Soyuz-U Baykonur LC1 Cargo 42A
Jul 28 2328 GSSAP-1 ) Delta 4M+(4,2) Canaveral SLC37B Tracking 43
GSSAP-2 ) Tracking 43
ANGELS ) Tracking 43
Jul 29 2347 Georges Lematire Ariane 5ES Kourou ELA3 Cargo 44A
Suborbital missions
-------------------
Reports from northern China suggest a missile test of some kind occured on Jul 10 but this
has not been confirmed. However China did carry out a missile defense test on Jul 23.
Table of Recent (suborbital) Launches
----------------------------------
Date UT Payload/Flt Name Launch Vehicle Site Mission Apogee/km
Jul 9 1200 Dummy satellite Angara-1.2PP Plesetsk LC35/1 Test 188
Jul 12 1620 Hwasong 6 RV? Hwasong 6? Chiha? Test 100?
Jul 12 1620 Hwasong 6 RV? Hwasong 6? Chiha? Test 100?
Jul 22 1910 NASA 36.289US Black Brant IX White Sands Solar EUV 320
Jul 23 Target Unknown Jiuquan? Test? 100?
Jul 23 Interceptor Unknown Korla? Test? 100?
.-------------------------------------------------------------------------.
| Jonathan McDowell | |
| Somerville MA 02143 | inter : planet4589 at gmail |
| USA | twitter: @planet4589 |
| |
| JSR: http://www.planet4589.org/jsr.html |
| Back issues: http://www.planet4589.org/space/jsr/back |
| Subscribe/unsub: http://www.planet4589.org/mailman/listinfo/jsr |
'-------------------------------------------------------------------------'