SPACEWARN BULLETIN

    SPX-452	  JUNE 25, 1991

                              SPACEWARN Activities
                              --------------------

              (All information in this publication was received between
                           May 24 and June 24, 1991.)


A.  List of New International Designations and Launch Dates.  (HQ USSPACECOM 
    Catalog numbers are in parentheses.)

1991-043A  (21426) MOLNIYA 1-81 Jun 18     1991-039A (21397) OKEAN-3      Jun  4
1986-017DV (21425) MAK-1        Feb 19	        038A (21395) PROGRESS M-8 May 30
1991-042A  (21422) COSMOS 2151  Jun 13          037A (21392) AURORA II    May 29
     041A  (21418) COSMOS 2150  Jun 11	        036A (21315) COSMOS 2149  May 24
     040A  (21399) STS-40       Jun  5


B.  Text of Launching Announcements.

1986-017DV MAK-1 was deployed from the orbiting space station MIR on June 17, 
           1991.

1991-043A  MOLNIYA 1-81, a communications satellite, was launched on June 18, 
           1991, by the U.S.S.R. using a MOLNIYA booster rocket.  The satellite
           has been placed in a highly elliptical orbit with the following 
           initial orbital parameters: period 12 hr 16 min, apogee 40,825 km in 
           the northern hemisphere, perigee 457 km in the southern hemisphere,
           inclination 62.8 deg.

1991-042A  COSMOS 2151 was launched on June 13, 1991, by the U.S.S.R. using a
           TSIKLON rocket booster. Initial orbital parameters: period 97.8 min,
           apogee 676 km, perigee 648 km, inclination 82.5 deg.

1991-041A  COSMOS 2150 was launched on June 11, 1991, by the U.S.S.R. using a
           COSMOS rocket booster. Initial orbital parameters: period 100.8 min,
           apogee 823 km, perigee 785 km, inclination 74 deg.

1991-040A  STS-40, the space shuttle COLUMBIA was launched on June 5, 1991, by
           the U.S. to conduct space biology research.  Initial orbital 
           parameters: period 90.1 min, apogee 302 km, perigee 276 km,
           inclination 39.0 deg.  COLUMBIA landed in California on June 15, 
           1991.

1991-039A  OKEAN-3 was launched on June 4, 1991, by the U.S.S.R. utilizing the
           TSIKLON booster rocket.  Initial orbital parameters: period 97.8 min,
           apogee 679 km, perigee 652 km, inclination 82.5 deg.  The main
           mission of the spacecraft is to obtain oceanographic and polar region
           ice information and data.

1991-038A  PROGRESS M-8 was launched on May 30, 1991, by the U.S.S.R. to deliver
           expendable material and other cargo to the space station MIR.  
           Initial orbital parameters: period 88.6 min, apogee 249 km, perigee
           191 km, inclination 51.6 deg.  Docked with the space station MIR on
           June 1, 1991.

1991-037A  AURORA II, a communications satellite, was launched on May 29, 1991,
           by the U.S. using a DELTA booster rocket.  Initial orbital 
           parameters: period 1400.4 min, apogee 35,509 km, perigee 34,660 km,
           inclination 0.2 deg.

1991-036A  COSMOS 2149 was launched on May 24, 1991, by the U.S.S.R. using a
           SOYUZ rocket booster. Initial orbital parameters: period 89.7 min, 
           apogee 377 km, perigee 176 km, inclination 67.2 deg.


C.  Spacecraft Particularly Suited for International Participation (Category I).

    1. Spacecraft with essentially continuous radio beacons on frequencies less
than 150 MHz, or higher frequencies if especially suited for ionospheric or
geodetic studies.  ("NNSS" denotes U.S. Navy Navigational Satellite System; 
brackets indicate updated information since the last issue.  Spacewarn would 
appreciate suggestions to update this list.)

Designation,     Epoch, Frequency, Power,
National Name    and Orbit Information      Remarks
-------------    ------------------------   -------

1966-110A        June 16, 1988              Weak signals.  VHF translator
ATS 1            137.35 MHz                 on ~12 hr/day.
                 Inclination: 14.0 deg
1967-111A        June 16, 1988              Weak signals.
ATS 3            136.37 MHz
                 137.35 MHz
                 Location: 105 deg W
                 Inclination: 12.1 deg
1973-081A        September 15, 1988         Operational transit.
OSCAR (NAV) 20   150 MHz at 0.75 W          (Also known as NNSS 30200)
                 400 MHz at 1.25 W
                 Inclination: 89.9 deg
1975-100A        March 23,1991
GOES 1           136.38 MHz  
                 Location: 82.4 deg W
                 Inclination: 10.3 deg
1977-048A        March 14, 1991
GOES 2           136.38 MHz
                 Location: 59.7 deg W
                 Inclination: 8.7 deg
1978-012A        April 5, 1991
IUE              136.86 MHz
                 Inclination: 32.731 deg
1978-062A        March 15, 1991
GOES 3           136.38 MHz
                 Location: 177.0 deg W
                 Inclination: 7.6 deg
1981-044A        March 4, 1991              Removed from service 0204 UT, March 
NOVA I           150 MHz at 3.00 W          3, 1991.  Switched to maintenance
                 400 MHz at 5.00 W          frequency at 2127 UT, March 4, 1991.
                 Inclination: 90.0 deg      (Also known as NNSS 30480)
1981-057A        March 25, 1991             Turned-on when beacon of METEOSAT 3
METEOSAT 2       137.078 MHz                is turned off and vice versa.
                 Location: 10.3 deg W
                 Inclination: 4.0 deg
1984-110A        September 15, 1988         Operational transit.
NOVA III         150 MHz at 3.00 W          (Also known as NNSS 30500)
                 400 MHz at 5.00 W
                 Inclination: 90.0 deg
1984-114B        April 1, 1991
MARECS-B2        137.17 MHz
                 Location: 55.6 deg W
                 Inclination: 2.0 deg
1984-123A        April 7, 1991
NOAA 9           137.62 MHz
                 Inclination: 99.173 deg
1985-066B        February 26, 1991          Switched to maintenance frequency
OSCAR (NAV) 30   150 MHz at 1.00 W          and placed in on-orbit storage
                 400 MHz at 2.00 W          2048 UT, February 26, 1991.
                 Inclination: 89.9 deg      (Also known as NNSS 30300)
1986-073A        April 7, 1991
NOAA 10          137.50 MHz
                 Inclination: 98.572 deg
1986-088A        September 15, 1988         Experimental.
POLAR BEAR       150 MHz at 0.75 W          (Also known as NNSS 30170)
                 400 MHz at 1.25 W
                 Inclination: 89.9 deg
1987-080A        December 5, 1988           Operational transit.
OSCAR (NAV) 27   150 MHz at 0.75 W          (Also known as NNSS 30270)
                 400 MHz at 1.25 W
                 Inclination: 90.3 deg
1987-080B        February 7, 1991           Operational transit.
OSCAR (NAV) 29   150 MHz at[A 0.75 W          (Also known as NNSS 30290)
                 400 MHz at 1.25 W
                 Inclination: 90.3 deg
1988-033A        January 31, 1989           Operational transit.
OSCAR (NAV) 23   150 MHz at 0.75 W          (Also known as NNSS 30230)
                 400 MHz at 1.25 W
                 Inclination: 90.4 deg
1988-033B        February 26, 1991          Operational transit.
OSCAR (NAV) 32   150 MHz at 1.00 W          (Also known as NNSS 30320)
                 400 MHz at 2.00 W
                 Inclination: 90.4 deg
1988-051A        February 7, 1991           Turned-on when beacon of METEOSAT 2
METEOSAT 3       137.080 MHz                is turned off and vice versa.
                 Location: 3 deg W
1988-052A        September 15, 1988         Operational transit.
NOVA II          150 MHz at 3.00 W          (Also known as NNSS 30490)
                 400 MHz at 5.00 W
                 Inclination: 90.0 deg
1988-074A        September 15, 1988         Stored in orbit at an offset
OSCAR (NAV) 25   150 MHz at 0.75 W          frequency.
                 400 MHz at 1.25 W          (Also known as NNSS 30250)
                 Inclination: 90.0 deg       
1988-074B        March 8, 1990              Stored in orbit at an offset
OSCAR (NAV) 31   150 MHz at 1.00 W          frequency.
                 400 MHz at 2.00 W          (Also known as NNSS 30130)
                 Inclination: 98.971 deg
1988-089A        April 9, 1991
NOAA 11          136.77 MHz
                 137.77 MHz
                 Inclination: 99.024 deg


    2. Optical objects used for geophysical studies.  (These objects are also 
suitable for studies of air density and atmospheric winds.  Additional research 
interest is indicated by + for gravitational fields.  SPACEWARN would appreciate
suggestions to update this list.)

                       + 1965-098C ALOUETTE  2 (rocket)
                         1970-034B CHINA 1     (rocket)
                         1971-016A COSMOS  398
                       + 1984-106A COSMOS 1603
                       + 1988-021B IRS-1A      (rocket)


    3. Satellites useful for simultaneous observation programs with small 
cameras.  ("NNN" Denotes no national name. SPACEWARN would appreciate 
suggestions to update this list.)

                              Apogee   Perigee
                       Incl    (km)     (km)    Magn      Remarks
                       ----   ------   -------  ----      -------

1963-049A  NNN         89.9    1086     1060     +5   cylinder, 4.8 x 1.4 m
1964-001A  NNN         69.9     927      904     +5   cylinder, 8 x 1.5 m
1964-053A  COSMOS 44   65.1     817      608     +4   cylinder
1965-070F  COSMOS      56.1    1515     1357     +5   rocket body
1965-073F  COSMOS      56.1    1686     1387     +5   rocket body
1965-089A  GEOS 1      59.4    2275     1113          octahedron and pyramid,
                                                        0.81 x 1.22 m
1968-002A  GEOS 2     105.8    1570     1082          octahedron and pyramid,
                                                        0.81 x 1.22 m
1975-027A  GEOS 3     115.0     858      818          octahedron and pyramid,
                                                        1.11 x 1.22 m
1976-039A  LAGEOS     109.8    5946     5837          sphere, 0.6 m diameter


    4. Satellite objects that are nearing their decay into the atmosphere.
(Orbital observations of these objects during the decaying phase are useful for
atmospheric studies.  Note: For maneuverable spacecraft the prediction may be
invalid.)
                    Objects predicted to decay within 60 days
                    -----------------------------------------

                           Expected Decay Dates 1991
                           -------------------------

                                 NOT AVAILABLE


    5. Actual Decays.
                             Actual Decay Dates 1991
                             -----------------------

1965-082CK                  May 30	1982-118D                   Jun  6
1965-082DV                  Jun 18	1983-022C                   May 21
1969-082JH                  May 18	1983-081C                   May 25
1970-089BP                  May 20	1986-017DB                  Jun 15
1974-066A   (COSMOS 673)    Jun  1	1986-017DC                  Jun  7
1975-052DM                  Jun  5	1986-017DF                  Jun  9
1975-099A      (TIP 2)      May 26	1986-017DG                  Jun  7
1978-026DD                  May 29	1986-019BG                  May 18
1978-026GV                  May 26	1986-019PN                  Jun 15
1981-017B                   May 26	1986-019TP                  May 28
1987-078C                   Jun 21	1991-023A   (COSMOS 2138)   May 24
1990-088C                   Jun 18	1991-035A   (RESURS F-10)   Jun 20
1990-104W                   May 19	1991-035B                   May 23
1990-105F                   Jun  2	1991-035E                   Jun 23
1990-105W                   May 19	1991-036B                   May 27
1990-107A   (SOYUZ TM-11)   May 26	1991-038B                   May 31
1990-113A   (COSMOS 2113)   Jun 11	1991-040A     (STS-40)      Jun 14
1991-005C                   May 30


D. Launching Reports and Updated Information.

   1. Updated Information

      1990-107A (20981) SOYUZ TM-11
           The spacecraft's descent vehicle with the Soviet and British 
           astronaut landed in Kazakhstan, U.S.S.R. on May 26, 1991.
