SPX-518       25 December 1996

                       SPACEWARN Activities
A publication of NASA NSSDC/WDC-A-R&S and the WWAS for ISES/COSPAR

    (All information in this publication was received between
	        25 November 1996 and 24 December 1996.)

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

1996-073A (24701) BION 11                     24 Dec
1996-072A (24680) USA 129                     20 Dec
1996-071A (24677) COSMOS 2336                 20 Dec
1996-070A (24674) INMARSAT 3-F3               18 Dec
1996-069A (24670) COSMOS 2335                 11 Dec
1996-068A (24667) MARS PATHFINDER             04 Dec
1996-067A (24665) HOT BIRD 2                  21 Nov

B.  Text of Launch Announcements.

1996-073A  Bion 11 is a Russian spacecraft that was launched from Plesetsk 
           cosmodrome by a Soyuz-U rocket at 13:50 UT. It carries a capsule 
           housing two monkeys and several newts, snails, beetles, fruit flies,
           and small plants to study their responses and behaviors under 
           microgravity. The capsule will make a soft-landing after two weeks. 
           The initial orbital parameters were period 90.5 min, apogee 401.1 
           km, perigee 225.4 km, and inclination 62.8 deg.

1996-072A  USA 129 is an American military spacecraft that was launched by a 
           Titan 4 rocket from Vandenberg AFB.

1996-071A  COSMOS 2336 is a Russian military spacecraft that was launched from 
           Plesetsk cosmodrome by a Kosmos 30M rocket at 12:44 UT. Initial 
           orbital parameters were period 105 min, apogee 1,026 km, perigee 995
           km, and inclination 83 deg.

1996-070A  INMARSAT 3-F3 is a geosynchronous communications spacecraft of that 
           international consortium to enable communications among maritime and
           land-based vehicles. It was launched by an Atlas rocket from Cape 
           Canaveral.

1996-069A  COSMOS 2335 is a Russian military spacecraft. Initial orbital 
           elements were period 92.7 min, apogee 417 km, perigee 403 km, and 
           inclination 65.4 deg.

1996-068A  MARS PATHFINDER is an American planetology spacecraft that was 
           launched by a Delta 2 rocket from Cape Canaveral at 06:58 UT. 
           After a seven-month cruise the PATHFINDER along with a small rover  
           named Sojourner (60 cm x 48 cm x 30 cm; 11.5 kg) it carries will 
           land on Mars, cushioned by inflatable balloons. The landing site will
           be at 19.5 north latitude and 32.8 west longitude. Both the 
           spacecraft (also known as the lander) and the rover will be solar-
           powered, with backup batteries. The lander houses three instruments:
           Imager for Mars Pathfinder (IMP), Atmospheric Structure Instrument/
           METeorology package (ASI/MET); the rover houses an Alpha, Proton, 
           X-ray Spectrometer (APXS) and color cameras. The lander has a one-
           gigabyte memory to store and transmit data from its instruments as 
           well as from the instruments on the rover. More details of the 
           mission may be obtained through the URL http://mpfwww.jpl.nasa.gov.

1996-067A  HOT BIRD 2 is a European geosynchronous communications spacecraft 
           that was launched by an Atlas rocket from Cape Canaveral. It is 
           intended to provide direct broadcast voice and video communications 
           to western Europe.

C. Spacecraft Particularly Suited for International Participation.

   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; an
asterisk [*] indicates updated/new information since the last issue. Updates or
corrections to the list are possible only with information from the user 
community.)

           THE FULL LIST APPEARED in SPX-513; A SMALL REVISION 
           APPEARED IN SPX-515. THE LIST WILL APPEAR AGAIN 
                     ONLY WHEN MAJOR UPDATES ARE MADE.

Mr. Geoffrey Perry, MBE, Kettering Group, Cornwall, England, has reported 
on 26 December 1996 the following change: 

1991-081A (21796)    December 6, 1993      INACTIVE. REPLACED
                     149.97 MHz            by COSMOS 2336 on 26 December 1996
                     399.92 MHz
                     Inclination: 82.955 deg
1996-073A (24677)    December 20, 1996     ACTIVE in plane #4
                     149.97 MHz
                     399.92 MHz
                     Inclination: 82.949 deg

    2. Global Positioning System satellites useful for navigational purposes   
and geodetic studies.  ("NNN" denotes no national name.  SPACEWARN Bulletin
appreciates suggestions to update this list. An asterisk [*] denotes changes in
this issue. The SPACEWARN Bulletin thanks Richard Langley of the University of
New Brunswick for the update.)

High precision (< 20 cm) GPS constellation tracking data obtained from
the network of about 80 dedicated global stations that are of interest to
geodetic study may be obtained through the following services provided
by the International Association of Geodesy (IGS). 

                FTP:    igscb.jpl.nasa.gov  [directory /igscb]
                WWW:    http://igscb.jpl.nasa.gov/
                E-Mail: igscb@cobra.jpl.nasa.gov

The standard format of the GPS information appeared in SPX-515. 
The following E-mail from Richard Langley may be more useful to the
user community. 

From:	SMTP%"lang@unb.ca"  7-OCT-1996 12:10:52.26
To:	SARDI
CC:	
Subj:	Navstar GPS Constellation Status (96-10-07)

                        Navstar GPS Constellation Status
                                   (96-10-07)
 
Blk                      NORAD   Orbit   Launch
II       PRN  Internat. Catalog  Plane    Date
Seq  SVN Code    ID      Number  Pos'n    (UT)   Clock Available/Decommissioned
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Block I
      01  04  1978-020A  10684          78-02-22        78-03-29     85-07-17
      02  07  1978-047A  10893          78-05-13        78-07-14     81-07-16
      03  06  1978-093A  11054          78-10-06        78-11-13     92-05-18
      04  08  1978-112A  11141          78-12-10        79-01-08     89-10-14
      05  05  1980-011A  11690          80-02-09        80-02-27     83-11-28
      06  09  1980-032A  11783          80-04-26        80-05-16     91-03-06
      07                                81-12-18        Launch failure
      08  11  1983-072A  14189          83-07-14        83-08-10     93-05-04
      09  13  1984-059A  15039          84-06-13        84-07-19     94-06-20
      10  12  1984-097A  15271          84-09-08        84-10-03     95-11-18
      11  03  1985-093A  16129          85-10-09        85-10-30     94-04-13
 
Block II 
II-1  14  14  1989-013A  19802    E-1   89-02-14   Cs   89-04-15 05:02 UT
II-2  13  02  1989-044A  20061    B-3   89-06-10   Cs   89-08-10 20:46 UT
II-3  16  16  1989-064A  20185    E-5   89-08-18   Cs   89-10-14 20:21 UT
II-4  19  19  1989-085A  20302    A-4   89-10-21   Rb   89-11-23 03:13 UT
II-5  17  17  1989-097A  20361    D-3   89-12-11   Cs   90-01-06 03:30 UT
II-6  18  18  1990-008A  20452    F-3   90-01-24   Cs   90-02-14 22:26 UT
II-7  20  20  1990-025A  20533          90-03-26        90-04-18     96-05-10
II-8  21  21  1990-068A  20724    E-2   90-08-02   Cs   90-08-22 15:00 UT
II-9  15  15  1990-088A  20830    D-2   90-10-01   Cs   90-10-15 00:39 UT
 
Block IIA
II-10 23  23  1990-103A  20959    E-4   90-11-26   Cs   90-12-10 23:45 UT
II-11 24  24  1991-047A  21552    D-1   91-07-04   Rb   91-08-30 04:44 UT
II-12 25  25  1992-009A  21890    A-2   92-02-23   Cs   92-03-24 11:00 UT
II-13 28  28  1992-019A  21930    C-5   92-04-10   Cs   92-04-25 20:32 UT
II-14 26  26  1992-039A  22014    F-2   92-07-07   Cs   92-07-23 19:43 UT
II-15 27  27  1992-058A  22108    A-3   92-09-09   Cs   92-09-30 20:08 UT
II-16 32  01  1992-079A  22231    F-1   92-11-22   Cs   92-12-11 14:49 UT
II-17 29  29  1992-089A  22275    F-4   92-12-18   Cs   93-01-05 16:39 UT
II-18 22  22  1993-007A  22446    B-1   93-02-03   Cs   93-04-04 05:20 UT
II-19 31  31  1993-017A  22581    C-3   93-03-30   Rb   93-04-13 20:53 UT
II-20 37  07  1993-032A  22657    C-4   93-05-13   Cs   93-06-12 16:15 UT
II-21 39  09  1993-042A  22700    A-1   93-06-26   Cs   93-07-20 12:54 UT
II-22 35  05  1993-054A  22779    B-4   93-08-30   Cs   93-09-28 19:29 UT
II-23 34  04  1993-068A  22877    D-4   93-10-26   Cs   93-11-22 18:20 UT
II-24 36  06  1994-016A  23027    C-1   94-03-10   Cs   94-03-28 14:20 UT
II-25 33  03  1996-019A  23833    C-2   96-03-28   Cs   96-04-09 21:17 UT
II-26 40  10  1996-041A  23953    E-3   96-07-16   Rb   96-08-15 15:05 UT
II-27 30  30  1996-056A  24320    B-2   96-09-12   Cs   96-10-01 15:28 UT

Notes
-----
1.  NORAD Catalog Number is also known as U.S. Space Command (USSPACECOM)   
    object number.
2.  No orbital plane position = satellite no longer operational.
3.  Clock:  Rb = Rubidium; Cs = Cesium.
4.  Selective Availability (S/A) had been enabled on Block II satellites during
    part of 1990; S/A off between about 10 August 1990 and 1 July 1991 due to
    Gulf crisis; standard level re-implemented on 15 November 1991; 
    occasionally off for test and other purposes.  Currently, PRN15 and PRN28 
    appear to have little or no S/A imposed.
5.  Anti-spoofing (A-S) was activated on 94-01-31 at 00:00 UT on all Block II
    satellites (ref. NANU 050-94042); occasionally off for test and other
    purposes.  A-S was turned off on all satellites at 20:00 UT on 95-04-19 and
    back on on 95-05-10; off again between 95-06-19 and 95-07-10; and between 
    95-10-10 and 95-10-31.  A-S has been off on PRN28 since 95-02-21.
6.  PRN number of SVN32 was changed from 32 to 01 on 93-01-28.
7.  The active clock on PRN01 was switched from a Rb to a Cs between 96-08-16 
    and 96-08-22 (ref. USNO and NANUs 134-96229 and 141-96234).
8.  PRN05 and PRN06 are equipped with corner-cube reflectors for satellite 
    laser ranging (SLR).  SLR tracking of the satellites will permit onboard 
    clock errors and satellite ephemeris errors in GPS tracking to be 
    differentiated.
9.  The decommissioning date for PRN06/SVN03 is the date of termination of
    operations of this satellite (ref. USNO) and is about 3 weeks later than
    other published dates for "deactivation."
10. PRN16 will be moved from the E-3 slot to the E-5 slot to make room for 
    PRN10.  An orbit maneouvre was carried out on 96-08-19 (ref. NANUs 
    120-96204, 137-96232).
11. PRN20 has been unusable since 15:18 UT on 96-05-10 and will not return to 
    service (ref. NANU 118-96204).  Cause of failure: loss of 3-axis 
    stabilisation.  PRN20 was moved out of the B-2 slot to make room for PRN30 
    (ref. NANU 162-96256).
12. PRN28 has been moved from the C-2 slot to the C-5 slot, about 40 degrees 
    away.  This move, which was initiated on 96-03-06 by lowering the orbit of 
    PRN28 by about 6 km, made way for PRN03.  PRN03 is a backup for PRN28 which 
    has some undisclosed equipment problem.  PRN28 will remain on the air, with 
    some subsystems shut down to conserve power (ref. NANUs 045-96066, NANU 
    068-96100, and GPS World Newsletter).  The move was completed on 96-08-23 
    (ref. NANUs 127-96236 and 144-96236).
13. PRN30 (SVN30) was launched on 96-09-12 at 08:49 UT.  It achieved initial 
    usable status on 96-10-01 at 15:28 UT (ref. NANUs 162-96256 and 171-96275).
14. Announced date of next scheduled launch: 97-01-13 (first Block IIR 
    satellite).
15. Compiled by Richard B. Langley, Dept. of Geodesy and Geomatics Engineering, 
    University of New Brunswick.
                                                                                
=============================================================================== 
 Richard B. Langley                         Internet: LANG@UNB.CA or SE@UNB.CA  
 Geodetic Research Laboratory               BITnet:   LANG@UNB or SE@UNB        
 Dept. of Geodesy and Geomatics Engineering Phone:    (506) 453-5142            
 University of New Brunswick                FAX:      (506) 453-4943            
 Fredericton, N.B., Canada  E3B 5A3         Telex:    014-46202                 
Fredericton?  Where's that? See: http://degaulle.hil.unb.ca/NB/fredericton.html 
=============================================================================== 

    3. Russian Global Navigational (Positioning) Spacecraft, GLONASS
constellation. (SPACEWARN requests updates/additions from readers to this list.
An asterisk [*] indicates updates or additions to the list.) 

All GLONASS spacecraft are in the general COSMOS series. The COSMOS numbers
invoked by USSPACECOM have sometimes differed from the numbers (NNNN) 
associated in Russia. The corresponding GLONASS numbers are Russian numbers.

The operating frequencies in MHz are computed from the channel number K.  
Frequencies (MHz) are L1 = 1602.0 + 0.5625K and L2 = 1246.0 + 0.4375K.

The standard format of the GLONASS situation appeared in SPX-515. The following
E-mail from CSIC may be more useful to the user community.

From:	AMES::"sfcsic@mx.iki.rssi.ru" "CSIC of the Russian Space Forces" 
26-DEC-1996 17:39:22.70
To:	Arne Jungstand <nz.dlr.de::jungstan>, Geoff Evens <nprs.hydro.gov.uk::
geoff>, Georg Weber <gps.ifag.de::weber>, Ivan Levenets <internavi.msk.su::
postmaster>, Mahooti Shahrzad <airsys.thomson.fr::mahooti>, "Mr. Parthasarathy"
<ncf.span.nasa.gov::sardi>
	
Subj:	Latest GLONASS constellation status

                       1.STATUS Information Group

                         GLONASS Constellation Status
                             (December 26, 1996)

 GLONASS Cosmos  Plane/ Frequ.  Launch    Intro     Status     Outage
 number  number  slot   chann.  date      date                 date

  769    2178    1/8    2       30.01.92  22.02.92  operating
  771    2179    1/1    23      30.01.92  18.02.92  withdrawn  21.12.96
  756    2204    3/21   24      30.07.92  19.08.92  operating
  759    2235    1/7    21      17.02.93  25.08.93  operating
  757    2236    1/2    5       17.02.93  14.03.93  operating
  758    2275    3/18   10      11.04.94  04.09.94  operating
  760    2276    3/17   24      11.04.94  18.05.94  operating
  761    2277    3/23   3       11.04.94  16.05.94  operating
  767    2287    2/12   22      11.08.94  07.09.94  operating
  770    2288    2/14   9       11.08.94  04.09.94  operating
  775    2289    2/16   22      11.08.94  07.09.94  operating
  762    2294    1/4    12      20.11.94  11.12.94  operating
  763    2295    1/3    21      20.11.94  15.12.94  unusable   23.12.96
  764    2296    1/6    13      20.11.94  16.12.94  operating
  765    2307    3/20   1       07.03.95  30.03.95  operating
  766    2308    3/22   10      07.03.95  05.04.95  operating
  777    2309    3/19   3       07.03.95  06.04.95  operating
  780    2316    2/15   4       24.07.95  26.08.95  operating 
  781    2317    2/10   9       24.07.95  22.08.95  operating
  785    2318    2/11   4       24.07.95  22.08.95  operating
  776    2323    2/9    6       14.12.95  07.01.96  operating
  778    2324    2/9    11      14.12.95            spare
  782    2325    2/13   6       14.12.95  18.01.96  operating

 Note: All the dates (DD.MM.YY) are given at Moscow Time (UTC+0300)

                       2.SUMMARY Information Group

SUBJ: GLONASS STATUS 26 DECEMBER 96
1.SATELLITES, PLANES, SLOTS AND CHANNELS
  Plane 1/ slot:  01  02  03  04  05  06  07  08
        Channel:  --  05  --  12  --  13  21  02
  Plane 2/ slot:  09  10  11  12  13  14  15  16
        Channel   06  09  04  22  06  09  04  22
  Plane 3/ slot:  17  18  19  20  21  22  23  24
        Channel:  24  10  03  01  24  10  03  --
2.CURRENT ADVISORIES (ADV) AND FORECASTS (FCST)
INFORMATION IS REPEATED FOR ONE MONTH AFTER EVENT CONCLUDES.
ALL THE DATES (DD.MM.YY) ARE GIVEN AT MOSCOW TIME (UTC+0300)
A. FORECASTS
NAGU-MSG.DATE-TIME-SL/CH-TYPE-SUMMARY

B. ADVISORIES
NAGU-MSG.DATE-TIME-SL/CH-TYPE-SUMMARY
233-961206-06.12.96-1200-23/03-ADVS-UNUSABLE 05.12/1109-05.12/1134
234-961206-06.12.96-1200-18/10-ADVS-UNUSABLE 05.12/1330-05.12/1456
235-961209-09.12.96-1100-03/21-ADVS-UNUSABLE 07.12/0123-07.12/0153
236-961211-11.12.96-1100-15/04-ADVS-UNUSABLE 11.12/0318-UNFINISHED
237-961214-14.12.96-1100-15/04-ADVS-PUT INTO OPERATION  11.12/1317
238-961215-15.12.96-1100-03/21-ADVS-UNUSABLE 15.12/0355-15.12/0432
239-961216-16.12.96-1000-07/21-ADVS-UNUSABLE 15.12/1920-15.12/2032
241-961223-23.12.96-1100-03/21-ADVS-UNUSABLE 23.12/0240-UNFINISHED
242-961226-26.12.96-1100-18/10-ADVS-UNUSABLE 25.12/0946-25.12/1003

C. GENERAL: NO IMPACT, INFORMATIONAL PURPOSE ONLY
NAGU-MSG.DATE-TIME-SL/CH-TYPE-SUMMARY
240-961223-23.12.96-1100-01/23-GNRL-END OF OPERATION      21.12.96

                     3.NAGU Information Group

233-961206
NOTICE ADVISORY TO GLONASS USERS (NAGU) 233-961206
SUBJ: 23/03(761) UNUSABLE 05.12/1109-05.12/1134 MT
1.CONDITION: 23/03(761) WAS UNUSABLE SINCE 05.12/1109 
UNTIL 05.12/1134 MT (UTC+0300) 
2.POC:CSIC RSF AT +7-095-333-81-33

234-961206
NOTICE ADVISORY TO GLONASS USERS (NAGU) 234-961206
SUBJ: 18/10(758) UNUSABLE 05.12/1330-05.12/1456 MT
1.CONDITION: 18/10(758) WAS UNUSABLE SINCE 05.12/1330 
UNTIL 05.12/1456 MT (UTC+0300) 
2.POC:CSIC RSF AT +7-095-333-81-33

235-961209
NOTICE ADVISORY TO GLONASS USERS (NAGU) 235-961209
SUBJ: 03/21(763) UNUSABLE 07.12/0123-07.12/0153 MT
1.CONDITION: 03/21(763) WAS UNUSABLE SINCE 07.12/0123
UNTIL 07.12/0153 MT (UTC+0300) 
2.POC:CSIC RSF AT +7-095-333-81-33

236-961211
NOTICE ADVISORY TO GLONASS USERS (NAGU) 236-961211
SUBJ: 15/04(780) UNUSABLE 11.12/0318 MT-UNFINISHED
1.CONDITION: 15/04(780) WAS UNUSABLE SINCE 11.12/0318 MT 
(UTC+0300) UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE DUE TO MAINTENANCE
2.USERS ARE REMINDED TO UPDATE ALMANACS IF NECESSARY
3.POC:CSIC RSF AT +7-095-333-81-33

237-961214
NOTICE ADVISORY TO GLONASS USERS (NAGU) 237-961214
REF: NAGU 236-961211
SUBJ: 15/04(780) PUT INTO OPERATION IN 11.12/1317 (UTC+0300) MT
1.CONDITION: 15/04(780) WAS PUT INTO OPERATION ON 11.12/1317 MT
(UTC+0300)
2.USERS ARE REMINDED TO UPDATE ALMANACS IF NECESSARY
3.POC:CSIC RSF AT +7-095-330-91-74

238-961215
NOTICE ADVISORY TO GLONASS USERS (NAGU) 238-961215
SUBJ: 03/21(763) UNUSABLE 15.12/0355-15.12/0432 MT
1.CONDITION: 03/21(763) WAS UNUSABLE SINCE 15.12/0355
UNTIL 15.12/0432 MT (UTC+0300) 
2.POC:CSIC RSF AT +7-095-333-81-33

239-961216
NOTICE ADVISORY TO GLONASS USERS (NAGU) 239-961216
SUBJ: 07/21(759) UNUSABLE 15.12/1920-15.12/2032 MT
1.CONDITION: 07/21(759) WAS UNUSABLE SINCE 15.12/1920
UNTIL 15.12/2032 MT (UTC+0300) 
2.POC:CSIC RSF AT +7-095-333-81-33

240-961223
NOTICE ADVISORY TO GLONASS USERS (NAGU) 240-961223
REF: 218-961031
SUBJ: 01/23(771) END OF OPERATION 21.12
1.CONDITION: 01/23(771) WAS WITHDRAWN SINCE 21.12
ALL OPERATIONS ENDED 
2.POC:CSIC RSF AT +7-095-333-81-33

241-961223
NOTICE ADVISORY TO GLONASS USERS (NAGU) 241-961223
SUBJ: 03/21(763) UNUSABLE 23.12/0240 MT-UNFINISHED
1.CONDITION: 03/21(763) WAS UNUSABLE SINCE 23.12/0240 MT 
(UTC+0300) UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE DUE TO MAINTENANCE
2.USERS ARE REMINDED TO UPDATE ALMANACS IF NECESSARY
3.POC:CSIC RSF AT +7-095-333-81-33

242-961226
NOTICE ADVISORY TO GLONASS USERS (NAGU) 242-961226
SUBJ: 18/10(758) UNUSABLE 25.12/0946-25.12/1003 MT
1.CONDITION: 18/10(758) WAS UNUSABLE SINCE 25.12/0946
UNTIL 25.12/1003 MT (UTC+0300) 
2.POC:CSIC RSF AT +7-095-333-81-33

% Date: Thu, 26 Dec 1996 13:34:16 +0300
% From: CSIC of the Russian Space Forces <sfcsic@mx.iki.rssi.ru>
% Organization: CSIC Russian Space Forces
 
                                            Mail: PO BOX 14,
         Coordinational Scientific          Moscow, 117279 ,Russia
         Information Center (CSIC)
           Russian Space Forces              Tel: +7 095 333-81-33
 RUSSIA, Moscow, Profsoyuznaya ulitsa, 84/32.     +7 095 330-91-74
     Fax: +7 095 334-23-00
     E-mail: sfcsic@mx.iki.rssi.ru
         Home page WWW.IKI:    http://www.rssi.ru/SFCSIC/SFCSIC_main.html
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

    4. Actual decays/landings of payload spacecraft and rocket bodies (R/B)
only. No further information is available.

Designations       Common Name                        1996

1996-069B (24671)  R/B COSMOS 2335                    12 Dec
1996-065A (24660)  STS 80         Landed on           07 Dec
1996-065B (24661)  ORFEUS-SPAS  Recaptured by STS 60  07 Dec
1996-065C (24662)  WSF 3        Recaptured by STS 60  07 Dec
1988-051B (19216)  OSCAR 13                           06 Dec
1996-059A (24634)  FSW 2-3                            03 Dec
1996-060C (24642)  R/B MOLNIYA 3-48                   26 Nov
1996-066B (24664)  R/B PROGRESS M-33                  22 Nov
1996-064A (24656)  MARS 96                            18 Nov

    5. Miscellaneous Items. (This section contains information/data that are
entered on occasion and may not be repeated in each issue of the SPACEWARN
Bulletin.)

Efforts to activate MAGION-5 spacecraft (a sub-satellite of Interball-AURORA) 
that was launched on 29 August 1996 continue. It has remained inoperational 
since launch due to an electrical short in the solar panels.
                  
NSSDC/WDC-A-R&S is an archival center for science data from many spacecraft.
Some data are on line for electronic access. Please contact the Request Office,
NSSDC, Code 633, NASA GSFC, Greenbelt, Maryland 20771, U.S.A., for specific
information (REQUEST@NSSDCA.GSFC.NASA.GOV). Information on the current 
status of the instruments on board from the investigators will be most
welcomed. Precomputed trajectory files and orbital parameters of many 
magnetospheric and heliospheric science-payload spacecraft may be FTP'ed from 
NSSDC's ANON_DIR:[000000.ACTIVE] and its several subdirectories. (See the last 
page of the bulletin for the access method; a file in the ACTIVE directory 
named AAREADME.DOC outlines the contents.) It can also be accessed through the
WWW URL
                 http://sscop1.gsfc.nasa.gov/ssc.html

This HTML also enables executing several codes related to the orbits 
of many geocentric science payload spacecraft. The codes related to 
the heliospheric spacecraft trajectories can be executed through the URL

                 http://nssdc/space/helios/heli.html

Magnetospheric, planetary, and astronomical science data from many spacecraft 
may be accessed through links from the URL

                http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/
===========================================================================

                         SPACEWARN Bulletin
                         ------------------

The Bulletin is intended to serve as an international communication medium
for the rapid distribution of information on satellites and space probes.  The
material it contains is based on guidelines in the COSPAR Guide to Rocket and
Satellite Information and Data Exchange, COSPAR Transactions #8, December 1972,
and various Committee on Space Research (COSPAR) resolutions.  

Hard copy recipients and electronic accessers are encouraged to disseminate the
bulletin to interested individuals and institutions in their regions or 
countries.  All bulletins beginning with January 1991 (SPX-447) are now 
available on line; the SPX number increases by one for each succeeding month 
(for example, the January 1993 bulletin is SPX-471).

Through DECnet:	
  At prompt type: copy nssdca::anon_dir:[000000.active.spx]spx.471  
Through FTP: 	At prompt type:  ftp nssdca.gsfc.nasa.gov 
  At the next prompt type:  anonymous
  At the PASSWORD (NSSDCA.GSFC.GOV.ANONYMOUS) prompt hit:   return
  At the next prompt type: get anon_dir:[000000.active.spx]spx.471 spx.471

Other subdirectories in [000000.active] carry many files of interest on
science payload spacecraft.

The bulletin may also be accessed through the World Wide Web (WWW). The URL is
http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/spacewarn/spacewarn.html. 

Users are urged to submit their comments and suggestions for the improvement of
this bulletin to SPACEWARN Bulletin, World Data Center-A for Rockets and
Satellites, Code 633, Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland 20771
U.S.A.

Categories of Spacecraft

To improve the effectiveness of international distribution of satellite and
space probe information via the SPACEWARN system, spacecraft are identified in
categories according to the urgency and detail of information needed by the
scientific community as follows: 

CATEGORY 1:  Spacecraft that carry essentially continuous telemetry or radio 
beacons, usually on frequencies less than 150 MHz.

CATEGORY 2: GPS constellation of positioning/navigational spacecraft.

CATEGORY 3: GLONASS constellation of positioning/navigational spacecraft.  

CATEGORY 4: Occassionally, a list of bright, orbiting objects of visual
magnitude 4 or brighter.

The bulletin also carries launch dates, international ID's and USSPACECOM 
catalog numbers, followed by a brief outline of the payload and orbital 
parameters, re-entry of major objects, and miscellaneous sections.

These data are based on launch announcements or on information received from
individuals, launching authorities, FBIS and USSPACECOM telexes, and news 
magazines.