SPX-534        1 May 1998

                     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
	        1 April 1998 and 30 April 1998.)

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

1998-025A (25315) COSMOS 2350   29 Apr	1998-021G (25291) IRIDIUM 68    07 Apr
1998-024B (25312) BSAT 1-B      28 Apr  1998-021F (25290) IRIDIUM 67    07 Apr
1998-024A (25311) NILESAT 101   28 Apr  1998-021E (25289) IRIDIUM 66    07 Apr
1998-023D (25309) GLOBALSTAR 8  24 Apr  1998-021D (25288) IRIDIUM 65    07 Apr
1998-023C (25308) GLOBALSTAR 7  24 Apr  1998-021C (25287) IRIDIUM 64    07 Apr
1998-023B (25307) GLOBALSTAR 6  24 Apr  1998-021B (25286) IRIDIUM 63    07 Apr
1998-023A (25306) GLOBALSTAR 5  24 Apr  1998-021A (25285) IRIDIUM 62    07 Apr
1998-022A (25297) STS 90        17 Apr  1998-020A (25280) TRACE         02 Apr  

B.  Text of Launch Announcements.

1998-025A  COSMOS 2350 is a Russian geosynchronous military spacecraft that was
	   launched by a Proton-K rocket from Baykonur at 04:37 UT. Initial
	   orbital parameters of the transfer orbit were period 635 min, apogee
	   35,981, perigee 215 km, and inclination 49 deg.

1998-024B  BSAT 1-B is a Japanese geostationary communications spacecraft
           that was launched by an Ariane 4 rocket from Kourou at 22:53 UT.
           The 1,200 kg spacecraft will enable direct-to-home voice and video
           communications to Japan and its vicinity.

1998-024A  NILESAT 101 is an Egyptian geostationary communications spacecraft
           that was launched by an Ariane 4 rocket from Kourou at 22:53 UT.
           The 1,800 kg spacecraft will provide Ku-band direct-to-home
           television at 84 channels and radio and data broadcasting at 400
           channels throughout the Middle East, Mediterranean region, and North
           Africa after parking over about E-47 deg longitude.

1998-023A, GLOBALSTAR 5 through 8 are low altitude communications satellites
023B,023C, of that international consortium that was launched by a Delta 2
023D       rocket from Cape Canaveral at 22:38 UT. The eventual fleet of
           48 satellites (plus eight spares) will enable telephone and FAX
           communications from/to areas far away from ground-based cellular
           networks. Future launches will use Ukrainian and Russian rockets.
           Initial orbital parameters of the four satellites were
	   approximately period 111 min, apogee 1,253 km, perigee 1,236 km, and
	   inclination 52.0 deg.

1998-022A  STS 90 is an American Shuttle spacecraft that was launched from
           Cape Canaveral at 18:19 UT. Its primary mission is to conduct 
	   the most comprehensive list of neurobiological experiments and
	   observations on a number of species: seven humans, 18 pregnant mice,
  	   152 rats (including 12 females with prenatal litters of eight each,
	   and two with litters of seven each), 229 swordtail fish, 60 snails,
	   75 snail spawn packs, 824 crickets, and 680 cricket eggs. According
	   to a principal investigator (of rat research), "the findings from 
	   the microgravity experiments may help gain some more insight into 
	   the best way to treat neurologic patients with Parkinson's disease,
	   and balance disorders." According to the project scientist of the
           mission, "it is important to note that the sensory and motor
           development events and processes under study in the various species
           on Neurolab are essentially the same as those that occur in humans,
           although with a different time frame." Initial orbital parameters
           were period 89.9 min, apogee 286 km, perigee 257 km, and inclination
           39 deg.

1998-021G, IRIDIUM 68, IRIDIUM 67, IRIDIUM 66, IRIDIUM 65, IRIDIUM 64,
21F,21E,   IRIDIUM 63, and IRIDIUM 62 are the latest to join the American
21D,21C,   fleet of IRIDIUMs. They were launched by a Proton-K rocket
21B,21A    from Baykonur at 02:13 UT. The fleet will enable global relay of
           communications between telephones located far away from local
           cellular areas; the next launch will complete the goal of 66 active
           and six spare spacecraft.  Initial orbital parameters of all seven
           spacecraft were approximately period 95 min, apogee 537 km,
           perigee 507 km, and inclination 86.7 deg.

1998-020A  TRACE (Transition Region And Coronal Explorer) is an American solar
           physics spacecraft that was launched at 02:42 UT by a Pegasus-XL
           rocket that was released from an L-1011 plane off the coast of
           Vandenberg AFB. The 250 kg, 200 W spacecraft carries a triaxial
           magnetometer for housekeeping and an EUV telescope of 8.66 m focal
           length with cryogenic detectors covering many wavelengths in the
           17-160 nanometer band to study the solar chromosphere and lower
           corona at 1-sec arc resolution. That resolution is sufficient to
           monitor the plasma entrapped by the thin bundles of twisted magnetic
           ropes that are presumed to dominate the transition region and
           contribute to coronal heating. Real-time science data may be viewed
           through the home page at http://sunland.gsfc.nasa.gov/smex/trace/
           index.html. Initial orbital parameters were period 97.1 min, apogee
           644 km, perigee 597 km, and inclination 97.8 deg.

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 or new information since
the last issue. Updates or corrections to the list are possible only with
information from the user community.)

       SEE LIST IN SPX-520. THE LIST WILL REAPPEAR ONLY AFTER
             MAJOR UPDATES TO THE LIST ARE AVAILABLE.

    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. 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 situation appeared in SPX-518. It will not be
repeated since an excellent source of trajectory- and science-related GPS
information is at URL
http://www.utexas.edu/depts/grg/gcraft/notes/gps/gps.html#DODSystem.
It provides many links to GPS-related data bases. The latest member of
the GPS fleet is NAVSTAR 38 (1997-067A), launched on 6 November 1997.

    3. Russian Global Navigational (Positioning) Spacecraft, GLONASS
constellation. (SPACEWARN requests updates or 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 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.

It will not be repeated in view of the excellent updated source, with the URL
http://www.rssi.ru/SFCSIC/glonass.html, maintained by the Coordinational
Scientific Information Center (CSIC), Russian Space Forces.

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

Designations         Common Name                       1998

1994-047B   (23193)  ATLAS 2A                          22 Apr
1997-019B   (24787)  ATLAS 2A                          21 Apr
1997-056F   (24970)  R/B DELTA 2                       17 Apr
1997-080A   (25095)  COSMOS 2348                       14 Apr
1992-009C   (21892)  R/B NAVSTAR 24                    12 Apr
1998-013B   (25238)  R/B ARIANE 42P                    08 Apr
1998-009A   (25167)  COSMOS 2349                       02 Apr
1997-034F   (24874)  R/B DELTA 2                       30 Mar

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

ASIASAT 3, launched in 1997 into a useless orbit, has now been purchased by the
manufacturer from the insurance company for a nominal price and renamed HGS 1.
It will be maneuvered into a Lunar swingby so as to provide eventually a
moderately useful geocentric orbit.

The correct 2-line elements of the SNOE spacecraft is now available under its
proper NORAD catalog number 25233, after WWAS/WDC-A-R&S contacted USSPACECOM.
Until May 1998, the elements had appeared under 25236.

From:	SMTP%"shige@crl.go.jp" 23-APR-1998 06:03:29.80
Subj:	PLANET-B/ prelaunch announcement
To: KING@NSSDCA.GSFC.NASA.GOV
23/ 1000 UT APR '98
FM CRL KOKUBUNJI JAPAN 232611 DEMPA J
TO COSPAR/ISES
   WORLD WARNING AGENCY FOR SATELLITES
   WORLD DATA CENTER-A FOR R & S, NASA/GSFC
   CODE 633, GREENBELT, MARYLAND, 20771, USA

Prelaunch Announcement

Spacecraft Name              PLANET-B
Planned Launch Date          JULY 4, 1998
Country                      Japan
Orbit Type (prior to the trans-Mars orbit insersion)
                             Elliptic Orbit
Perigee                      200km
Apogee                       300,000km - 400,000km
Inclination                  31.3 degree
Coverage Cycle Duration      Not Applicable
Time of Descending Node Equator Crossing
                             Not Applicable
Weight                       - 540kg
Orbit Period                 7 - 11 days
Position of Stationary Orbit Not Applicable
Allowed Longitude Error      Not Applicable
Transmitting Frequencies & Output Power
                             2293.89   Hz   (S-band)   35   dBm  (2.5W)
                             8410.93  MHz   (X-band)   37.6 dBm
Mission Life                 3 - 5 years
Launch Organization: ISAS
Mission: Interaction between solar wind and Martian upper atmosphere.
                        ------------------

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 the prompt type: copy nssdca::anon_dir:[000000.active.spx]spx.471
  Through FTP, at the 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: Occasionally, a list of bright, orbiting objects of visual
magnitude 4 or brighter.

The bulletin also carries launch dates, international IDs, 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.

Launch Organization          Institute of Space and Astronautical Science
(ISAS)
Spacecraft Mission           Interaction between solar wind and Martian
		             upper atmosphere