July-August 1982:satellite digest

COSMOS 1338 1982-11A

Launched: 1110,16 Feb 1982 from Plesetsk by A-2.

Spacecraft data- Possibly based on Vostok
manned spacecraft with spherical re-entry
module, instrument unit and cylindrical, supplementary payload at the forward end.
Length about 6 m, max diameter about 2.4 m
and mass around 6000 kg.

Mission: Military photo-reconnaissance,
recovered after 15 days.

Orbit: Initially 200x362 km, 90.18 min, 72.89
degrees; manoeuvred to 357 X414 km,
92.29 min, 72.86 degrees after one day.

COSMOS 1339 1982-12A

Launched- 2203,17 Feb 1982 from Plesetsk by C-1.

Spacecraft data.- Cylindrical body with domed
ends, enclosed in drum shaped solar array,
with length and diameter both around 2 m.
The mass may be around 700 kg.

Mission: Navigation satellite replacing or
backing up Cosmos 1092 (1979-30A).

Orbit: 954x1016 km, 104.85 min, 82.91
degrees.

COSMOS 1340 1982-13A

Launched: 0142, 19 Feb 1982 from Plesetsk by
A-2.

Spacecraft data: Possibly based on the Meteor
satellites with a cylindrical body and two,
Sun-seeking solar panels. Length about 5 m,
diameter about 1.5 m and mass around
2000 kg.

Mission: Possibly electronic reconnaissance.
Normally, satellites of this type fly in one of
six orbit planes separated by 60 degrees
longitude at the equator. This particular
vehicle's orbit plane is 12.5 degrees to the east
of that of Cosmos 1206 (1980-69A).

Orbit: 640x690 km, 97 min, 74 degrees.

WESTAR 4 1982-14A

Launched. 0010,26 Feb 1982 from the Eastern
Space and Missile Centre. Cape Canaveral
Air Force Station by Delta 3910.

Spacecraft data. Cylindrical structure covered
in solar cells, 2.16 m diameter and 2.74 m high
in the stowed position. An extending, cylindrical solar panel which was deployed after
launch increased the length to 6.84 m. The
satellite is based on the Hughes Aircraft Company’s standard HS 376 vehicle. The last
launch of the type was SBS 2 (1981-96A).
Westar 4 is spin stabilised with a de-spun
antenna array, a technique pioneered by
Hughes. The mass is 585 kg.

Mission: Commercial communications for the
Western Union Telegraph Company, providing 24 transponder channels.

Orbit: Placed into a geostationary transfer
orbit by the launch vehicle, an onboard apogee
boost motor was used to alter this to an equatorial drift orbit. Stabilised above 79 degrees
west for systems checks, the final location is
to be 99 degrees west when in operation.

MOLNIYA-1(53) 1982-15A

Launched: 2010, 26 Feb 1982 from Plesetsk by
A-2.

Spacecraft data: A cylindrical body housing
instrumentation and the payload, surmounted
by a conical motor section. Power is provided
by a "windmill" of six solar panels. Overall
length is 3.6 m, diameter 1.6 m and mass
around 1800 kg.

Mission: Replacement or backup for
Mo)niya-1(47), 1980-53A. The satellite helps
to operate long distance telephone and telegraph communications, and the broadcasting
of Central television programmes to Orbita
receiving stations in the Soviet far north,
Siberia, the Soviet far east and central Asia.

Orbit: Initially a low parking orbit and then
injected into a highly elliptical one of
476X40747 km,735.46 min, 62.85 degrees.On
the 11th orbit this was lowered to
474x39892 km, 718.01 min, 62.87 degrees in
order to ensure daily repeats of the ground
track.

COSMOS 1341 1982-16A

Launched: 0546, 3 March 1982 from Plesetsk
by A-2-e.

Spacecraft data: Possibly based on the Molniya
design (see previous entry) with length about
4 m and mass around 2000 kg.

Mission: Probably part of the USSR’s system
of missile early warning satellites, replacing
or backing up Cosmos 1247 (1981-16A).

Orbit: Initially a low parking orbit and then
injected into an elliptical one of 625 x39252 km, 708.11 min, 62.89 degrees.
Later manoeuvred to 630x39684 km,
716.95 min, 62.91 degrees to ensure daily
ground track repeats.

INTELSAT 5(F4) 1982-17A

Launched: 0110, 5 Mar 1982 from Launch Complex 36, Eastern Space and Missile
Centre, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station by
Atlas Centaur.

Spacecraft data: Three axis stabilised, box
shaped vehicle with a 16 m span solar array.
A more detailed description can be found in
the entry for INTELSAT 5(F3) - 1981-119A
in the May 1982 Satellite Digest.

Mission: Provision of telephone and television
communications for the International Tele¬
communications Satellite Organisation.

Orbit: Initially a geostationary transfer orbit
before circularisation at the seventh apogee
on 7 Mar. After testing, full operation was
due during May 1982 from location 63 degrees
east.