All information in this publication was received between 25 July 1996 and
24 August 1996.
A. List of New International Designations and Launch Dates.
USSPACECOM Catalog numbers are in parentheses.
1996-049A (24285) FAST
21 Aug
1996-048A (24282) CHINASAT 7
18 Aug
1996-047A (24280) Soyuz TM-24
17 Aug
1996-046B (24278) JAS 2
17 Aug
1996-046A (24277) ADEOS
17 Aug
1996-045A (24273) Molniya 1-89
14 Aug
1996-044B (24209) TELECOM 2D
08 Aug
1996-044A (24208) ITALSAT 2
08 Aug
1996-043A (24071) Progress M-32
31 Jul
1996-042A (23967) UFO 7
25 Jul
B. Text of Launch Announcements.
1996-049A
FAST (Fast Auroral SnapshoT explorer) is an American space physics
spacecraft that was launched at 09:47 UT by a Pegasus-XL rocket from
aboard an L-1011 cargo plane flying out of Vandenberg AFB. The 187
kg spacecraft carries three electrostatic analyzers for ions and
electrons, a mass spectrometer, a wave-particle correlator, a
Langmuir probe, and a magnetometer, all of which will address the
auroral phenomena. Initial orbital parameters were period 133 min,
apogee 4,159 km, perigee 348 km, and inclination 83 deg.
1996-048A
CHINASAT 7 is a PRC satellite that was intended to become a
geosynchronous communications spacecraft. It was launched by a Long
March 3 rocket from Xichang launch center at 10:27 UT, but a third
stage failure led to an almost useless orbit. The initial orbital
parameters were period 309 min, apogee 17,320 km, perigee 198 km,
and inclination 27 deg.
1996-047A
Soyuz TM-24 is a Russian transport spacecraft that carried three
cosmonauts to the MIR station. It was launched by a Soyuz-U rocket
from Baykonur at 13:17 UT, and docked with Mir at 14:50 UT on the
nineteenth of August. Initial orbital parameters were period 89.8
min, apogee 287.4 km, perigee 235.1 km, and inclination 51.65 deg.
1996-046B
JAS 2 is a 50 kg Japanese Amateur-radio Satellite that was launched
by an H-2 rocket from Tanegashima Space Center at 01:29 UT. Initial
orbital parameters were period 106 min, apogee 1317 km, perigee 797
km, and inclination 98.6 deg.
1996-046A
ADEOS (ADvanced Earth Observation Satellite) is a Japanese remote
sensing spacecraft that was launched by an H-2 rocket from
Tanegashima Space center at 01:53 UT. The 3,500 kg spacecraft with
the post-launch name of MIDORI carries instruments to monitor wind
and temperature on ocean surfaces and aerosols, ozone, and
greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Some of the sensors were
provided by NASA, NOAA, and CNES. The initial parameters of the
Sun-synchronous orbit were period 101 min, apogee 815 km, perigee
794 km, and inclination 98.6 deg.
1996-045A
Molniya 1-89 (Molniya 1T) is a Russian communications spacecraft
that was launched from Plesetsk cosmodrome at 22:21 UT by a
Molniya-M "reusable" booster to provide telephone, telegraph, and
television coverage. Initial orbital parameters were period 12 hr,
17 min, apogee 40,828 km, perigee 498 km (over the southern
hemisphere), and inclination 63 deg.
1996-044B
TELECOM 2D is a French geosynchronous spacecraft to provide voice
and video communications to western Europe. It was launched by an
Ariane 44L rocket from Kourou.
1996-044A
ITALSAT 2 is an Italian geosynchronous communications spacecraft
that was launched by an Ariane 44L rocket from Kourou. The 2,000
kg spacecraft carries transponders in the 20-22 GHz range to provide
voice and video communications to Europe.
1996-043A
Progress M-32 is a Russian automatic cargo craft that was launched
by a Soyuz-U launcher from Baykonur at 20:00 UT to deliver to MIR
2,500 kg of supplies and equipment. Initial orbital parameters were
period 88.6 min, apogee 248 km, perigee 193 km, and inclination 51.6
deg.
1996-042A
UFO 7 (UHF Follow On 7; also known as USA 127) is an American
geosynchronous military communications spacecraft that was
launched from Cape Canaveral Air Station by an Atlas 2 rocket. An
earlier announcement from USSPACECOM had the now-discarded name UHF
F/O F7.