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[Ed. Note: Go to http://hea-www.harvard.edu/QEDT/jcm/space/jsr/jsr.html for back issues and other information about Jonathan's Space Report.] I will be on travel for the last half of October, so the next issue (339) will probably not be out till early November. I've updated some of the info on my space home page http://hea-www.harvard.edu/~jcm/space/space.html including the geostationary satellite log. Shuttle and MirThe Mir crew have removed a clamp that was inadvertently left in attaching Progress M-35 to Kvant, preventing its undocking. Progress M-35 then successfully undocked at 1203 UTC on Oct 7 (info from Chris van den Berg). PM-35 deorbited at 1641 UTC and fell in the Pacific at 1723 UTC (info from Vladimir Agapov). In response to last week's query, Bart Hendrickx tells me that Soyuz-21 also had problems undocking, back in 1976. Progress M-36 docked with the Kvant module on Mir at 1707 UTC on Oct 8 using the Kurs automatic system. Atlantis is being prepared for return to Palmdale for an Orbiter Maintenance Down Period (OMDP) refurbishment. The next launch is Columbia on mission STS-87. Bob Cabana is stepping down as Chief of the Astronaut Office and will command the first Station assembly flight. His replacement is Ken Cockrell. Cabana was CAO for 3 years, following Gibson (2 years), Brandenstein (5 1/2 years), Young (13 years) and Shepard (10 years). Several other astronauts also served as acting chief at various times. Recent LaunchesIRS-1D as of Oct 8 was in a 550 x 820 km orbit, which ISRO announced as the minimum altitude for useful operations. By Oct 14 it was in a 736 x 825 km x 98.6 deg orbit. The Foton No. 11 spacecraft was launched on Oct 9. Foton is a recoverable microgravity science satellite based on the Zenit (Vostok) bus, built by TsSKB-Progress of Samara, which also produces the Soyuz-U launch vehicle used to place Foton in orbit. On Oct 12, Foton was in a 218 x 371 km x 62.8 deg orbit. GE 3 is now on station at 87.0W. Intelsat 803 is at 27.5W; Echostar 3 is in a 35722 x 38633 km x 0.3 deg drift orbit. The NASA/ESA Cassini/Huygens Saturn probe was scheduled for launch on Oct 15 at the time of writing. Launch vehicle is Titan 4B Centaur, serial B-33. Table of Recent Launches
Date UT Name Launch Vehicle Site Mission INTL.
DES.
Sep 1 1400 Iridium MFS ) CZ-2C Taiyuan Inert 48A
Iridium MFS ) Inert 48B
Sep 2 2221 Hot Bird 3 ) Ariane 44LP Kourou ELA2 Comsat 49A
Meteosat 7 ) Weather 49B
Sep 4 1203 GE-3 Atlas IIAS Canaveral LC36A Comsat 50A
Sep 14 0136 Iridium SV027 ) Proton-K/DM2 Baykonur Comsat 51D
Iridium SV028 ) Comsat 51E
Iridium SV029 ) Comsat 51A
Iridium SV030 ) Comsat 51F
Iridium SV031 ) Comsat 51G
Iridium SV032 ) Comsat 51B
Iridium SV033 ) Comsat 51C
Sep 23 1644 Kosmos-2346 ) Kosmos-3M Plesetsk LC132 Navsat 52A
FAISAT-2V ) Comsat 52B
Sep 23 2358 Intelsat 803 Ariane 42L Kourou ELA2 Comsat 53A
Sep 24 2132 Molniya-1T Molniya-M Plesetsk LC43 Comsat 54A
Sep 26 0234 Atlantis Shuttle Kennedy LC39 Spaceship 55A
Sep 27 0123 Iridium SV019 ) Delta 7920 Vandenberg SLC2W Comsat 56A
Iridium SV034 ) 56E
Iridium SV035 ) 56D
Iridium SV036 ) 56C
Iridium SV037 ) 56B
Sep 29 0447 IRS-1D PSLV Sriharikota Rem sens. 57A
Oct 5 1508 Progress M-36 Soyuz-U Baykonur LC1 Cargo 58A
Oct 5 2101 Echostar III Atlas IIAS Canaveral LC36 Comsat 59A
Oct 9 1800? Foton No. 11 Soyuz-U Plesetsk Micrograv 60A
Current Shuttle Processing Status
Orbiters Location Mission Launch Due
OV-102 Columbia OPF Bay 2 STS-87 Nov 19
OV-103 Discovery VAB Bay 2 STS-91 May 28
OV-104 Atlantis OPF Bay 3 OMDP
OV-105 Endeavour OPF Bay 1 STS-89 Jan 15
MLP/SRB/ET/OV stacks
MLP1/RSRM63/ET-89 VAB Bay 3 STS-87
MLP2/
MLP3/RSRM64 MMM VAB Bay 1 STS-89
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[Ed. Note: visit http://newproducts.jpl.nasa.gov/calendar/ for the complete calendar] November 1997
Nov ?? - LMTI-1 Atlas 2 Launch
Nov ?? - ARD/Telecom Ariane-503 Launch
* Nov ?? - Early Bird Start 1 Launch (USA/Russia)
* Nov 01 - US Air Force Titan 4 Launch
* Nov 01 - Comet P/1997 T3 Perihelion (3.767 AU)
Nov 01 - Comet Johnson Perihelion (2.308 AU)
Nov 01 - Comet Neujmin 2 Perihelion (1.274 AU)
Nov 02 - Asteroid 11 Parthenope at Opposition (9.5 Magnitude)
Nov 02 - Asteroid 69 Leto at Opposition (9.6 Magnitude)
Nov 03 - Galileo, Orbital Trim Maneuver #35 (OTM-35)
Nov 03 - Taurids Meteor Shower Peak
Nov 03 - Asteroid 196 Philomela at Opposition (10.9 Magnitude)
* Nov 03 - Asteroid 5836 (1993 MF) Closest Approach to Earth (1.098 AU)
Nov 03 - 40th Anniversary (1957), Sputnik 2 Launch (Carried Laika the Dog)
* Nov 04 - Moon Occults M25
Nov 04 - Asteroid 3757 (1982 XB) Near-Earth Flyby (0.390 AU)
Nov 06 - Galileo, 3rd Europa Flyby (Orbit 11)
* Nov 06 - GPS Delta 2 Launch
Nov 06 - Venus at Greatest Eastern Elongation (47 Degrees)
Nov 06 - Asteroid 37 Fides at Opposition (9.6 Magnitude)
* Nov 07 - Sirius-2/Indostar-1 Ariane 4 Launch
Nov 07 - 30th Anniversary (1967), Surveyor 6 Launch (Moon Lander)
Nov 08 - Iridium-5 Delta 2 Launch
Nov 08 - 15th Anniversary (1982), Wethersfield Meteorite Fall (Hit House)
* Nov 09 - Asteroid 1997 TT25 Near-Earth Flyby (0.265 AU)
Nov 09 - 30th Anniversary (1967), Apollo 4 Launch (1st Saturn V Launch)
Nov 10 - Comet Helin-Roman-Alu 2 Perihelion (1.910 AU)
Nov 10 - Mars Occults 186240 (7.3 Magnitude Star)
Nov 10 - Asteroid 144 Vibilia at Opposition (10.0 Magnitude)
Nov 10 - 25th Anniversary (1972), Anik 1 Launch, 1st Canadian Communications
Satellite
Nov 11 - Triple Shadow Transit on Jupiter, 03:34 UT
Nov 11 - Jupiter Occults PPM 722517 (9.8 Magnitude Star)
Nov 11 - Asteroid 4680 Lohrmann Closest Approach to Earth (0.938 AU)
Nov 11 - Asteroid 1981 Midas Closest Approach to Earth (2.051 AU)
Nov 11 - 15th Anniversary (1982), STS-5 Launch (Columbia)
Nov 12 - Moon Occults Saturn
Nov 12 - Asteroid 1991 WA Near-Earth Flyby (0.362 AU)
Nov 12 - Asteroid 1991 VH Closest Approach to Earth (0.577 AU)
* Nov 13 - GEOSAT/ORBCOMM Taurus Launch
Nov 13 - Jupiter Occults SAO 104174 (8.9 Magnitude Star)
Nov 13 - Jupiter Occults SAO 164156 (6.0 Magnitude Star)
Nov 13 - Asteroid 7839 (1994 ND) Closest Approach to Earth (1.067 AU)
Nov 14 - Comet duToit-Hartley Perihelion (1.201 AU)
Nov 15 - Asteroid 89 Julia at Opposition (9.7 Magnitude)
Nov 15 - Comet C/1997 A1 (NEAT) Closest Approach to Earth (2.714 AU)
Nov 15 - Asteroid 1989 UQ Closest Approach to Earth (0.537 AU)
Nov 16 - Asteroid 1980 Tezcatlipoca Near-Earth Flyby (0.274 AU)
Nov 17 - NEAR, Trajectory Correction Maneuver #9 (TCM-9)
Nov 17 - Leonids Meteor Shower Peak
* Nov 17 - Asteroid 1997 NC1 Near-Earth Flyby (0.294 AU)
Nov 17 - Asteroid 9 Metis at Opposition (8.3 Magnitude)
Nov 17 - Asteroid 80 Sappho at Opposition (9.7 Magnitude)
Nov 17 - Asteroid 3102 Krok Closest Approach to Earth (1.032 AU)
Nov 17 - Henry Gellibrand 400th Birthday
* Nov 18 - ORBCOMM-1 Pegasus XL Launch
Nov 18 - SERTS '97 Launch (Sounding Rocket)
* Nov 18 - Asteroid 419 Aurelia Closest Approach to Earth (2.099 AU)
Nov 19 - STS-87 Launch, Columbia, USMP-4, Spartan-201
* Nov 19 - ETS-7/TRMM H-2 Launch (Japan)
Nov 19 - Comet Russell 3 Perihelion (2.510 AU)
Nov 19 - Possible Mercury Occultation of SAO 184890 (9.4 Magnitude Star)
Nov 20 - Comet Shoemaker-Holt 1 Perihelion (3.05 AU)
Nov 21 - Mars Occults PPM 268761 (7.9 Magnitude Star)
Nov 22 - Comet Mueller 2 Perihelion (2.412 AU)
* Nov 22 - Asteroid 1997 AP10 Closest Approach to Earth (0.642 AU)
Nov 22 - Comet Tsuchinshan 1 Closest Approach to Earth (1.223 AU)
Nov 23 - 20th Anniversary (1977), Meteosat-1 Launch (1st ESA Launch)
Nov 24 - Jupiter Occults PPM 722611 (9.9 Magnitude Star)
Nov 24 - Asteroid 1993 WD Near-Earth Flyby (0.286 AU)
Nov 24 - Asteroid 3362 Khufu Closest Approach to Earth (0.411 AU)
Nov 24 - Asteroid 1988 RO1 Closest Approach to Earth (1.367 AU)
* Nov 25 - AsiaSat 3 Proton Launch
Nov 25 - Asteroid (3753) 1986 TO Near-Earth Flyby (0.311 AU)
Nov 25 - Asteroid 1979 QB Closest Approach to Earth (0.871 AU)
* Nov 25 - Asteroid 1468 Zomba Closest Approach to Earth (1.179 AU)
Nov 25 - Possible Venus Occultation of 188069 (9.0 Magnitude Star)
Nov 26 - Asteroid 2340 Hathor Near-Earth Flyby (0.2428 AU)
Nov 26 - Asteroid 1620 Geographos Closest Approach to Earth (0.733 AU)
* Nov 27 - JSCAT 5/Equator S Ariane 4 Launch
Nov 27 - Comet Shoemaker-Holt 1 Closest Approach to Earth (2.0632 AU)
Nov 27 - Kuiper Belt Object 1994 VK8 at Opposition (42.536 AU - 22.8 Magnitude)
Nov 28 - Mercury at Greatest Eastern Elongation (21 Degrees)
Nov 28 - Possible Mercury Occultation of SAO 185854 (8.0 Magnitude Star)
Nov 29 - Comet Biela (Lost Comet) Perihelion (0.803 AU)
Nov 29 - Neptune Occults SAO 188797 (9.1 Magnitude Star)
Nov 29 - Asteroid 23 Thalia Occults PPM 094222 (9.6 Magitude Star)
Nov 29 - Kuiper Belt Object 1995 YY3 at Opposition (29.752 AU - 23.3 Magnitude)
Nov 30 - Asteroid 79 Eurynome at Opposition (9.7 Magnitude)
December 1997
Dec ?? - Chinastar-1 Long March 3B Launch (China)
Dec ?? - Clark LMLV-1 Launch
Dec 01 - Asteroid 3200 Phaethon Near-Earth Flyby (0.309 AU)
Dec 01 - Asteroid 349 Dembowska at Opposition (9.5 Magnitude)
Dec 02 - 5th Anniversary (1992), STS-53 Launch (Discovery), DOD Mission
Dec 03 - Comet C/1997 D1 Mueller Closest Approach to Earth (1.416 AU)
Dec 03 - Asteroid 532 Herculina Occults SAO 189113 (9.0 Magnitude Star)
Dec 04 - Globalstar-1 Delta 2 Launch
* Dec 04 - GeoSat-FO-1 Taurus 2 Launch
Dec 05 - Comet Pons-Gambart Perihelion (0.820 AU)
Dec 07 - Galileo, End of Primary Mission
Dec 07 - Asteroid 349 Dembowska Occults SAO 76598 (8.7 Magnitude Star)
Dec 07 - 25th Anniversary (1972), Apollo 17 Launch
Dec 08 - Galileo Europa Mission Begins
* Dec 08 - Galaxy-8i Atlas 2AS Launch
Dec 08 - 5th Anniversary (1992), Galileo, 2nd Earth Flyby
Dec 09 - Moon Occults Saturn, Visible From North America
Dec 09 - Venus Passes 2.5 Degrees From Neptune
Dec 09 - Asteroid 23 Thalia at Opposition (9.2 Magnitude)
Dec 09 - Asteroid 356 Liguria at Opposition (10.6 Magnitude)
Dec 10 - Asteroid 10 Hygiea at Opposition (10.3 Magnitude)
* Dec 10 - Comet C/1997 T1 (Utsunomiya) Perihelion (1.34933 AU)
* Dec 10 - Asteroid 5870 Baltimore Closest Approach to Earth (0.896 AU)
Dec 10 - 20th Anniversary (1977), Soyuz 26 Launch (USSR)
Dec 11 - Venus at Greatest Brilliancy (-4.7 Magnitude)
Dec 12 - Galileo, Europa 12 Flyby
Dec 12 - Comet Taylor at Perihelion (1.948 AU)
Dec 12 - Kuiper Belt Object 1995 WY2 at Opposition (46.688 AU - 23.7 Magnitude)
Dec 13 - Galileo, Orbital Trim Maneuver #38 (OTM-38)
Dec 13 - DSCS Atlas AC-109 Launch
* Dec 13 - SNOE/BATSAT Pegasus XL Launch
Dec 13 - Moon Occults Aldebaran
Dec 13 - Geminids Meteor Shower Peak
Dec 13 - 30th Anniversary (1967), Pioneer 8 Launch
Dec 13 - 35th Anniversary (1962), Relay 1 Launch
Dec 14 - Comet Gehrels 2, Closest Approach to Earth (1.3119 AU)
Dec 14 - Comet P/1996 R2 (Lagerkvist) Closest Approach to Earth (2.216 AU)
Dec 14 - 35th Anniversary (1962), Mariner 2 Venus Flyby
Dec 15 - Asteroid 5184 Cavaille-Coll Closest Approach to Earth (1.167 AU)
Dec 15 - Edward Barnard's 140th Birthday (1857)
* Dec 16 - Iridium-6 Delta 2 Launch
Dec 16 - Mars Passes 1.6 Degrees South of Neptune
Dec 16 - Arthur C. Clarke's 80th Birthday (1917)
* Dec 17 - CRSS-1 LMLV-2 Launch
Dec 17 - 40th Anniversary (1957), 1st Successful Atlas Launch
* Dec 18 - Intelsat 804 Ariane 4 Launch
Dec 18 - Asteroid 5634 (1978 VT6) Closest Approach to Earth (1.324 AU)
Dec 19 - Asteroid 27 Euterpe at Opposition (8.4 Magnitude)
Dec 20 - Galileo, Orbital Trim Maneuver #39 (OTM-39)
Dec 20 - Asteroid 1992 BF Near-Earth Flyby (0.1721 AU)
Dec 20 - Comet C/1997 J1 (Mueller) Closest Approach to Earth (2.479 AU)
Dec 21 - Winter Solstice (20:07 UT)
Dec 21 - Asteroid 2102 Tantalus Near-Earth Flyby (0.1379 AU)
Dec 21 - Asteroid 1994 LX Near-Earth Flyby (0.315 AU)
Dec 22 - Comet Hartley 2 Perihelion (1.032 AU)
Dec 22 - Venus Passes 1.1 Degrees North of Mars
Dec 22 - Ursids Meteor Shower Peak
Dec 23 - Venus Passes 3 Degrees West of Uranus
Dec 23 - 325th Anniversary (1672), Cassini's Discovery of
Saturn Moon Rhea
Dec 24 - Asteroid 3688 Navajo Closest Approach to Earth (1.355 AU)
Dec 25 - Asteroid 39 Laetitia at Opposition (9.9 Magnitude)
* Dec 25 - Asteroid 2952 Lilliputia Closest Approach to Earth (1.073 AU)
Dec 25 - Isaac Newton's 355th Birthday (1642)
Dec 27 - Progress M-37 Launch (Russia)
Dec 27 - Comet Hale-Bopp at Opposition
Dec 27 - Mars Passes 0.6 Degrees From Uranus
Dec 28 - Arthur Eddington's 115th Birthday (1882)
Dec 29 - 20th Anniversary (1977), Discovery of ALHA77005
(Mars Meteorite)
Dec 30 - Asteroid 12 Victoria at Opposition (11.0 Magnitude)
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