Re: Missing numbers

From: Phillip Clark (molniya@dircon.co.uk)
Date: Sat Dec 28 2002 - 04:53:59 EST

  • Next message: Yuri Makhnenko: "NIMIQ 2 Launch 29-30 Dec."

    > 2002-016A    27403 ITSO   1436.1    0.0  35799   35775   0.0000
    > INTELSAT 903              Launched (2002/03/30)
    >
    > 2002-016B    27404 CIS     698.1   25.5  35863    3514  27.3241
    > SL-12 R/B(2)              Launched (2002/03/30)
    
    This launch is the reason for the missing catalogue numbers !
    
    I am sure that USSPACECOM reserved the usual sequence of catalogue numbers
    for this launch before they reaqlised that the three stages of the Proton-K
    were sub-orbital, and therefore the third stage and what I call the fourth
    stage casing/shroud were also sub-orbital.   Maybe they also reserved a
    catalogue number for an ullage motor as well (we don't get these on
    _commercial_ Proton-K launches, they remain attached to the fourth stages).
    Anyway, they later filled in a gap with the CRRES debris object and then
    maybe just "forgot" about the other two unused catalogue numbers.   Don't
    forget that a lot of the work on the cataloguing is done by human beings and
    thus is prone to error.
    
    Regarding the recent GLONASS launch, my guess for the absence of the
    Proton-K third stage and the fourth stage shroud is that these were in
    short-lived orbits and - again - due to human error they were not
    transferred to the public catalogue before they decayed from orbit.   If you
    check back, you will see that the parking orbits used for GLONASS launches
    are much lower than those used on GEO Proton-K missions, meaning a much more
    rapid decay from orbit.
    
    I certainly doubt that the Blok DM-2(M) from this launch performed LEO
    injection - there is no reason for the launch profile to be changed after
    all these years.
    
    I would also look out for the two ullage motors bing catalogued from this
    launch: they will be up there, it's once more down to a human being
    transferring them to the public catalogue.
    
    Phillip Clark
    
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