Re: ETS-7 and Cosmos Mixups
Phillip Clark (psclark@dircon.co.uk)
Tue, 16 Dec 1997 17:38:10 +0000 (GMT)
On Tue, 16 Dec 1997, Larry Van Horn wrote:
> Dec 9/0717 97-79A/25088 Cosmos 2347 (8) Baikonur Recon
> Dec 15 97-80A/25095 Cosmos 2348 (9) Plesetsk Recon 369x176 km 67.1 deg
Actually there was an error in some of the Russian launch announcements
for Cosmos 2347. In reality this was an EORSAT launched using a
two-stage Tsyklon (Tsyklon-M) and not a photoreconnaissance satellite.
One of the launch announcements includes an anonymous "commentary" as if
someone was asked to describe the flight in the absense of any official
description, and this commentary was from someone who knew that a
Yantar-3/4 photoreconnaissance mission was due for launch. The
description given to C2347 is perfect for a Yantar.
C2348 which was launched yesterday is the expected Yantar-3/4 satellite,
code-name Kobalt. It might be up for around 60-70 days but the last one
to reach orbit was in orbit for nearly 90 days, a record for this class
of mission. Maybe C2348 will match or even surpass this record ?
Phillip Clark
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Phillip S Clark 25 Redfern Avenue
Molniya Space Consultancy Whitton
Compiler/Publisher, Worldwide Satellite Launches Middx TW4 5NA
Editor, Jane's Space Directory U.K.
Specialist in "space archeology" - the older and more obscure the more
interesting it is !
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