On February 8, 1988 a Delta 3910 from Cape Canaveral put a classified
payload identified as USA 30 into low earth orbit. What I've gleaned
from the Internet, including Jonathan's website, and the World
Spacecraft Digest, is that this satellite was to test tracking of
simulated enemy ballistic missiles. It carried some 15 subsatellites
to be released during the first nine hours of flight for tracking
purposes, including four with solid rocket motors to simulate missile
plumes. Apparently these tests were successful.
So--where are all the objects? The catalogue has only four objects
associated with this launch, and here they are:
1988-008A 18847 USA 30 US 02/08/1988
88.1 28.6 195 168 5.9400 03/01/1988
1988-008B 18848 Delta 3910 TR-201 2nd stage US 02/08/1988
87.2 30.7 140 135 41.8400 04/02/1988
1988-008C 18849 SPX subsatellite? US 02/08/1988
87.6 28.6 163 148 0.4100 03/05/1988
1988-008D 18854 SPX subsatellite? US 02/08/1988
89.1 28.6 287 173 0.2600 02/13/1988
The columns wrap into two lines: International ID, catalogue number,
name (or my own identification), agency, launch date, period,
inclination, apogee, perigee, RCS, and decay date.
By my count, there should be as many as 17: the spacecraft, the second
stage (this Delta had no third stage), and the 15 subsatellites. Maybe
only 16, if the main spacecraft (USA 30) and second stage remained
together as a unit--but note the big RCS for the B object and the
substantial but rather smaller RCS for the A object.
Did the subsatellites eject as planned or did they not? I would
imagine, since this was supposed to be a tracking exercise/mission,
that they would have been catalogued promptly had they ejected. Space
Track identifes the C and D objects as USA 30 debris.
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