Re: Luch-1 (23608)
Rainer Kracht (0412188960-0001@t-online.de)
Mon, 16 Oct 95 23:47 +0100
>Recent reports state there are two other similar Luch communication
>satellites used to support Mir communications yet they were not identifed.
>I'm trying to identify them to support my list of TDRS-like sats for
>Mir/Shuttle. Is the Al'tair (20391) one of these? I would appreciate
>knowing either the name/Norad number/International Designation of the >other
>two Luch satellites.
>Thanks in advance
This is what I found about Luch/Altair:
from: MIRNEWS.240 20 DECEMBER 1994
Communications: The geostationary Kosmos-2054 (Altair) on 16
degr. West is still operational but seldom in use for MIR-TsUP
traffic. Sometimes the channel on 10.835 GHz is in use for
other 'customers'. Possibly the Russians use another channel
for MIR-TsUP communications.
On 16.12.94 at abt. noon a new geostationary satellite, Luch-1
has been launched from Baykonur. This Luch-1 will be used for
MIR-TsUP communications over 95 dgs East. Possibly this satel
lite will be operational in January 1995.
Long ago 95 dgs East was in use for Luchsatellites (Cosmos-
1700 and 1897). For the Russians it would be very useful to
place a 2d Luch on 160 dgs. West. Luch-1 on 95 dgs East will
help to fill up the gaps after the loss of the trackingstati
ons in Tblisi and Yevpatoriya. There still is a third trac
kingstation near Russia's weak underbelly: Dzhusaly not far
from Baykonur, but the status of this station is vulnerable as
it is located in Kazakhstan. A lot of unpleasant events during
the last years proved that this country does not always appre
ciate the Russian presence on its territory.
Chris v.d. Berg, NL-9165/A-UK3202
and from: Jonathan's Space Report
No. 224 1994 Dec 20 Cambridge, MA
Recent Launches
---------------
A Russian Al'tair class tracking and data relay satellite was launched
from Baykonur on Dec 16. The satellite was named Luch ("Beam").
The three previous Al'tair satellites were:
Kosmos-1700 1985 Oct 25
Kosmos-1897 1987 Nov 26
Kosmos-2054 1989 Dec 27
The launch is the 12th launch of Proton so far this year, with one
more expected.
So there are five Luch/Altair-Satellites:
LAUNCH NAME INT.DES. NORAD
851025 Kosmos 1700 1985-102A 16199
871126 Kosmos 1897 1987-96A 18575
891227 Kosmos 2054 1989-101A 20391
941216 Luch 1994-82A 23426
951011 Luch-1 1995-54A 23680
To see if they are still operational I looked at:
SYNCHRONOUS SATELLITE CATALOG FOR 1 SEP 1995
SORTED BY LONGITUDE
OBJ. INT-DESIG COMMOM NAME CTRY EPOCH LAT E. LONG INCL. DRIFT
# (DEG) (DEG) (DEG) (DEG/DAY)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
16199 1985-102A COSMOS 1700 USSR 95239.03 -0.9102 67.0217 7.10 -0.1542
18575 1987-096A COSMOS 1897 USSR 95243.08 -2.4082 52.5661 5.24 0.0133
20391 1989-101A COSMOS 2054 USSR 95244.29 -3.2173 344.0013 3.28 0.0053
23426 1994-082A LUCH USSR 95244.21 0.6040 95.0733 2.05 -0.0257
It seems that there are two places for Luch/Altair-Satellites for Mir support in
the belt of geostationary satellites: 16
deg west and 95 deg east. The two satellites, Jeff Hunt is searching for, are
almost certainly:
1989-101A and 1994-82A.
Rainer Kracht
0412188960-0001@t-online.de