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Chronology - 1996 - Quarter 3

- 1996 Jul 2 - - 07:48 GMT. Nation: USA. Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Complex: RW30/12 . Launch Vehicle: Pegasus XL. LV Configuration: Pegasus XL s/n F12.

TOMS-EP Mass: 248 kg. Class: Earth. Type: Atmosphere. Spacecraft: TOMS-EP. Agency: NASA-GSFC. Perigee: 490 km. Apogee: 510 km. Inclination: 97.4 deg. Period: 99.6 min. COSPAR: 1996-037A.
LEO. Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer-Earth Probe; atmospheric ozone mapping. References: 4 , 6 .

- 1996 Jul 3 - - 10:47 GMT. Nation: China. Launch Site: Xichang . Launch Complex: LC1. Launch Vehicle: CZ-3. LV Configuration: Chang Zheng 3 s/n CZ3-10.

Apstar 1A Program: Apstar. Mass: 2,800 kg. Class: Communications. Spacecraft: HS 376. Agency: APT. Perigee: 35,785 km. Apogee: 35,791 km. Inclination: 0.0 deg. Period: 1,436.1 min. COSPAR: 1996-039A.
24 C-band transponders; Geostationary at 133.9E. References: 4 , 6 .

- 1996 Jul 3 -

Boris Yeltsin is reelected in Russian election

- 1996 Jul 3 - - 00:31 GMT. Nation: USA. Launch Site: Cape Canaveral . Launch Complex: LC40. Launch Vehicle: Titan 4. LV Configuration: Titan 405A s/n K-2 (45H-1).

USA 125 Payload: SDS B-4. Mass: 700 kg. Class: Communications. Type: Military. Spacecraft: SDS-2. Agency: NRO. COSPAR: 1996-038A.
Unknown orbit References: 4 , 6 .

- 1996 Jul 9 - - 22:24 GMT. Nation: Arab States. Launch Site: Kourou . Launch Complex: ELA2. Launch Vehicle: Ariane 44L. LV Configuration: Ariane 44L s/n V89.

Arabsat 2A Program: Arabsat. Class: Communications. Spacecraft: Spacebus 3000. Agency: Arab Satellite Communications Organization, Riyadh. Manufacturer: Aerospatiale. Perigee: 35,779 km. Apogee: 35,794 km. Inclination: 0.0 deg. Period: 1,436.1 min. COSPAR: 1996-040B.
22 Ku band and 12 C band transponders. References: 4 , 6 .
Turksat 1C Program: Turksat. Mass: 2,100 kg. Class: Communications. Spacecraft: Spacebus 2000. Manufacturer: Aerospatiale, Cannes, France. Perigee: 35,781 km. Apogee: 35,792 km. Inclination: 0.0 deg. Period: 1,436.0 min. COSPAR: 1996-040A.
Geostationary at 26.0E. References: 4 , 6 .

- 1996 Jul 16 - - 00:50 GMT. Nation: USA. Launch Site: Cape Canaveral . Launch Complex: LC17A. Launch Vehicle: Delta 7925. LV Configuration: Delta 7925A / Delta s/n 237.

Navstar SVN 40 Program: Navstar. Spacecraft: GPS Block 2 and 2A. COSPAR: 1996-041xx. References: 279 .
Navstar SVN 40 Program: Navstar. Payload: Navstar SVN 40. Class: Navigation. Spacecraft: GPS Block 2 and 2A. Agency: USAF. Perigee: 20,127 km. Apogee: 20,237 km. Inclination: 55.1 deg. Period: 717.9 min. COSPAR: 1996-041A. References: 4 , 6 .

- 1996 Jul 25 - - 12:42 GMT. Nation: USA. Launch Site: Cape Canaveral . Launch Complex: LC36A. Launch Vehicle: Atlas II. LV Configuration: Atlas II (3) s/n AC-125 IABS / Centaur II.

UHF F7 Program: UHF. Payload: UHF F/O F7-EHF. Mass: 3,015 kg. Class: Communications. Spacecraft: HS 601. Agency: US Navy. Perigee: 35,784 km. Apogee: 35,791 km. Inclination: 4.9 deg. Period: 1,436.2 min. COSPAR: 1996-042A. References: 4 , 6 , 278 .

- 1996 Jul 31 - - 20:06 GMT. Nation: Russia. Launch Site: Baikonur . Launch Complex: LC1. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz 11A511U.

Progress M-32 Program: Mir. Payload: Progress M s/n 232. Mass: 7,130 kg. Class: Manned. Type: Logistics. Spacecraft: Progress M. Agency: Russian Space Agency. Perigee: 371 km. Apogee: 390 km. Inclination: 51.7 deg. Period: 92.2 min. COSPAR: 1996-043A. Duration: 96.11 days. Completed Operations Date: 04 November 1996.
Unmanned resupply vessel to Mir. This was the first successful launch of a Soyuz-U after two failures. Docked with Mir at the forward docking port on 2 Aug 1996 22:03:40 GMT. Undocked on 18 Aug 1996 09:33:45 GMT in order to free up the docking port. By 29 August 1994 Mir was in a 375 x 390 km x 51.6 deg orbit; the Progress M-32 cargo ship, flying separately, was in a 375 x 392 km x 51.6 deg orbit. Redocked with Mir on 3 Sep 1996 09:35:00 GMT at the rear port of the Kvant module. Finally undocked from Mir on 20 Nov 1996 19:51:20 GMT. Destroyed in reentry on 20 Nov 1996 22:42:25 GMT. Total free-flight time 2.20 days. Total docked time 93.91 days. References: 4 , 6 , 275 , 276 .

- 1996 Aug 4 -

Cosmonaut Mikhail Vladimirovich Sologub dies at age of 59 -- Natural causes.

- 1996 Aug 8 - - 22:49 GMT. Nation: Italy. Launch Site: Kourou . Launch Complex: ELA2. Launch Vehicle: Ariane 44L. LV Configuration: Ariane 44L s/n V90.

Italsat F2 Class: Communications. Spacecraft: Italsat. Agency: Telesp. Perigee: 35,771 km. Apogee: 35,801 km. Inclination: 0.0 deg. Period: 1,436.1 min. COSPAR: 1996-044A. References: 4 , 6 .
Telecom 2D Program: Telecom. Class: Communications. Spacecraft: Eurostar 2000. Agency: France-Telecom. Manufacturer: Matra Marconi Space-France, Toulouse. Perigee: 35,771 km. Apogee: 35,803 km. Inclination: 0.2 deg. Period: 1,436.1 min. COSPAR: 1996-044B. References: 4 , 6 .

- 1996 Aug 14 - - 22:21 GMT. Nation: Russia. Launch Site: Plesetsk . Launch Complex: LC43/3. Launch Vehicle: Molniya 8K78M. LV Configuration: Molniya 8K78M / ML.

Molniya-1T Program: Molniya. Mass: 1,600 kg. Class: Communications. Spacecraft: Molniya-1T. Agency: MO RF. Perigee: 645 km. Apogee: 39,701 km. Inclination: 62.9 deg. Period: 717.8 min. COSPAR: 1996-045A. References: 4 , 6 .

- 1996 Aug 17 - - 01:53 GMT. Nation: Japan. Launch Site: Tanegashima . Launch Complex: Y. Launch Vehicle: H-2. LV Configuration: H-II(2) s/n H-II-4F.

ADEOS Class: Earth. Type: Atmosphere. Spacecraft: ADEOS. Agency: NASDA. Perigee: 799 km. Apogee: 800 km. Inclination: 98.6 deg. Period: 100.9 min. COSPAR: 1996-046A. References: 4 .
JAS-2 Class: Communications. Spacecraft: Fuji. Agency: JARL. Perigee: 801 km. Apogee: 1,323 km. Inclination: 98.6 deg. Period: 106.5 min. COSPAR: 1996-046B.
Japanese amateur radio satellite. References: 4 .

- 1996 Aug 17 - - 13:18 GMT. Nation: Russia. Launch Site: Baikonur . Launch Complex: LC1. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz 11A511U.

Soyuz TM-24 Program: Mir. Payload: Soyuz TM 11F732 s/n 73. Mass: 7,150 kg. Class: Manned. Type: Spacecraft. Spacecraft: Soyuz TM. Agency: Russian Space Agency. Perigee: 378 km. Apogee: 394 km. Inclination: 51.7 deg. Period: 92.3 min. COSPAR: 1996-047A. Duration: 196.73 days. Flight Crew: Andre-Deshays, Kaleri, Korzun. Manned flight: Soyuz TM-24.
Mir Expedition EO-22. Valeriy Korzun and Aleksandr Kaleri of the Russian Space Agency (RKA) Claudie Andre-Deshays of the French space agency CNES. This launch was the first of the Soyuz-U booster with a crew aboard following two launch failures of on unmanned flights. Soyuz docked with Mir's front port at 14:50:21 GMT on August 19; Mir was in a 375 x 390 km x 51.6 deg orbit.
On Feb 7 at 16:28:01 GMT the EO-22 crew and American astronaut Linenger undocked the Soyuz TM-24 ferry from the front docking port, flew it around to the far side of the complex and redocked at the rear Kvant port at 16:51:27 GMT. This cleared the forward port for the arrival of the EO-23 crew, who brought with them German astronaut Reinhold Ewald on Feb 12. Korzun, Kaleri and Ewald undocked from Mir in the Soyuz TM-24 spaceship at 03:24 GMT on March 2 and landed at 06:44 GMT near Arkaylk in Kazakstan. References: 4 , 9 , 51 , 276 .

- 1996 Aug 18 - - 10:27 GMT. Nation: China. Launch Site: Xichang . Launch Complex: LC1. Launch Vehicle: CZ-3. LV Configuration: Chang Zheng 3 s/n CZ3-11.

Zhongxing 7 Program: Chinastar. Payload: Zhongxing 7. Class: Communications. Spacecraft: HS 376. Agency: CTBSC. Perigee: 21,674 km. Apogee: 46,499 km. Inclination: 26.3 deg. Period: 1,350.2 min. COSPAR: 1996-048A. References: 4 .

- 1996 Aug 21 - - 09:47 GMT. Nation: USA. Launch Site: Vandenberg . Launch Complex: RW30/12 . Launch Vehicle: Pegasus XL. LV Configuration: Pegasus XL s/n F13.

FAST Program: Small Explorer. Class: Earth. Type: Magnetosphere. Spacecraft: FAST. Agency: NASA-GSFC. Perigee: 353 km. Apogee: 4,163 km. Inclination: 83.0 deg. Period: 132.7 min. COSPAR: 1996-049A.
Second Small Explorer mission. References: 4 .

- 1996 Aug 29 - - 05:22 GMT. Nation: Russia. Launch Site: Plesetsk . Launch Complex: LC43/3. Launch Vehicle: Molniya 8K78M. LV Configuration: Molniya 8K78M / 2BL.

Interbol 2 Payload: SO-M2 s/n 512. Mass: 1,400 kg. Class: Earth. Type: Magnetosphere. Spacecraft: Prognoz-M. Agency: Russian Space Agency. Perigee: 239 km. Apogee: 1,093 km. Inclination: 62.8 deg. Period: 347.3 min. COSPAR: 1996-050C.
Auroral research. Paired with Magion 5 subsatellite. References: 4 .
Magion 5 Payload: S2. Class: Earth. Type: Magnetosphere. Spacecraft: Magion. Agency: Academy of Sciences of Czech Republic. Perigee: 791 km. Apogee: 19,186 km. Inclination: 62.8 deg. Period: 347.3 min. COSPAR: 1996-050B.
Deployed from Interbol-2 on 8/30/96; auroral studies in conjunction with Interbol-2. References: 4 .
Microsat Payload: Victor. Class: Earth. Type: Magnetosphere. Spacecraft: Microsat. Agency: Cordoba. Perigee: 804 km. Apogee: 19,176 km. Inclination: 62.8 deg. Period: 94.7 min. COSPAR: 1996-050A. References: 4 .

- 1996 Aug 31 -

Iraqis strike at Kurdish enclave

- 1996 Sep 4 - - 09:01 GMT. Nation: Russia. Launch Site: Baikonur . Launch Complex: LC45L. Launch Vehicle: Zenit-2.

Cosmos 2333 Program: Tselina. Payload: Tselina-2 no. 20. Class: ELINT. Spacecraft: Tselina-2. Agency: MO RF. Perigee: 845 km. Apogee: 855 km. Inclination: 71.0 deg. Period: 102.0 min. COSPAR: 1996-051A.
New heavy ELINT class. References: 4 .

- 1996 Sep 5 - - 12:47 GMT. Nation: Russia. Launch Site: Plesetsk . Launch Complex: LC132/1. Launch Vehicle: Kosmos 11K65M.

Cosmos 2334 Mass: 825 kg. Class: Navigation. Spacecraft: Parus. Agency: MO RF. Perigee: 966 km. Apogee: 1,011 km. Inclination: 82.9 deg. Period: 104.9 min. COSPAR: 1996-052A.
Military navigation satellite. Positioned in plane 1 of constellation. Signals at 150.03 MHz and 400.08 MHz. References: 4 , 107 .
Oscar 30 Program: Oscar. Payload: UNAMSAT B. Class: Communications. Type: Amateur Radio. Spacecraft: Oscar. Agency: UNAM. Perigee: 966 km. Apogee: 1,010 km. Inclination: 82.9 deg. Period: 104.9 min. COSPAR: 1996-052B. References: 4 .

- 1996 Sep 6 - - 17:37 GMT. Nation: International. Launch Site: Baikonur . Launch Complex: LC81L. Launch Vehicle: Proton 8K82K / DM1. LV Configuration: Proton 8K82K s/n 375-01 / DM1 s/n 1L.

Inmarsat 3 F2 Program: Inmarsat. Mass: 1,021 kg. Class: Communications. Spacecraft: AS 4000. Agency: Inmarsat. Manufacturer: Lockheed Martin. Perigee: 35,766 km. Apogee: 35,807 km. Inclination: 2.5 deg. Period: 1,436.1 min. COSPAR: 1996-053A.
Geostationary at 15.5W. References: 4 , 67 , 274 .

- 1996 Sep 8 - - 21:49 GMT. Nation: USA. Launch Site: Cape Canaveral . Launch Complex: LC36B. Launch Vehicle: Atlas IIA. LV Configuration: Atlas IIA (1N) s/n AC-123 / Centaur II.

GE 1 Program: GE. Class: Communications. Spacecraft: AS 2100. Agency: Americom. Perigee: 35,780 km. Apogee: 35,793 km. Inclination: 0.0 deg. Period: 1,436.1 min. COSPAR: 1996-054A.
Geostationary at 103.0W. Launch vehicle put payload into supersynchronous earth orbit with IFR/MRS trajectory option. References: 4 , 278 .

- 1996 Sep 11 - - 00:00 GMT. Nation: USA. Launch Site: Kourou . Launch Complex: ELA2. Launch Vehicle: Ariane 42P. LV Configuration: Ariane 42P s/n V91.

Echostar II Program: Echostar. Class: Communications. Spacecraft: AS 7000. Agency: Echostar. Manufacturer: Lockheed Martin. Perigee: 35,776 km. Apogee: 35,795 km. Inclination: 0.0 deg. Period: 1,436.1 min. COSPAR: 1996-055A.
Geostationary at 119.0W. References: 4 .

- 1996 Sep 12 - - 08:49 GMT. Nation: USA. Launch Site: Cape Canaveral . Launch Complex: LC17A. Launch Vehicle: Delta 7925. LV Configuration: Delta 7925A / Delta s/n 238.

GPS 30 Program: Navstar. Payload: Navstar SVN 30. Class: Navigation. Spacecraft: GPS Block 2 and 2A. Agency: USAF. Perigee: 20,042 km. Apogee: 20,320 km. Inclination: 54.7 deg. Period: 718.0 min. COSPAR: 1996-056A. References: 4 .

- 1996 Sep 13 -

Iraq halts attacks on U.S. planes enforcing flight exclusion zones in north and south

- 1996 Sep 16 - - 08:54 GMT. Nation: USA. Launch Site: Cape Canaveral . Launch Complex: LC39A. Launch Vehicle: Shuttle. LV Configuration: STS-79.

External Airlock/ODS Program: Mir. Payload: Orbiter Docking System. COSPAR: 1996-057xx. References: 279 .
Spacehab Double Module Program: Mir. Payload: Spacehab FU2/STA. Class: Manned. Type: Spacelab. Spacecraft: Spacehab. COSPAR: 1996-057xx. References: 279 .
Spacehab-DM Program: Mir. Payload: Atlantis F. Class: Manned. Type: Spacelab. Spacecraft: Spacehab. Agency: NASA-JSC. Perigee: 368 km. Apogee: 386 km. Inclination: 51.7 deg. Period: 92.1 min. COSPAR: 1996-057A.
Remained attached to OV-104 References: 4 , 276 .
STS-79 Program: Mir. Payload: Atlantis F17 / External Airlock/ODS. Class: Manned. Type: Spaceplane. Spacecraft: Atlantis. Agency: NASA-JSC. Perigee: 368 km. Apogee: 386 km. Inclination: 51.7 deg. Period: 92.1 min. COSPAR: 1996-057A. Duration: 10.14 days. Flight Crew: Blaha, Readdy, Wilcutt, Akers, Apt, Walz. Manned flight: STS-79.
On September 19 Atlantis docked with the Russian Mir space station. Aboard Atlantis in the payload bay were the Orbiter Docking System, the modified Long Tunnel, and the Spacehab Double Module, containing supplies for the Mir. Astronaut John Blaha relieved Shannon Lucid as NASA resident on the complex. Atlantis undocked from the Mir complex on September 23 at 23:33 GMT. Valeriy Korzun, Aleksandr Kaleri and John Blaha remain on Mir. On September 26 Atlantis closed its payload bay doors, and at 11:06 GMT fired its OMS engines for a three minute long deorbit burn. After entry interface at 11:42 GMT the spaceship flew across Canada and the US for a landing at the Kennedy Space Center's Runway 15 at 12:13 GMT. Additional Details: STS-79. References: 4 , 7 , 276 .

- 1996 Sep 26 - - 17:50 GMT. Nation: Russia. Launch Site: Baikonur . Launch Complex: LC200L. Launch Vehicle: Proton 8K82K / 11S861-01. LV Configuration: Proton 8K82K s/n 379-02 / 11S861-01 .

Ekspress No. 12 Payload: Ekspress s/n 12L. Mass: 2,500 kg. Class: Communications. Spacecraft: Ekspress . Agency: Informk. Perigee: 35,778 km. Apogee: 35,794 km. Inclination: 0.1 deg. Period: 1,436.1 min. COSPAR: 1996-058A.
Stationed at 80.0 deg E. References: 4 , 67 , 274 .

- 1996 Sep 27 -

Taliban Muslim fundamentalists capture Afghan capital

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