December 23

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December 23

1925 - Nation: USA.

Future astronaut Henry Charles Gordon born in Valparaiso, Indiana, USA.

1937 - Nation: USA.

Future astronaut Karol Joseph (Bo) Bobko born in New York, New York, USA.

1941 - Nation: USSR.

Future cosmonaut Nail Sharipovich Sattarov born in USSR.

1948 - Nation: USA.

XS-1 Flight 103 Payload: XS-1 # 1 flight 60. Class: Manned. Type: Rocketplane. Spacecraft: XS-1. Flight Crew: Yeager.
AF flight 38. Wing and tail loads during supersonic flight at high altitudes. Mach 1.09. References: 49 , 97 .

1958 - Nation: USA. Launch Site: Cape Canaveral . Launch Complex: LC12. Launch Vehicle: Atlas C. LV Configuration: Atlas 3C.

Atlas Development Test

1959 - Nation: USSR. Launch Site: Baikonur . Launch Vehicle: R-7A 8K74. LV Configuration: 8K74.

R-7A development test flight.

1969 - - 09:21 GMT. Nation: USSR. Launch Site: Baikonur . Launch Complex: LC90. Launch Vehicle: Tsyklon 2.

Cosmos 316 Program: RORSAT. Payload: US-A no. 2. Mass: 3,800 kg. Class: Military. Type: Naval Radarsat. Spacecraft: US-A. Perigee: 152 km. Apogee: 1,638 km. Inclination: 49.5 deg. Period: 102.8 min. COSPAR: 1969-108A.
RORSAT hardware or unknown spacecraft test. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 .

1969 - - 13:55 GMT. Nation: USSR. Launch Site: Plesetsk . Launch Vehicle: Voskhod 11A57.

Cosmos 317 Payload: Zenit-4MK no. 1. Mass: 6,300 kg. Class: Surveillance. Type: Military. Spacecraft: Zenit-4MK. Perigee: 205 km. Apogee: 280 km. Inclination: 65.4 deg. Period: 89.3 min. COSPAR: 1969-109A. Duration: 13.00 days.
High resolution photo reconnaissance satellite; returned film capsule; carried charged particle experiments; maneuverable. References: 1 , 2 , 6 .

1970 - Nation: USA.

Assessment of crew rescue capability for Skylab. Program: Skylab. Spacecraft: Apollo Rescue CSM.
An assessment of the feasibility of providing a crew rescue capability for Skylab was conducted by KSC, MSC, and MSFC during 1970. The study culminated in a NASA Hq decision to provide a limited rescue capability should return capability fail while the CSM were docked to the OWS. The rescue vehicle for the first two manned Skylab missions would be the next CSM in flow at KSC. Should a rescue call occur, the CSM next in flow would be modified so as to permit a five- man carrying capacity. It would be launched with a two-man crew and return with the additional three astronauts.

1977 - - 16:19 GMT. Nation: USSR. Launch Site: Plesetsk . Launch Vehicle: Kosmos 11K65M. LV Configuration: Kosmos 11K65M s/n 53716-322.

Cosmos 971 Mass: 810 kg. Class: Navigation. Spacecraft: Parus. Perigee: 972 km. Apogee: 1,002 km. Inclination: 82.9 deg. Period: 104.9 min. COSPAR: 1977-122A.
Military navigation satellite. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 .

1978 - - 08:52 GMT. Nation: USSR. Launch Site: Plesetsk . Launch Vehicle: Vostok 8A92M.

Cosmos 1066 Payload: Astrofizika s/n 1. Mass: 2,750 kg. Class: Astronomy. Spacecraft: Astrofizika. Perigee: 819 km. Apogee: 890 km. Inclination: 81.2 deg. Period: 102.0 min. COSPAR: 1978-121A.
Probable failure. Investigation of the upper atmosphere and outer space. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 .

1978 - - 22:04 GMT. Nation: USSR. Launch Site: Kapustin Yar . Launch Complex: LC107. Launch Vehicle: Kosmos 11K65M. LV Configuration: Kosmos 11K65M s/n 65068-305.

Cosmos 1065 Mass: 1,170 kg. Class: Calibration. Spacecraft: Taifun-2. Perigee: 348 km. Apogee: 544 km. Inclination: 50.6 deg. Period: 93.5 min. COSPAR: 1978-120A.
Radar calibration. Released 7 Romb radar calibration subsatellites. Possible partially failed spacecraft bus. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 .

1981 - - 05:31 GMT. Nation: USSR. Launch Site: Baikonur . Launch Vehicle: Molniya 8K78M.

Molniya 1-52 Program: Molniya. Payload: Molniya-1T. Mass: 1,600 kg. Class: Communications. Spacecraft: Molniya-1T. Perigee: 2,097 km. Apogee: 38,267 km. Inclination: 63.8 deg. Period: 718.0 min. COSPAR: 1981-123A.
Replaced Molniya 1-45. Uncertain if Molniya-1T model was Molniya-1 or Molniya-1T. Operation of the long-range telephone and telegraph radio communications system in the USSR; transmission of USSR Central Television programmes to stations in the Orbita network. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 .

1982 - - 09:07 GMT. Nation: USSR. Launch Site: Baikonur . Launch Vehicle: Soyuz 11A511U.

Cosmos 1425 Mass: 6,300 kg. Class: Surveillance. Type: Military. Spacecraft: Zenit-6U. Perigee: 220 km. Apogee: 352 km. Inclination: 70.0 deg. Period: 90.2 min. COSPAR: 1982-119A. Duration: 14.00 days.
Photo surveillance; returned film capsule. References: 1 , 2 , 6 .

1986 - Nation: USSR. Launch Site: Baikonur . Launch Complex: Jubilee.

Buran Analog BST-02 flight 8 Program: Buran. Class: Manned. Type: Spaceplane. Spacecraft: Buran Analogue. Flight Crew: Stankiavicius, Volk.
Time 17 minutes. References: 81 .

1987 - - 20:09 GMT. Nation: USSR. Launch Site: Plesetsk . Launch Vehicle: Kosmos 11K65M. LV Configuration: Kosmos 11K65M s/n 53711-281.

Cosmos 1904 Mass: 810 kg. Class: Navigation. Spacecraft: Parus. Perigee: 964 km. Apogee: 1,003 km. Inclination: 82.9 deg. Period: 104.8 min. COSPAR: 1987-106A.
Military navigation satellite. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 .

1988 - - 07:26 GMT. Nation: USSR. Launch Site: Plesetsk . Launch Complex: LC32. Launch Vehicle: Tsyklon 3.

Cosmos 1985 Class: Calibration. Spacecraft: Duga-K. Perigee: 206 km. Apogee: 220 km. Inclination: 73.5 deg. Period: 88.8 min. COSPAR: 1988-113A.
Radar calibration mission. Believed to be a modernised version of the Taifun-1 satellite. Released 36 Romb radar calibration subsatellites. References: 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 .

1997 - - 19:11 GMT. Nation: USA. Launch Site: Wallops Island . Launch Complex: RW04/22. Launch Vehicle: Pegasus XL. LV Configuration: Pegasus XL/HAPS s/n F19.

Orbcomm A1 Program: Orbcomm. Payload: Orbcomm s/n FM5. Class: Communications. Spacecraft: Microstar. Agency: Orbital Communications Corp, Dulles. Manufacturer: Orbital Sciences Corp., Germantown (formerly Fairchild). Perigee: 812 km. Apogee: 823 km. Inclination: 45.0 deg. Period: 101.3 min. COSPAR: 1997-084A.
Plane A. Ascending node 297.7 degrees. References: 4 .
Orbcomm A6 Program: Orbcomm. Payload: Orbcomm s/n FM10. Class: Communications. Spacecraft: Microstar. Agency: Orbital Communications Corp, Dulles. Manufacturer: Orbital Sciences Corp., Germantown (formerly Fairchild). Perigee: 812 km. Apogee: 823 km. Inclination: 45.0 deg. Period: 101.3 min. COSPAR: 1997-084F.
Plane A. Ascending node 301.2 degrees. References: 4 .
Orbcomm A5 Program: Orbcomm. Payload: Orbcomm s/n FM9. Class: Communications. Spacecraft: Microstar. Agency: Orbital Communications Corp, Dulles. Manufacturer: Orbital Sciences Corp., Germantown (formerly Fairchild). Perigee: 814 km. Apogee: 822 km. Inclination: 45.0 deg. Period: 101.3 min. COSPAR: 1997-084E.
Plane A. Ascending node 301 degrees. References: 4 .
Orbcomm A8 Program: Orbcomm. Payload: Orbcomm s/n FM12. Class: Communications. Spacecraft: Microstar. Agency: Orbital Communications Corp, Dulles. Manufacturer: Orbital Sciences Corp., Germantown (formerly Fairchild). Perigee: 812 km. Apogee: 823 km. Inclination: 45.0 deg. Period: 101.3 min. COSPAR: 1997-084H.
Plane A. Ascending node 301.2 degrees. References: 4 .
Orbcomm A4 Program: Orbcomm. Payload: Orbcomm s/n FM8. Class: Communications. Spacecraft: Microstar. Agency: Orbital Communications Corp, Dulles. Manufacturer: Orbital Sciences Corp., Germantown (formerly Fairchild). Perigee: 813 km. Apogee: 823 km. Inclination: 45.0 deg. Period: 101.3 min. COSPAR: 1997-084D.
Plane A. Ascending node 300.5 degrees. References: 4 .
Orbcomm A7 Program: Orbcomm. Payload: Orbcomm s/n FM11. Class: Communications. Spacecraft: Microstar. Agency: Orbital Communications Corp, Dulles. Manufacturer: Orbital Sciences Corp., Germantown (formerly Fairchild). Perigee: 813 km. Apogee: 823 km. Inclination: 45.0 deg. Period: 101.3 min. COSPAR: 1997-084G.
Plane A. Ascending node 301.2 degrees. References: 4 .
Orbcomm A3 Program: Orbcomm. Payload: Orbcomm s/n FM7. Class: Communications. Spacecraft: Microstar. Agency: Orbital Communications Corp, Dulles. Manufacturer: Orbital Sciences Corp., Germantown (formerly Fairchild). Perigee: 813 km. Apogee: 822 km. Inclination: 45.0 deg. Period: 101.3 min. COSPAR: 1997-084C.
Plane A. Ascending node 301 degrees. References: 4 .
Orbcomm A2 Program: Orbcomm. Payload: Orbcomm s/n FM6. Class: Communications. Spacecraft: Microstar. Agency: Orbital Communications Corp, Dulles. Manufacturer: Orbital Sciences Corp., Germantown (formerly Fairchild). Perigee: 813 km. Apogee: 822 km. Inclination: 45.0 deg. Period: 101.3 min. COSPAR: 1997-084B.
Plane A. Ascending node 300.7 degrees. References: 4 .

1999 - Nation: USA.

EVA STS-103-2 Program: STS. Class: Manned. Type: Spaceplane. Spacecraft: Columbia. Flight Crew: Foale, Nicollier.
Installed in the Hubble space telescope a new 486/25 mhz computer and replaced Fine Guidance Sensor FGS-2.

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Last update 12 March 2001.
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