[FPSPACE] First Persona launch - continued

[Phillip Clark]

Following on from my earlier message, two objects are being tracked in 
orbit: 2008-037A/33272 is the satellite, which I assume will be named Cosmos 
2441, and 2008-037B/33273 the Soyuz-2 third stage (does this still retain 
the old Blok I designaor since it uses the RD-0124 engine rather than the 
RD-0110?).

The initial orbital data for the satellite were 98.33 deg, 93.82 minutes, 
196-727 km, but by early this morning Space-Track data were giving the orbit 
as 94.06 minutes, 200-746 km.   Not sure if this is a real manoeuvre or just 
that a preliminary and somewhat inaccurate initial orbit was issued.

Ignoring the two Araks missions, the apogee is the highest that we have seen 
in the Soviet/photoreconnaissance satellite programe.   I assume that we 
will see perigee sigificantly raised soon so that the seven years lifetime 
can be attained with relatively few manoeuvres.

And following on from my original posting, I have had a quick look at the 
orbital data for the first Resurs-DK.   That was launched to a 69.84 deg, 
89.88 minutes, 192-347 km orbit on June 15, 2006 and on June 18 manoeuvred 
to 94.01 minutes, 356-585 km.   Since then there have been no further 
manoeuvres - then again,the high orbit might mean that none are called for! 
The last orbital data for this morning show the orbit as 93.82 minutes, 
351-571 km.

Phillip Clark


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Phillip Clark" <phillipclark at btinternet.com>
To: "FPSPACE" <fpspace at friends-partners.org>
Sent: Saturday, July 26, 2008 9:53 PM
Subject: [FPSPACE] First Persona launch


> The first Persona photoreconnaissance satellite was launched from Plesetsk
> at 18:31 UT using a Soyuz-2-1B vehicle.   It is believed to be using a
> Yantar service module with the imaging system derived from the Araks
> satellite which has flown twice.   Reported operational lifetime is ~7 
> years
> and it is the first Soviet/Russian photoreconnaissance satellite to be
> launched to a Sun-synchronous orbit (inclination 98.3 deg).
>
> As an aside, is the first Resurs-DK satellite still operating?   I have
> heard reports of some failure with the satellite.
>
> Phillip Clark
>
>
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