Milstar DFS-5 (USA 164) Spacecraft:  Milstar 2 F-2 / Milstar Flt-5 (Being the fifth in the Milstar 2 series, it also carries the alternate names of Milstar 5 and Milstar 2-5) Chronologies: 2002 payload #1 ; 2002-001A : 6022nd spacecraft. Type: Communications Sponsor: US Air Force Launch: 16 January 2002 at 0h30 UTC, from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's SLC-40, by a Titan 401B/Centaur (Titan 4B-38/Centaur TC-19). Orbit: Geostationary over European longitudes Mission: A military communications spacecraft taht belongs to the fleet of Milstar 2 satellites that are extra-secure against jamming and radiation/blast attacks, and enables secure links in the EHF, SHF and UHF bands among ships, submarines, aircraft and ground forces. It is actually the fourth and final memeber of the four-satellite grid. (Milstar 4 was a launch failure.) Built by Lockheed Martin/Sunnyvale, it is a 4,545-kg, 5-kW spacecraft Source: Jonathan Space Report No. 471 ; Spacewarn No. 579 ; National Space Science Data Center's 2002-001A ; Boeing's Milstar ;

Intelsat 904 Spacecraft:  Chronologies: 2002 payload #13 ; 2002-007A : 6034th spacecraft. Type: Communications (multi-service) Sponsor: Intelsat / International Telecommunications Satellite Organization Launch: 23 February 2002 at 6h59 UTC, from Kourou Space Cener's ELA-2, by an Ariane 44L (V148).  Orbit: Geostationary at 60° East longitude Mission: Intelsat 904 became the 22nd member of the operational communications satellites of the international ITSO consortium. The 4,700-kg satellite provides television and internet services to Europe, Asia and Australia through its 76 C-band and 22 Ku-band transponders. Intelsat 904 has a dry mass of 2,350 kg and carries a further 2,330 kg of fuel. Source: Jonathan Space Report No. 473 ; Spacewarn No. 580 ; National Space Science Data Center's 2002-007A ;

Envisat Spacecraft:  Chronologies: 2002 payload #15 ; 2002-009A : 6036th spacecraft. Type: Earth remote sensing Sponsor: ESA / European Space Agency Launch: 1st March 2002 at 1h08 UTC, from Kourou Space Center's ELA-3, by an Ariane 5G (Ariane 511, V145). Orbit: 766 km x 784 km x 98.5° (Sun-synchronous) Mission: ENVISAT 1 is an European environmental remote-sensing spacecraft which carries 10 sensors to monitor global warming, the ozone hole and desertification. The 8.1-tonne (including 319 kg of fuel) and 6.5-kW spacecraft is reported to be the most massive and expensive of the European satellites.       The Envisat polar platform was originally envisaged as an automated polar orbiting segment of the Space Station, and later descoped to become something like the European equivalent of NASA's Earth Observing System, Envisat uses a new modular satellite bus built at Matra Marconi Space/Bristol, now shut down (final integration was done at ESTEC in the Netherlands). The service module (SVM) is based on the SPOT 4 design; prime contractor is Astrium (Dornier). The active C-band phased array ASAR radar imaging antenna is 1.3 x 10 meters in size. Notes: Ariane 511 is the first Ariane 5 to use the 17-meter Long Fairing and the first to launch north from Kourou. The V145 flight profile was quite different from earlier Ariane 5 GTO launches where the EPC core stage usually reached a marginal orbit. In this case, EPC separation at 350 km high 10 minutes after launch, left the EPC in a suborbital trajectory impacting in the Arctic. Ressources: See ENVISAT web site. Source: Jonathan Space Report No. 473 & 474 ; Spacewarn No. 581 ; National Space Science Data Center's 2002-009A ; ESA News 30 Jan 04 ;

TDRS 9 Spacecraft:  TDRS-I ; Tracking and Data Relay Satellite 9 Chronologies: 2002 payload #17 ; 2002-011A : 6038th spacecraft Type: Communications (data relay) Sponsor: NASA Source : Boeing Launch: 8 March 2002 at 22h59 UTC, from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's SLC-36A, by an Atlas IIA (AC-143). Orbit: Geostarionary Mission: TDRS 9 is primarily intended to capture data streams from low-Earth satellites and relay them to ground, and vice versa. With a mass of 1,781 kg, power of 2.3 kW, a pair of steerable, transponding antennas of diameter 5 meter, and pair of solar arrays of length 21 meter, TDRS 9 can simultaneously transmit and receive in S-band and in either Ku- or Ka-band. It is a Boeing BSS-601 satellite.       TDRS-I has a malfunctioning propulsion system. Boeing Satellite Systems reports that the satellite has a problem with the fuel supply from one of its four propellant tanks; this makes it harder for TDRS to reach geostationary orbit and could potentially reduce its on-orbit life. The tanks are paired, so losing one tank cuts the propellant supply in half. Source: Jonathan Space Report No. 474, 475, 477 & 486 ; Spacewarn No. 581 ; National Space Science Data Center's 2002-011A ; Boeing's TDRS H, I, J :

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JCSAT 8 (JCSAT 2A) Spacecraft:  Chronologies: 2002 payload #24 ; 2002-015A : 6045th spacecraft. Type: Communications (DBS) Sponsor: Japan Satellite Corp. Launch: 29 March 2002 at 1h29 UTC, from Kourou Space Center's ELA-3, by an Ariane 44L (V149). Orbit: Geostationary at 154° East longitude Mission: JCSat 8 is a 2.5-tonne satellite which provides direct-to-home TV broadcast to Japan, East Asia, Australia and Hawaii (replacing JCSat 2). It is a Boeing BSS-601 with a launch mass of 2,600 kg and a dry mass around 1,200 kg. It's one of the lowest mass BSS-601 satelites in recent years. Source: Jonathan Space Report No. 476 ; Spacewarn No. 581 ; National Space Science Data Center's 2002-015A ;

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Astra 3A Spacecraft:  Chronologies: 2002 payload #25 ; 2002-015B : 6046th spacecraft. Type: Communications (DBS) Sponsor: Luxembourg-based SES Astra (Société Européenne des Satellites) Launch: 29 March 2002 at 1h29 UTC, from Kourou Space Center's ELA-3, by an Ariane 44L (V149).  Orbit: Geostationary at 23° East longitude Mission: Astra 3A provides direct-to-home TV broadcast to central European countries. It's a Boeing BSS-376HP, a smaller satellite with a mass of 1,495 kg full and about 750 kg empty. It will join SES Astra's fleet. The 376 model has been in use since 1980 and only one other (also in the Astra series) has been launched in the past three years. Source: Jonathan Space Report No. 476 ; Spacewarn No. 581 ; National Space Science Data Center's 2002-015B ;

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Intelsat 903 Spacecraft:  Chronologies: 2002 payload #26 ; 2002-016A : 6047th spacecraft. Type: Communications (multi-service) Sponsor: Intelsat / International Telecommunications Satellite Organization Launch: 30 March 2002 at 17h35 UTC, from Baykonur Cosmodrome's LC-81/23, by a D-1-e/Proton-K/DM3. Orbit: Geostationary at 34.5° West longitude Mission: Intelsat 903 is communications spacecraft of the Intelsat consortium. The spacecraft carries 23 C-band transponders (and several in Ku-band) to provide direct-to-home television and internet service to Europe and North America. It has a launch mass of 4,726 kg and a dry mass around 2,350 kg. It was built by SS/Loral using a derivative of the FS-1300 platform. Notes: International Launch Services carried out the launch.  Source: Jonathan Space Report No. 476 ; Spacewarn No. 581 ; National Space Science Data Center's 2002-016A ;

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Kosmos 2388 Spacecraft:  Oko US-KS Chronologies: 2002 payload #27 ; 2002-017A : 6048th spacecraft. Type: Missile early warning Sponsor: Russian Defense ministry Launch: 1st April 2002 at 22h07 UTC, from Plesetsk Cosmodrome's LC-16/2, by an A-2-e/Molniya-M. Orbit: 519 km x 39,178 km x 62.93° x 718 min Mission: Kosmos 2388 is a US-KS (Oko) elliptical orbit early warning satellite built by Lavochkin. The launch was reported as successful, but Goddard SFC had still not posted any Space Command element sets by Apr 8 for the elliptical orbit. It's very unusual for this kind of satellite not to be tracked immediately, and it has probably gone into a non-standard orbit. The usual initial orbit for Oko satellites is about 500 km x 39,000 km x 62.9 deg. Note: It is the 220th launch by a Molniya-M of which 213 have proved successful. Source: Jonathan Space Report No. 476& 477 ; Spacewarn No. 582 ; National Space Science Data Center's 2002-017A ;

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STS-110 / ISS-8A Spacecraft:  Space Shuttle #109 / Atlantis (25th flight) Chronologies: 2002 payload #28 ; 2002-018A : 6049th spacecraft. Type: Piloted spaceflight (to the International Space Station) Sponsor: NASA Launch: 8 April 2002 at 20h19 UTC, from Kennedy Space Center's LC-39B, by the Space Shuttle. Orbit: Circular at ~400 km x 51.6° Landed: 19 April 2002 at 16h26:57 UTC on the Kennedy Space Center's Runway 33. Mission: STS-110 carried a crew of seven American astronauts to the International Space Station where it docked on 9 April 2002 at 16h06 UTC. The crew installed on ISS a 13-meter, 13.5-tonne, initial (ITS-S0) segment of a long truss and overlaid a 885-kg railroad car. This mission sees resumption of major construction on the Station after several less spectacular resupply missions. Atlantis undocked from ISS on 17 April at 18h31 UTC and returned to Earth two days later. Source: Jonathan Space Report No. 475, 476 & 477 ; Spacewarn No. 582 ; National Space Science Data Center's 2002-018A ;

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ITS-S0 Spacecraft:  Integrated Truss Segment - Starboard Zero Chronologies: 2002 payload #29 ; n/a : 6050th spacecraft. Type: International Space Station component Sponsor: NASA Launch: Deployed from the cargo bay of Atlantis on 11 April 2002 and installed on top of the Destiny Lab module.  Orbit: Circular at ~400 km x 51.6° Mission: The S0 truss is the first segment of the main backbone of the Station which will grow to carry the large solar panel wings and radiators. The truss, built by Boeing/Huntington Beach, is 13.4 meters long and 4.6 meters in diameter and weight 12,623 kg. It has a hexagonal cross section; one face carries fluid, power and data cables, while another face carries the rails for the Mobile Transporter. The S0 contains avionics, GPS antennas and a radiation dose monitor. Attached to S0 are four MTS (Module to Truss Structure) struts which will be used to connect it to the Destiny module; the Airlock Spur, which is a 4.2 meters beam that hinges out to connect to the Quest module and has handrails for spacewalkers and the Mobile Transporter (MT). The MT, made by TRW Astro Aerospace in Carpinteria, is an 885 kg, 2.7-meter long truck which moves on the S0 rails to transfer heavy cargo along the truss. Source: Jonathan Space Report No. 475, 476 & 477 ;

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NSS 7 Spacecraft:  New Skies Satellite 7 Chronologies: 2002 payload #30 ; 2002-019A : 6051st spacecraft. Type: Communications (multi-service) Sponsor: International's New Skies Launch: 16 April 2002 at 23h02 UTC, from Kourou Space Center's ELA-2, by an Ariane 44L (V150). Orbit: Geostationary at 21.5° West longitude Mission: NSS 7 provides video and internet services to North America and Europe through its 36 C-band and 36 Ku-band transponders after parking. It replaces NSS-K [Intelsat K] (to be abandoned) and NSS 803 [Intelsat 803] (to be moved over to the Pacific). The 4.7-tonne Lockheed Martin A2100-class satellite is owned by New Skies, an Intelsat spinoff. Source: Jonathan Space Report No. 477 ; Spacewarn No. 582 ; National Space Science Data Center's 2002-019A ;

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Soyuz TM-34 / ISS-4S Spacecraft:  Soyuz TM 7K-STM no. 208 (Marco Polo) Chronologies: 2002 payload #31 ; 2002-020A : 6052nd spacecraft. Type: Piloted spaceflight (to the International Space Station) Sponsor: Rosaviakosmos / Russian Space Agency Launch: 25 April 2002 at 6h26 UTC, from Baykonur Cosmodrome's LC-1, by an A-2/Soyuz-U. Orbit: Circular at ~400 km x 51.6° Recovered 10 November 2002 at 0h04 UTC  Mission: Soyuz TM-34 is a Russian passenger transportation craft which served as the active rescue vehicle for ISS, replacing Soyuz TM-33. It carries one Russian and one Italian astronaut and a South African tourist, that is: commander Yuri Gidzenko, flight engineer Roberto Vittori (ESA) and tourist ("flight participant") Mark Shuttleworth. It docked with the nadir port on the Zarya module on 27 April 2002 at 7h55 UTC. After a week aboard the station, the crew return to Earth in the old TM-33 vehicle. Six month later, on 9 November 2002, Soyuz TM-34 (carrying the fouth visiting crew of Zalyotin, De Winne and Lonchakov) undocked from the Zarya nadir port at 20h44 UTC and landed in Kazakstan. Source: Jonathan Space Report No. 477, 478 & 490 ; Spacewarn No. 582 ; National Space Science Data Center's 2002-020A ;

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SPOT 5 Spacecraft:  Chronologies: 2002 payload #32 ; 2002-021A : 6053rd spacecraft. Type: Earth remote sensing Sponsor: France's SPOT Image Launch: 4 May 2002 at 1h31 UTC, from Kourou Space Center's ELA-2, by an Ariane 42P (V151).  Orbit: 825 km x 826 km x 98.8° x 101.4 min Mission: SPOT 5 is a French Earth-imaging three-tonne satellite. Its planar and stereoscopic relief images at about three meters resolution will be marketed for civilian and military uses, for cartographic and vegetation analyses. Panchromatic (at 2.5 meters resolution) as well as multispectral images (at 10 meters resolution) could be obtained. The position of the satellite, and hence the location of the images could be determined at 15 meters accuracy by means of the DORIS position determination instrument. Built by Astrium/Toulouse, it has a mass of 3,000 kg including 150 kg of hydrazine orbit adjust fuel. The main instrument is the HRVIR imaging camera payload including a 2.5-meter resolution imager. A secondary experiment is the 5-band VEGETATION-2 instrument with 1-km resolution. Notes: The Ariane 42P flew north from Kourou. Source: Jonathan Space Report No. 478 ; Spacewarn No. 583 ; National Space Science Data Center's 2002-021A ;

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Idefix CU-1 / BreizhSat-Oscar-47 (BO-47) Spacecraft:  Chronologies: 2002 payload #33 ; 2002-021B : 6054th spacecraft. Type: Communications (radio-amateur) Sponsor: France's AMSAT-F Launch: 4 May 2002 at 1h31 UTC, from Kourou Space Center's ELA-2, by an Ariane 42P (V151).  Orbit: Mission: The Idefix amateur radio payload consists of two small 6-kg boxes attached to the Ariane third stage. The payload is operated by AMSAT-F, the French branch of the amateur radio organization. (The first French satellite was nicknamed Asterix after the famous comic book character; Idéfix was Asterix and Obelix's pet dog.) Source: Jonathan Space Report No. 478 ; National Space Science Data Center's 2002-021B ; A Brief History of Amateur Satellites ;

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Idefix CU-2 / BreizhSat-Oscar-48 (BO-48) Spacecraft:  Chronologies: 2002 payload #34 ; 2002-021B : 6055th spacecraft. Type: Amateur radio Sponsor: France's AMSAT-F Launch: 4 May 2002 at 1h31 UTC, from Kourou Space Center's ELA-2, by an Ariane 42P (V151).  Orbit: Mission: The Idefix amateur radio payload consists of two small 6-kg boxes attached to the Ariane third stage. The payload is operated by AMSAT-F, the French branch of the amateur radio organization. (The first French satellite was nicknamed Asterix after the famous comic book character; Idéfix was Asterix and Obelix's pet dog.) Source: Jonathan Space Report No. 478 ; National Space Science Data Center's 2002-021B ; A Brief History of Amateur Satellites ;

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Aqua / EOS PM-1 Spacecraft:  Formely the EOS-PM Earth Chronologies: 2002 payload #35 ; 2002-022A : 6056th spacecraft. Type: Earth remote sensing Sponsor: NASA Launch: 4 May 2002 at 9h54 UTC, from Vandenberg Air Force Base's SLC-2W, by a Delta 7920-10L. Orbit: 676 km x 687 km x 98.2° Mission: Aqua is a major NASA hydrology satellite, the EOS-PM Earth Observing System satellite, joining EOS AM/Terra. With dimensions 4.8 meters x 8.4 meters x 16.7 meters (including solar sails), mass of 1.75 tonne and power of 4.86 kW, it carries six instrument packages (of additional mass of 1.08 tonne) to study the global water cycle in the oceans, ice caps, land masses and the atmosphere. The satellite was built by TRW and based on the new T-330/AB1200 bus.  Source: Jonathan Space Report No. 478 ; Spacewarn No. 583 ; National Space Science Data Center's 2002-022A ;

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DirecTV-5 Spacecraft:  Chronologies: 2002 payload #36 ; 2002-023A : 6057th spacecraft. Type: Communications (DBS) Sponsor: U.S. DirecTV satellite Launch: 7 May 2002 at 17h00 UTC, from Baykonur Cosmodrome's LC-81, by a D-1-e/Proton-K/DM3. Orbit: Geostationnary at 119° West longitude Mission: DirecTV 5 is a 4.3-tonne (with fuel) spacecraft that provides digital television to North American subscribers through its 32 Ku-band transponders. The Loral FS-1300 class satellite is owned by DirecTV satellite broadcasting company, which is a subsidiary of GM/Hughes. Source: Jonathan Space Report No. 479 ; Spacewarn No. 583 ; National Space Science Data Center's 2002-023A ;

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HY-1 / Hai Yang 1 Spacecraft:  Hai Yang Yi (Haiyang means "marine") Chronologies: 2002 payload #37 ; 2002-024A : 6058th spacecraft. Type: Earth remote sensing Sponsor: China Launch: 15 May 2002 at 1h50 UTC, from Taiyuan Space Launch Center, by a Chang Zheng 4B. Orbit: 793 x 799 km x 98.8°  Mission: Haiyang-1 is a 368-kg ocean observaton satallite which is used to survey ocean phenomena, offshore sands and red tides.  As China's first marine satellite, it used visible light and infrared spectral coverage to probe water temperature.  Developed by the Chinese Institute of Space Technology, Haiyang-1 is operated by the National Marine Satellite Application Center. Test data show the major technology onboard the satellite has met pre-set requirements and the satellite is working well. Haiyang-1 has a designed life span of two years.The 360-kg Haiyang 1 carries an Ocean Imager in several visible and infrared bands to study ocean temperature, chlorophyll concentration, sedimentation and ecology. The analysis will involve auxilliary data from buoys, marine planes and coastal observation stations. Is based on the SJ-5 bus and carries an IR radiometer and CCD imager for oceanographic studies.      On 28 September 2003, Chinese report that: “HY-1A, China's first marine satellite, has sent back data on ocean color, water temperatures and coastal zones since it was launched in May last year. The satellite is working well…"      It is reported that China will develop a series of marine satellites that will have three major functions: to inspect color changes in seawater, monitor the dynamics of the ocean environment and general surveillance of the ocean environment.  Source: Jonathan Space Report No. 479 & 480 ; Spacewarn No. 583 ; National Space Science Data Center's 2002-024A ; Xinhua's15 May 02, 15 May 02, 5 Sep 02, 18 Sep 02,  28 Sep 03 ;

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FY-1D / Fengyun 1D Spacecraft:  FY (Fengyun) are the initials for the Chinese characters for wind and cloud. Chronologies: 2002 payload #38 ; 2002-024B : 6059th spacecraft. Type: Meteorology Sponsor: China Meteorological Administration (CMA) Launch: 15 May 2002 at 1h50 UTC, from Taiyuan Space Launch Center, by a Chang Zheng 4B. Orbit: 851 km x 873 km x 98.8°  Mission: Fengyun-1D is a 428-kg (or 950-kg) meteorological satellite which serve meteorology, agriculture, forestry, water resources and the petroleum sectors. It carries a 10-channel scanning radiometer for atmosphere, land and ocean observations. FY-1D has a design life of two years.      The new satellite lay the ground work for China to make short-term and long-term weather forecasting and monitoring of the atmospheric environment. It is the first of five meteorological satellites the China plans to launch between 2002 and 2008, when the 29th Olympic Games will be held in China. These satellites will lead the way for the country to offer comprehensive weather services for the 2008 Olympic Games. Source: Jonathan Space Report No. 479 & 480 ; Spacewarn No. 583 ; National Space Science Data Center's 2002-024B ; China Daily’s 21 Aug 01 ; Xinhua’s 24 Jan 02, 14 May 02, 15 May 02, 15 May 02 ;

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'Ofeq-5 Spacecraft:  Chronologies: 2002 payload #39 ; 2002-025A : 6060th spacecraft. Type: Reconnaissance Sponsor: ISA / Israeli Space Agency Source:  Israel Weapons OFEQ-5 orbited by a Shavit launcher (Source: Israel Weapons) Launch: 28 May 2002 at 15h25 UTC, from the Palmachim Air Force Base, by a Shaviyt. Orbit: 369 km x 771 km x 143.5° x 96 min Mission: 'Ofeq-5 has a mass of about 300 kg and is 2.3 meters high and 1.2 meter diameter. It was built by IAI/MBT for the Israeli Space Agency and carries an imaging reconnaissance camera. ('Ofeq 4, which was also EROS-A (a prototype for a civilian remote sensing satellite) failed to orbit in January 1998.). Built by Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI), OFEQ 5 carries a remote sensing payload that will enable it to perform its high-resolution observation missions for national needs. OFEQ 5, based on proven technologies employed in the OFEQ satellites, is a three-axes stabilized, lightweight satellite platform.  Source: Jonathan Space Report No. 479 ; Spacewarn No. 583 ; National Space Science Data Center's 2002-025A ; Israel Weapon's Ofeq 5 ;

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Kosmos 2389 Spacecraft:  Parus Chronologies: 2002 payload #40 ; 2002-026A : 6061st spacecraft. Type: Navigation Sponsor: Russian Defense ministry Launch: 28 May 2002 at 18h15 UTC, from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome, by a Kosmos-3M.  Orbit: 950 km x 1,016 km x 83° x 105 min  Mission: Kosmos 2389 is a Parus-class navigation satellite. The spacecraft is in Plane 4, probably replacing Kosmos 2336; it is between the planes of Kosmos 2366 and Kosmos 2361. Source: Jonathan Space Report No. 480 & 482 ; Spacewarn No. 583 ; National Space Science Data Center's 2002-026A ;

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Intelsat 905 Spacecraft:  Chronologies: 2002 payload #41 ; 2002-027A : 6062nd spacecraft. Type: Communications (multi-service) Sponsor: Intelsat / International Telecommunications Satellite Organization Launch: 5 June 2002 at 6h44 UTC, from Kourou Space Center's ELA-2, by an Ariane 44L (V152).  Orbit: Geostationary at 24.5° West longitude Mission: Intelsat 905 provides voice, video and internet services to all countries adjoining the Atlantic Ocean through its 72 C-band and 22 Ku-band transponders. (It replaces the aging Intelsat 603 [Intelsat VI F-3], which had been retrieved from a useless orbit by a Space Shuttle crew in 1992 and ejected back to be functional untill 2002.) Intelsat 905 has a mass of 1,984 kg with 2,739 kg of propellant and was built by Loral for the recently privatized Intelsat company. Source: Jonathan Space Report No. 480 ; Spacewarn No. 584 ; National Space Science Data Center's 2002-027A ;

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STS-111 / ISS UF-2 Spacecraft:  Space Shuttle #110 ; Endeavour (18th flight) Chronologies: 2002 payload #42 ; 2002-028A : 6063rd spacecraft. Type: Piloted spaceflight (to the International Space Station) Sponsor: NASA Launch: 5 June 2002 at 21h22 UTC, from Kennedy Space Center's LC-39A, by the Space Shuttle. Orbit: Circular at ~400 km x 51.6° Landed: 19 June 2002 at 17h57:41 UTC at Edwards AFB's runway 22. Mission: STS-111 carried a crew of seven astronauts and material to the International Space Station (ISS). Three of the astronauts remains on ISS for four months as Expedition 5 crew, relieving its earlier crew of three. The crew repaired a malfunctioning gyroscope and installed debris shields on the Zvesda module. They also repaired the wrist joints on the Canadian robotic arm/crane Canadarm2. Endeavour docked with the Station on 7 June 2002 at 16h25 UTC. After two days of bad weather, it was diverted to Edwards AFB in California. Source: Jonathan Space Report No. 480, 481, 482 & 483 ; Spacewarn No. 584 ; National Space Science Data Center's 2002-028A ;

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Ekspress A1R Spacecraft:  Ekspress A No. 4 (also named in the press as Express 41R and Express 41P). Chronologies: 2002 payload #43 ; 2002-029A : 6064th spacecraft. Type: Communications (multi-services) Sponsor: Russia's GP Kosmicheskaya Svyaz' Launch: 10 June 2002 at 1h14 UTC, from the Baykonur Cosmodrome, by a D-1-e/Proton-K/DM2M. Orbit: Geostationary Mission: Express 4A is a Russian communications spacecraft which provides television and radio services in digital format to Russia and neighboring countries. The 1.6-tonne spacecraft was built by NPO PM and Alcatel for GP Kosmicheskaya Svyaz', the Russian satcom operator, which calls the satellite Ekspress A1R. Source: Jonathan Space Report No. 481 & 482 ; Spacewarn No. 584 ; National Space Science Data Center's 2002-029A ;

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Galaxy 3C Spacecraft:  Chronologies: 2002 payload #44 ; 2002-030A : 6065th spacecraft. Type: Communications (DBS) Sponsor: PanAmSat Launch: 15 June 2002 at 22h39 UTC, from the Odyssey platform, by a Zenit-3SL. Orbit: Geostationary at 95° West longitude. Mission: Galaxy 3C is a 2.8-tonne communications spacecraft that provides direct-to-home broadcast of video and internet services to the subscribers in the USA and Latin America through its 24 C-band and 53 Ku-band transponders. The Boeing BSS-702 satellite is the first 702 model to use extra solar panels instead of the solar concentrators which ran into fogging problems on the earlier 702 flights. Notes: The Sea Launch Zenit-3S took off from the Odyssey floating launch platform at its standard 154° West and 0° North location. Source: Jonathan Space Report No. 482 ; Spacewarn No. 584 ; National Space Science Data Center's 2002-030A ;

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Iridium 97 Spacecraft:  Iridium SV097 Chronologies: 2002 payload #45 ; 2002-031A : 6066th spacecraft. Type: Communications (phone) Sponsor: Iridium Satellite LLC Launch: 20 June 2002 at 9h33 UTC, from Plesetsk Cosmodrome's LC-133, by a Rokot/Briz-KM. Orbit: 658 km x 670 km x 86.6° x 98.0 min Mission: Twenty-second group (of two) Iridiums that Two that augments the fleet of in-orbit spares to 14 Iridiums that are intended as backup to the operational fleet of 66 690-kg spacecrafts. The fleet provides L-band links between mainly mobile telephones, many of which have been recently DoD/Pentagon-owned. Thesemobile telephone are owned by Iridium Satellite LLC, the successor to bankrupt Iridium LLC. Notes: The Rokot consists of the two-stage UR-100NU ballistic missile with a Briz-KM upper stage based on the S5.92 engine (originally flown on space probes like Fobos). Source: Jonathan Space Report No. 482 ; Spacewarn No. 584 ; National Space Science Data Center's 2002-031A ;

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Iridium 98 Spacecraft:  Iridium SV098 Chronologies: 2002 payload #46 ; 2002-031B : 6067th spacecraft. Type: Communications (phone) Sponsor: Iridium Satellite LLC Launch: 20 June 2002 at 9h33 UTC, from Plesetsk Cosmodrome's LC-133, by a Rokot/Briz-KM. Orbit: 658 km x 670 km x 86.6° x 98.0 min Mission: Twenty-second group (of two) Iridiums that Two that augments the fleet of in-orbit spares to 14 Iridiums that are intended as backup to the operational fleet of 66 690-kg spacecrafts. The fleet provides L-band links between mainly mobile telephones, many of which have been recently DoD/Pentagon-owned. Thesemobile telephone are owned by Iridium Satellite LLC, the successor to bankrupt Iridium LLC. Source: Jonathan Space Report No. 482 ; Spacewarn No. 584 ; National Space Science Data Center's 2002-031B ;

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NOAA 17 Spacecraft:  NOAA-M Chronologies: 2002 payload #47 ; 2002-032A : 6068th spacecraft. Type: Meteorology Sponsor: U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Launch: 24 June 2002 at 18h23 UTC, from Vandenberg Air Force Base's SLC-4W, by a Titan 23G (23G-14). Orbit: 807 km x 822 km x 98.8°  Mission: NOAA-M is a NOAA/NASA weather satellite that becomes NOAA 17 on entering service. The triaxially-stabilized, 1,500-kg (plus 760 kg fuel) spacecraft has a length of 4.2 meters and a diameter of 1.9 meter, and has a solar array of 16.8 square-meters that generates 830 Watts of power. It carries several Earth weather-related instruments, named AVHRR-3, HIRS-3, AMSU-A, AMSU-B and SBUV-2; and a space weather package named SEM. It is the primary morning weather satellite, supplementing the NOAA 16 afternoon satellite. Built by Lockheed Martin, it carries weather imagers and microwave and infrared sounders, as well as a SARSAT search-and-rescue package. Source: Jonathan Space Report No. 482 ; Spacewarn No. 584 ; National Space Science Data Center's 2002-032A ;

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Progress M-46 / ISS-8P Spacecraft:  Progress M 7K-TGM no. 246 Chronologies: 2002 payload #48 ; 2002-033A : 6069th spacecraft. Type: Cargo delivery to the International Space Station Sponsor: Rosaviakosmos / Russian Space Agency Launch: 26 June 2002 at 5h36 UTC, from Baykonur Cosmodrome's LC-1/5, by an A-2/Soyuz-U. Orbit: Circular at ~400 km x 51.6° Mission: Progress M-46 is a Russian automatic cargo carrier that delivers 2.5 tonnes of fuel, food, oxygen, water and equipment to the International Space Station. It uses the older model Progress M. It docked with the Zvezda module on 29 June 2002 at 6h23 UTC, after carrying out tests of the Kurs rendezvous system on 28 June. Three months later, it undocked from Zvezda, on 24 September 2002 at 13h58 UTC, and remained in orbit to carry out photography of the Earth. Source: Jonathan Space Report No. 483 & 488 ; Spacewarn No. 584; National Space Science Data Center's 2002-033A ;

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CONTOUR Spacecraft:  Comet Nucleus Tour Chronologies: 2002 payload #49 ; 2002-034A : 6070th spacecraft. Type: Planetary probe Families: Discovery-6 mission Sponsor: NASA Launch: 3 July 2002 at 6h47 UTC, from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's SLC-17A, by a Delta 7425-9.5. Orbit: Initially : 214 x 106,686 km x 29.8° Fragments at 0.876 AU x 1.131 AU x 8.7° (Solar orbit) Mission: CONTOUR, an heliospheric spacecraft, was to meet at least two comets: comet Encke on 12 November 2003 and comet Schwassmann-Wachmann 3 (SW3) on 19 June 2006, passing at a distance of 100 km from each nucleus. This NASA's latest Discovery mission probe was built and operated by the Johns Hopkins University's Applied Physics Laboratory (APL).     On 15 August 2002 at 08h49 UTC, the Contour probe fired its ATK/Thiokol Star 30BP solid motor. The burn was meant to insert it into solar orbit. But no signals have been received from the probe, and the Spacewatch telescopes imaged three objects along the trajectory, so it looks like Contour has broken up.  Notes: Tracking of the three fragments of the Contour space probe suggests they will return to the Earth around 16 August 2003, a year after the apparently fatal motor firing. Fragments A and B will pass well beyond the Earth-Moon system's gravitational sphere of influence, with a closest approach of 5 to 7 million km. Fragment C's orbit is much more uncertain but it seems it will pass much closer to Earth, with the best fit value according to JPL's navigation team of 736,000 km, but an uncertainty of over 1.2 million km. The C flyby will occur on August 15 between 4h00 and 23h00 UTC. The three objects are in an 0.876 AU x 1.131 AU orbit around the Sun inclined at 8.7° to the ecliptic plane and left the 1 million km nominal range of Earth's sphere of influence on August 17. (The Thiokol Star 30 motor has been launched 90 times and fired 86 times (4 no tests due to launch failures); the 30BP model has had 28 flights.) Source: Jonathan Space Report No. 483, 485 & 486 ; Spacewarn No. 585 ; National Space Science Data Center's 2002-034A ;

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Atlantic Bird 3 / Stellat 5  Spacecraft:  Chronologies: 2002 payload #50 ; 2002-035A : 6071st spacecraft. Type: Communications (multi-service) Sponsor: France Telecom and Europe*Star Launch: 5 July 2002 at 23h22 UTC, from Kourou Space Center's ELA-3, by an Ariane 5G (Ariane 512, V153).  Orbit: Geostationary at 5° West longitude Mission: Stellat-5 is a communications spacecraft that provides television and two-way Internet services to Europe, North Africa and Middle East through its 35 Ku-band and 10 C-band transponders. It is an Alcatel Spacebus 3000B3 with a dry mass of 1,805 kg and 2,245 kg of propellant. The satellite is a joint venture between France Telecom and Europe*Star and is colocated with France Telecom's Telecom 2C. Source: Jonathan Space Report No. 483 ; Spacewarn No. 585 ; National Space Science Data Center's 2002-035A ;

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N-Star c  Spacecraft:  Chronologies: 2002 payload #51 ; 2002-035B : 6072nd spacecraft. Type: Communications (multi-service) Sponsor: Japan's NTT DoCoMo Launch: 5 July 2002 at 23h22 UTC, from Kourou Space Center's ELA-3, by an Ariane 5G (Ariane 512, V153). Orbit: Geostationary at 135° East longitude Mission: N-Star c is a communications spacecraft thatprovides mobile telephony, data transfer and maritime communications to Japan and neighboring area through its S- and C-band transponders. The 1,625-kg (with fuel), 1,400-Watts triaxially-stabilized satellite has a communications payload built by Lockheed Martin and uses the Star 2 bus from Orbital. Source: Jonathan Space Report No. 483 ; Spacewarn No. 585 ; National Space Science Data Center's 2002-035B ;

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Kosmos 2390 Spacecraft:  Strela-3 Chronologies: 2002 payload #52 ; 2002-036A : 6073rd spacecraft. Type: Communications Sponsor: Russian Defense ministry Launch: 8 July 2002 at 6h36 UTC, from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome, by a Kosmos-3M (11K65M). Orbit: 1,466 km x 1,507 km x 82.5° x 115.7 min Mission: A pair of Russian Defense ministry satellites that are reported to belong to the "Strela-3 class"; this launch was a surprise, as it doesn't fit the established profile of any existing Russian military system. Previously Strela-3 satellites were launched in groups of six aboard Tsiklon rockets, but it appears that the Russian Defense ministry is moving away from use of the Ukrainian Tsiklon. Also, earlier Strela-3 launches were in 1,390 x 1,415 km orbits, significantly lower than the latest launch. Source: Jonathan Space Report No. 483 ; Spacewarn No. 585 ; National Space Science Data Center's 2002-036A ;

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Kosmos 2391 Spacecraft:  Strela-3 Chronologies: 2002 payload #53 ; 2002-036B : 6074th spacecraft. Type: Communications Sponsor: Russian Defense ministry Launch: 8 July 2002 at 6h36 UTC, from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome, by a Kosmos-3M  (11K65M). Orbit: 1,466 km x 1,507 km x 82.5° x 115.7 min Mission: A pair of Russian Defense ministry satellites that are reported to belong to the "Strela-3 class"; this launch was a surprise, as it doesn't fit the established profile of any existing Russian military system. Previously Strela-3 satellites were launched in groups of six aboard Tsiklon rockets, but it appears that the Russian Defense ministry is moving away from use of the Ukrainian Tsiklon. Also, earlier Strela-3 launches were in 1,390 x 1,415 km orbits, significantly lower than the latest launch. Source: Jonathan Space Report No. 483 ; Spacewarn No. 585 ; National Space Science Data Center's 2002-036B ;

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Kosmos 2392 Spacecraft:  Araks / Arkon No. 2 (11F664) Chronologies: 2002 payload #54 ; 2002-037A : 6075th spacecraft. Type: Reconnaissance Sponsor: Russian Defense ministry Launch: 25 July 2002 at 15h13 UTC, from Baykonur Cosmodrome's LC-81/24, by a D-1-e/Proton-K/DM5? Orbit: 1,500 km x 1,836 km x 64.4° x 120 min.  Mission: Kosmos 2392 is a large imaging satellite built by Lavochkin and derived from the Mars/Venera probe bus. The 2.6 tonne (with fuel) satellite carries a high-resolution imager with a 1.6-meter mirror telescope to provide images at a resolution of one meter. The Arkon satellites are operated by the Russian Ministry of Defense and reportedly used for both military and civilian imaging; the first one in the series was Kosmos 2344 in June 1997. The images will be distributed for sale by a Russian company. Source: Jonathan Space Report No. 484 & 486 ; Spacewarn No. 585 ; National Space Science Data Center's 2002-037A ;

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Hot Bird 6 / Eutelsat HB6 Spacecraft:  Chronologies: 2002 payload #55 ; 2002-038A : 6076th spacecraft. Type: Communications (multi-service) Sponsor: Eutelsat organization Launch: 21 August 2002 at 22h05 UTC, from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's SLC-41, by an Atlas V (AV-001). Orbit: Geostationary at 13° East longitude Mission: Hot Bird 6 is a communications spacecraft that provides digital radio and television coverage to Europe, North Africa and the Middle East through its 28 Ku-band and four Ka-band transponders. The 4.9-tonne spacecraft was built by Alcatel (Cannes); it is an Alcatel Spacebus 3000B3-class satellite. Also, it was a maiden flight for the Atlas V. Notes: This is the first Lockheed Martin Astronautics Atlas V successfully launched. The Atlas V is a new family of launch vehicles merging the Atlas and Titan lines, using the Atlas CCB (Common Core Booster) first stage. The CCB is a 3.80-meter diameter, 32-meter long stage, much larger than and quite different from the 3.05-meter diameter, 21 to 29-meter long Atlas stage used from 1957 to the present on other Atlas vehicles. The old Atlas stage used a thin tank wall and needed to be kept pressurized by gas or propellant inside or it would crumple (there is a great video of a mid-1960's pad accident where the Atlas stage folds in half). The new stage, like the Titan core which it also replaces, uses a standard structurally stable tank. It does have components in common with recent Atlas vehicles, and the distinctive external avionics pod near the base gives the stage some visual commonality with the old Atlas. The CCB diameter is the same as the Ariane 1-4 vehicle and marginally smaller than the Zenit. CCB uses the Russian RD-180 LOX/kerosene engine. Source: Jonathan Space Report No. 485 ; Spacewarn No. 586 ; National Space Science Data Center's 2002-038A ;

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Echostar VIII / Echostar 8 [[ Spacecraft:  Chronologies: 2002 payload #56 ; 2002-039A : 6077th spacecraft. Type: Communications (DBS) Sponsor: Echostar Communications Corp. Launch: 22 August 2002 at 5h15 UTC, from Baykonur Cosmodrome's LC-81/23, by a D-1-e/Proton-K/DM3. Orbit: Geostationary at 110° West longitude. Mission: Echostar 8 is communications spacecraft which provides digital TV broadcast to North America through its 16 "spot beams" and 41 transponders in the Ku-band. The 4.7-tonne spacecraft is a Loral SS-L/1300-class satellite with a launch mass of 4,660 kg, comparable to the similar Intelsat 9 but larger than other previous SS-L/1300 satellites. Source: Jonathan Space Report No. 485 ; Spacewarn No. 586; National Space Science Data Center's 2002-039A ;

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Atlantic Bird 1 Spacecraft:  Chronologies: 2002 payload #57 ; 2002-040A : 6078th spacecraft. Type: Communications (multi-service) Sponsor: Eutelsat organization Launch: 28 August 2002 at 22h45 UTC, from Kourou Space Center's ELA-3, by an Ariane 5G (Ariane 513, V155). Orbit: Geostationary at 12.5° West longitude Mission: Atlantic Bird is a communications spacecraft that provides voice, video and Internet services to Europe and the eastern part of America through its 24 transponders for Eutelsat, the European communications operator. The 2.7-tonne (dry mass; 1,550 kg + 1,150 kg of propellant), 5-kW satellite is an Alenia Spazio (Torino) GeoBus (Italsat) class Ku-band communications satellite. It will replace Eutelsat 2 F-2.  Source: Jonathan Space Report No. 486; Spacewarn No. 586 ; National Space Science Data Center's 2002-040A ;

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MSG 1 Spacecraft: Meteosat Second Generation 1 Chronologies: 2002 payload #58 ; 2002-040B : 6079th spacecraft. Type: Meteorology Sponsor: Eumetsat organization Launch: 28 August 2002 at 22h45 UTC, from Kourou Space Center's ELA-3, by an Ariane 5G (Ariane 513, V155).  Orbit: Geostationary at 10° East longitude Mission: MSG 1 is the first of the Meteosat Second Generation satellites built by Alcatel (Cannes) for Eumetsat, the European weather satellite organization. The MSG satellite is a spin-stabilized cylinder looking much like the old Meteosats (the first of which went up in 1977), but significantly larger. The 3.2-meter diameter satellite has a dry mass of about 1,000 kg and carries about 1,010 kg of propellant. It has a pair of Astrium 400N bipropellant thrusters for orbit raising. The SEVIRI imager will take pictures of cloud cover as the satellite spins at 100 revs per minute. MSG 1 also carries an Earth radiation budget experiment (GERB) and the GEOSAR search-and-rescue transponder. Source: Jonathan Space Report No. 486 ; Spacewarn No. 586 ; National Space Science Data Center's 2002-040B ;

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Intelsat 906 Spacecraft:  Chronologies: 2002 payload #59 ; 2002-041A : 6080th spacecraft. Type: Communications (multi-service) Sponsor: Intelsat Ltd. / International Telecommunications Satellite Launch: 6 September 2002 at 6h44 UTC, from Kourou Space Center's ELA-2, by an Ariane 44L (V154).  Orbit: Geostationary at 64° East longitude. Mission: Intelsat 906 is a communications spacecraft of the international Intelsat consortium (recently privatized as Intelsat Ltd.). It provides internet, telephony and television broadcasts to Europe, Asia and Australia through its 72 C- and 22 Ku-band transponders. It displaces Intelsat 804 which will then be moved to 176° East longitude to handle the increased cross-Atlantic demand. It is a Space Systems Loral FS1300-extended satellite. Source: Jonathan Space Report No. 486 ; Spacewarn No. 587 ; National Space Science Data Center's 2002-041A ;

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USERS Spacecraft:  Unmanned Space Experiment Recovery System Chronologies: 2002 payload #60 ; 2002-042A : 6081st spacecraft. Type: Microgravity Sponsor: Operated by the Institute for Unmanned Space Experiment Free Flyers for the Japan's Ministry of Trade and Industry Launch: 10 September 2002 at 8h20 UTC, from Tanegashima, by a H2A 2024 (H-IIA-3F). Orbit: 440 km x 455 km x 30.4° x 94 min Recovery: 29 May 2003 at about 21h23 UTC, near the Ogasawara Islands. Mission: USERS is a Japanese microgravity experimental satellite. The 1.7-tonne (with fuel), 700-Watt satellite consists of a Re-Entry Module (REM) and a Service Module (SEM) that provides power and a communications link to the REM. In turn, REM consists of a Re-Entry Vehicle (REV) and a Propulsion Module (PM). After 8 months in orbit, the REV soft-landed with its contents. USERS is developed and operated by the USEF consortium for the Ministry of Trade and Industry. It carries microgravity and technology experiments. The SEM has a mass of 800 kg; the REV/PM has a total mass of 926 kg.      On 29 May 2003, USERS satellite has returned to Earth; splashdown was estimated to be at 21h23 UTC, near the Ogasawara Islands. The planned location was 151.5° East 22.5° Norht.. Source: Jonathan Space Report No. 487, 496, 501 & 502 ; Spacewarn No. 587 ; National Space Science Data Center's 2002-042A ;

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DRTS / Kodama Spacecraft: DRTS ; Data Relay Transponder Satellite Chronologies: 2002 payload #61 ; 2002-042B : 6082nd spacecraft. Type: Communications (data relay) Sponsor: Japan's NASDA space agency Launch: 10 September 2002 at 8h20 UTC, from Tanegashima, by a H2A 2024 (F3). Orbit: Geostationary at 90° East longitude. Mission: DRTS is Japanese communications spacecraft that relays images and data procured by the to-be-launched ADEOS-2, ALOS satellites and the KIBO module on ISS, through its S- and Ka-band transponders. The spacecraft is nearly cubical (2.2 meters x 2.4 meters x 2.2 meters), weights 2.8 tonnes (with fuel) and has power of 2.1 kW (from a 17 square-meter array). It is a Japanese analog to the TDRS satellites and will be used for data relay and intersatellite communications. It is built by Mitsubishi for the Japanese NASDA space agency and has a mass of 1,300 kg (dry), plus a further 1,500 kg of propellant at launch for its propulsion system. DRTS has a 3.6-meter Ka-band dish. Notes: H-2A-F3 is the H-2A 2024 variant, with 2 large strapons and 2 small strapons, and a 4-meter fairing of the 4/4D-LC type.  Source: Jonathan Space Report No. 487 ; Spacewarn No. 587 ; National Space Science Data Center's 2002-042B ;

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METSAT-1 / KALPANA-1 Spacecraft: Renamed KALPANA-1 after astronaut Dr. Kalpana Chawla (1961-2003) who perished in the Columbia accident on 1st February 2003. Chronologies: 2002 payload #62 ; 2002-043A : 6083rd spacecraft. Type: Meteorology Sponsor: India's ISRO / Indian Space Research Organization Launch: 12 September 2002 at 10h25 UTC, from Sriharikota Range, by a PSLV (PSLV-C4).  Orbit: Geostationary at 74° East longitude Mission: Metsat 1 is an Indian meteorological satellite. The triaxially-stabilized, 1,050-kg (including 560 kg of propellant), 550-Watts satellite carries a VHRR (Very High Resolution Radiometer) scanning radiometer for three-band images: one in the visible, the second in the thermal infrared and the third in the water vapor infrared bands, each at a spatial resolution of 2-km x 2-km resolution, to obtain atmospheric cloud cover, water vapor and temperature. It carries also a Data Relay Transponder (DRT) to provide data from fixed/mobile ground level weather platforms.  Notes:  It is the first use of the PSLV (Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle) to a geostationary transfer trajectory. The launch was from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at the Sriharikota Range (SHAR). PSLV-C4 has an uprated fourth stage. Source: Jonathan Space Report No. 487 ; Spacewarn No. 587 ; National Space Science Data Center's 2002-043A ;

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HTSTL-1 [[ Spacecraft:  Tsinghua-2? / Hangtian-Tsinghua Satellite Technology Ltd. Chronologies: 2002 payload #63 ; 2002 2nd loss : 6084th spacecraft. Type: Technology Sponsor: China's Hangtian-Tsinghua Satellite Technology Ltd. Launch: 15 September 2002 UTC, from Taiyuan, by a KT-1. Orbit: n/a Mission: Rumour has it that China carried out the first launch of the three-stage solid-fuelled KT-1 (Kaituozhe-1) rocket. KT-1 is apparently based on the DF-31 ballistic missile. The test launch carried a 50 kg satellite and was trying to reach a 300 km polar orbit, but apparently the launch was a failure. The KT-1 second stage failed; one report says that KT-1 is a 4-stage rocket. The launch was planned for mid September and was to carry a 50 kg microsatellite developed by HTSTL (Hangtian-Tsinghua Satellite Technology Ltd.) of Beijing as a technology successor to the Tsinghua-1 satellite which was built in collaboration with England's Surrey Satellite. It is therefore probably similar to the other Uosat-derived satellites. We don't know the real name of the spacecraft, but Tsinghua-2 is another plausible designator. Source: Jonathan Space Report No. 487 & 488;

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Hispasat 1D Spacecraft:  Chronologies: 2002 payload #64 ; 2002-044A : 6085th spacecraft. Type: Communications (multi-service) Sponsor: Spain Launch: 18 September 2002 at 22h04 UTC, from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's SLC-36A, by an Atlas IIAS (AC-159). Orbit: Geostationary at 30° West longitude Mission: Hispasat 1D is a 3.3-tonne, 7.0-kW, Spanish communications spacecraft that carries three antennas looking in different directions to provide video, data and internet services to Europe, North America, and North Africa through its 28 Ku-band transponders alongside of Hispasat 1A, Hispasat 1B and Hispasat 1C. The Hispasat 1D is an Alcatel Spacebus 3000B2 satellite. Source: Jonathan Space Report No. 488 ; Spacewarn No. 587 ; National Space Science Data Center's 2002-044A ;

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Progress M1-9 / ISS-9P Spacecraft:  Progress M1 No. 258 / 7K-TGM no. 258 Chronologies: 2002 payload #65 ; 2002-045A : 6086th spacecraft. Type: Cargo delivery to the International Space Station Sponsor: Rosaviakosmos / Russian Space Agency Launch: 25 September 2002 at 16h58 UTC, from the Baykonur Cosmodrome, by an A-2/Soyuz-FG. Orbit: Circular at ~400 km x 51,6° Reentry: 1st February 2003 Mission: Progress M1-9 is a Russian automatic cargo transportation craft that delivers food, fuel, and supplies to the International Space Station, ISS. It docked with the Zvezda module of the ISS on 29 September at 17h00 UTC. Notes: The Soyuz-FG is a Soyuz-U with improved first stage engines. Source: Jonathan Space Report No. 488 ; Spacewarn No. 587 & 592 ; National Space Science Data Center's 2002-045A ;

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Nadezhda M / Nadezhda 7 Spacecraft:  Chronologies: 2002 payload #66 ; 2002-046A : 6087th spacecraft. Type: Navigation Sponsor: Russian Defense Ministry Launch: 26 September 2002 at 14h27 UTC, from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome, by a Kosmos-3M (11K65M). Orbit: 987 km x 1,022 km x 83° x 102 min Mission: Nadezhda 7 is a Russian navigational satellite that participates in the international search-and-rescue network known as COSPAS-SARSAT, for ships at sea. Source: Jonathan Space Report No. 488 ; Spacewarn No. 587 ; National Space Science Data Center's 2002-046A ;

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STS-112 / ISS-9A Spacecraft:  Space Shuttle #111 ; Atlantis (26th flight) Chronologies: 2002 payload #67 ; 2002-047A : 6088th spacecraft. Type: Piloted spaceflight (to the International Space Station) Sponsor: NASA Launch: 7 October 2002 at 19h46 UTC, from Kennedy Space Center's LC-39B, by the Space Shuttle Orbit: Circular at ~400 km x 51,6° Laneder: 18 October 2002 at 15h43 UTC on Kennedy Space Center's Runway 33. Mission: STS 112 carries a crew of five American and one Russian astronauts, and material to the International Space Station (ISS) to augment that facility. STS-111 swap the Expedition 4 and 5 crews and deliver the MBS and some interior experiment racks. During the 11-day mission, the crew extended the truss system of the exterior rail line by a 14 m, 13 tonne girder (ITS-S1). The crew also tested a manual cart on the rails (CETA for Crew and Equipment Transportation Aid), which will enable mobility of crew and equipment during the installation phases. The Mobile Base System is made by MD Robotics of Brampton, Ontario. It is be attached to the Mobile Transporter and is used to mount the SSRMS Canadarm-2 arm and heavy payloads.    Atlantis undocked from ISS on 16 October 2002 at 13h13 UTC. On October 18 at 14h36 UTC, the deorbit burn further lowered the orbit and Atlantis successfully completing its mission with a landing at the Kennedy Space Center. Source: Jonathan Space Report No. 479, 488 & 489 ; Spacewarn No. 588 ; National Space Science Data Center's 2002-047A ;

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ITS-S1 Spacecraft:  Integrated Truss Structure -- Starboar One Chronologies: 2002 payload #68 ; n/a : 6089th spacecraft. Type: International Space Station component Sponsor: NASA Launch: 7 October 2002 at 19h46 UTC, from Kennedy Space Center's LC-39B, by the Space Shuttle. Deployed from Atlantis' cargo bay on 10 October 2002. Orbit: Part of the International Space Station Mission: The S1 (Starboard 1) truss, which is attach it to the end of S0. S1, mostly consists of a thermal control system, with big ammonia cooling loops and three large radiator panels each 3.3 m x 22.9 m. The three panels are attached to a single base structure which can rotate relative to the truss to orient the radiators. On the other side of the truss is the CETA cart,  which will be used to ferry equipment along the mobile transporter railway. S1 was built by Boeing/Huntingdon Beach and Boeing/Huntsville. Source: Jonathan Space Report No. 479, 488 & 489 ;

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Foton M-1 Spacecraft:  Foton-M No. 1 / Foton-13 Chronologies: 2002 payload #69 ; 2002 3rd loss : 6090th spacecraft ; launch failure. Type: Microgravity. Sponsor: Rosaviakosmos / Russian Space Agency Launch: 15 October 2002 at 18h20 UTC, from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome, by an A-2/Soyuz-U. Orbit: None Mission: A Soyuz-U exploded seconds after launch. The payload was the Foton-M materials processing satellite. A few seconds after launch, foreign material in a fuel line caused drastic problems in the Blok-D strapon's engine; it appears that the Blok-D tore away from the stack, the other parts of the stack automatically shut down their engines, and the rocket fell back on the pad area, killing one person.    Foton-M No. 1 (Foton-13) was an improved version of the Foton materials processing satellite, itself a derivative of the venerable Vostok/Zenit satellite that has been flying since 1960. The 6425 kg satellite carried a variety of microgravity experiments including a set from the European Space Agency. The satellite was destroyed in the accident. Source: Jonathan Space Report No. 489 ;

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Integral Spacecraft:   INTErnational Gamma Ray Astrophysics Laboratory Chronologies: 2002 payload #70 ; 2002-048A : 6091st spacecraft. Type: Astronomy Sponsor: ESA / European Space Agency Launch: 17 October 2002 at 4h41 UTC, from the Baykonur Cosmodrome, by a D-1-e/Proton-K/DM2.  Orbit: 7231 km x 152890 km x 51,6° Mission: INTEGRAL is a European astrophysics satellite. The four tonne (with fuel) cylindrical (5 meters height and 3.7 meters diameter) spacecraft is equipped with two tonnes of instruments to monitor gamma rays, x-rays, and visible light, the gamma ray emitters being of primary interest.  It is built by Alenia Spazio and based on the XMM-Newton service module design. Source: Jonathan Space Report No. 489 ; Spacewarn No. 588 ; National Space Science Data Center's 2002-048A ;

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ZY-2B / Zi Yuan 2 Spacecraft: ZY-2 Chronologies: 2002 payload #71 ; 2002-049A : 6092nd spacecraft. Type: Reconnaissance Sponsor: China Launch: 27 October 2002 at 3h17 UTC, from Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, by a Chang Zheng 4B.  Orbit: 470 km x 483 km x 97.4° x 94.1 min Mission: The second ZY-2, a resource satellite, is reportedly “mainly intended for territorial survey, environment monitoring and protection, urban planning, crop yield assessment, disaster monitoring and space scientific experiment.” (China launched a satellite of the same type in September 2000, the first ZY-2, that was still operating normally in Ocotber 2002.) The satellite developed by Chinese Institute of Space Technology under China Aerospace Science and Technology Company Group.      JB-3 2 was initiaaly reported as the second Zi Yuan 2 (IZY-2) remote sensing (imaging satellite), but US intelligence sources indicated JB-3 2 had inf fact primarily an intelligence imaging mission. The IZY are low-orbit non-recoverable imaging satellites probably of a similar design to the ZY-1series which are a collaborative effort with Brazil under the CBERS (China-Brazil Enviromental Research Satellite) program.  No information is available on the instruments onboard the JB-3 2, but it is intended "for territorial survey, environment monitoring and protection, urban planning, crop yield assessment, disaster monitoring and space scientific experiment".       JB-3 2 was the name adopted by the USSPACECOM, but most news reports from China and elsewhere use different names: ZY-2B (acronym for ZiYuan-2B, translated as Resource-2B), and Zhong Guo Zi Yuan Er Hao, translated as China Resource 2. No information was available on the instruments onboard the JB-3 2, but officially it was intended 'for territorial survey, environment monitoring and protection, urban planning, crop yield assessment, disaster monitoring, and space scientific experiments'. Note: JB-3 2 is the name adopted by the USSPACECOM. Most news reports from China and elsewhere use different names: ZY-2B (acronym for ZiYuan-2B, translated as Resource-2B), and Zhong Guo Zi Yuan Er Hao, translated as China Resource 2. There has been a Zhangguo Ziyuan 2 (2000-050A) obviously omitting the "A" after "2", condensed by the USSPACECOM as ZY 2.  Source: Jonathan Space Report No. 489 ; Spacewarn No. 588 ; National Space Science Data Center's 2002-049A ; Mark Wade's Encyclopedia Astronautica's Chronology (2002 Oct 27) ; Xinhua's 27 Oct 02 ;

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Soyuz TMA-1 / ISS-5S Spacecraft:  Soyuz TM No. 211 / 7K-STMA no. 211 (Odissea) Chronologies: 2002 payload #72 ; 2002-050A : 6093rd spacecraft. Type: Piloted spaceflight (to the International Space Station) Sponsor: Rosaviakosmos / Russian Space Agency Launch: 30 October 2002 at 3h11 UTC, from the Baykonur Cosmodrome, by an A-2/Soyuz-FG (11A511U-FG). Orbit: Circular ~400 km x 51,6 Landed 10 November 2002 at 2h04 UTC in Kazakstan. Mission: Soyuz TMA-1 carries the EP-4 crew (Visiting crew no. 4) of Sergey Zalyotin (commander), Frank De Winne (flight engineer 1) and Yuriy Lonchakov (flight engineer 2) to ISS. It docked with the Pirs module on 1st November 2002 at 05h01 UTC. The EP-4 visiting crew joined the ISS residents for a week of scientific researchs. On 9 Novvember, the EP-4 crew boarded Soyuz TM-34 and undocked from the Zarya nadir port at 20h44 UTC, leaving Soyuz TMA-1 for the resident crew, and than landed. Notes: The Soyuz TMA is a minor modification of the Soyuz TM, with the descent module improved to provide space for taller crewmembers and with enhanced soft-landing systems.  The Soyuz-FG is a minor modification of the Soyuz-U, with improved fuel injectors on the engines. Source: Jonathan Space Report No. 489, 490, 505 ; Spacewarn No. 588 ; National Space Science Data Center's 2002-050A ;

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Eutelsat W5 Spacecraft:  Chronologies: 2002 payload #73 ; 2002-051A : 6094th spacecraft. Type: Communications (multi-service) Sponsor: Eutelsat / European Telecommunications Satellite Organization Launch: 20 November 2002 at 22h39 UTC, from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's SLC-37B, by a Delta 4M+(4,2). Orbit: Geostationary at 70.5° East longitude Mission: W5 is a communications spacecraft that provides voice, video and internet services to all countries in western Europe, central Asia and the Indian subcontinent through its 24 Ku-band transponders. I's an Alcatel Spacebus 3000B2 with launch mass of 3,170 kg (the other Eutelsat W series satellites were about 3000 kg full, 1400 kg empty, 4.6 m high 2.5 meters diameter with a span of 29 meters across the 2 solar panels). Eutelsat W5 was onboard the maiden flight of the Delta 4 model. Notes: This is the first Boeing Delta IV launched. This Delta  vehicle was a Delta 4M+(4,2) and had two Alliant GEM-60 solid strapons, a single 5-m diameter Delta CBC core stage with an RS-68 LOX/LH2 engine, and a 4-meter Delta 4 Second Stage with an RL10B-2 LOX/LH2 engine. The Delta 4 Second Stage is a stretched version of the Delta 3 stage 2. This is also the first launch from the rebuilt Space Launch Complex 37B (which seved for Saturn IB launchs in the 1960s). Source: Jonathan Space Report No. 490 ; Spacewarn No. 589 ; National Space Science Data Center's 2002-051A ;

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STS-113 / ISS-11A Spacecraft:  Space Shuttle #112 ; Endeavour (19th flight) Chronologies: 2002 payload #74 ; 2002-052A : 6095th spacecraft. Type: Piloted spaceflight (to the International Space Station) Sponsor: NASA Launch: 24 November 2002 at 0h49 UTC, from Kennedy Space Center's LC-39A, by the Space Shuttle. Orbit: Circulat at ~400 km x 51,6° Recovered: 7 December 2002 at 19h37:12 UTC on Kennedy Space Center's Runway 33. Mission: STS 113 carries a crew of seven astronauts and a 13.7-meter truss of 12.5 tonne (ITS-P1) to the International Space Station (ISS). During several hours of EVA, the crew installed and secured the truss assembly which now has a total length of 40.8 meters. Prior to leaving the ISS, the shuttle crew releases a pair of tethered (15 meters long) picosatellites: the MEPSI satellite for the US Air Force. Endeavour docked with the International Space Station on 28 November 2002 at 21h59 UTC. It then undocked  a week later, on 2 December and lands after several days of bad weather delays. Source: Jonathan Space Report No. 489, 491 & 492 ; Spacewarn No. 589 ; National Space Science Data Center's 2002-052A ;

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ITS-P1 Spacecraft:  Integrated Truss Structure - Port One Chronologies: 2002 payload #75 ; n/a : 6096th spacecraft. Type: International Space Station component Sponsor: NASA Launch: 24 November 2002 at 0h49 UTC, from Cape Canaveral LC-39A, by the Space Shuttle. Orbit: Part of the International Space Station Mission: Source: Jonathan Space Report No. 492 ; Spacewarn No. 589 ;

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Astra 1K Spacecraft:  Chronologies: 2002 payload #76 ; 2002-053A : 6097th spacecraft. Type: Communications (multi-service) Sponsor: Luxembourge-based SES / Soicété européenne de satellites Launch: 25 November 2002 at 23h04 UTC, from Baykonur Cosmodrome's LC- 81/23, by a D-1-e/Proton-K. Orbit: Placed in a circular 175 km x 51,6° Deorbit: 10 December 2002 over the Pacific. Mission: Astra 1K was to be a geostationary communications spacecraft but its DM-3 upper stage was prematurely commanded to separate, resulting in the spacecraft orbiting at a very low orbit. In an effort to prevent imminent re-entry, the spacecraft was raised to a circular orbit at an altitude of 290 km.      The 5.0-tonne, 13 kW spacecraft is reported to be the most massive of civilian communications spacecraft.  It is an Alcatel Spacebus 3000B3S satellite (SB4000 bus but with older SB 3000B3 avionics) with 52 Ku-band and two Ka-band transponders to cover 1,100 channels. Launch mass was 5250 kg; it has 52 Ku-band and 2 Ka-band channels.       The spacecraft failed to reach geostationary orbit, since the Proton's Blok DM3 upper stage failed to reignite. Astra 1K was tranded in the parking orbit and was finally deorbited. Astra 1K was to replace Astra 1B, and provide extra capacity for eastern Europe. It also carries Ka-band capacity to back up Astra 1H. The Ku-band 10.7-11.7 GHz payload provides pan-European coverage. Beams were designed to cover UK/Ireland, continental Europe and European CIS. Notes: Launched by the International Launch Services. Source: Jonathan Space Report No. 491 & 492 ; Spacewarn No. 589 & 590; National Space Science Data Center's 2002-053A ;

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AlSat-1 / DMC Spacecraft:  Chronologies: 2002 payload #77 ; 2002-054A : 6098th spacecraft. Type: Earth imaging (Disaster Monitoring System) Sponsor: Algeria's CNTS / Centre National des Techniques Spatiales Launch: 28 November 2002 at 6h07 UTC, from Plesetsk Cosmodrome's LC-132/1, by a Kosmos-3M. Orbit: 681 km x 742 km x 98.2° x 98,5 min Mission: Alsat 1 is an Algerian imaging minisatellite (90 kg) part of an international Disaster Monitoring System (DMS) for alerting natural/man-made disasters. The spacecratt was built by Surrey Satellite. The first satellite which will provide space imaging support to disaster relief agencies, carries a 32-meter resolution 3-band imager, a 100 mN resistojet thruster for small orbit corrections and a GPS receiver. The SSTL Microsat-100 class satellite is a 0.60 m3 with a 6-m gravity gradient boom. As well as gravity gradient stabilization, it uses a momentum wheel to improve stability for imaging. Notes: This is the second sun-synchronous launch by the Kosmos-3M. Source: Jonathan Space Report No. 491 & 492 ; Spacewarn No. 589 ; National Space Science Data Center's 2002-054A ;

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Mozhaets (Mozhayets) Spacecraft:  Chronologies: 2002 payload #78 ; 2002-054B : 6099th spacecraft. Type: Technology Sponsor: Russia Launch: 28 November 2002 at 6h07 UTC, from Plesetsk Cosmodrome's LC-132/1, by a Kosmos-3M. Orbit: 681 km x 742 km x 98.2° x 98.5° (Sun-synchronous) Mission: Mozhayets is a Russian experimental, minisatellite (90 kg or 64 kg) that was designed and built by the cadets and teachers of a military space academy to learn about spacecraft operations. It is a successor to the Zeya and Radio-ROSTO satellites, is built by NPO Prikladnoi Mekhaniki of Zheleznogorsk with a payload developed by students of the Mozhaisky military academy in Sankt-Peterburg. It may be based on the Strela-1M small communications satellite bus. It includes a GLONASS/GPS receiver, a particle detector and an amateur radio payload. Source: Jonathan Space Report No. 491 & 492 ; Spacewarn No. 589 ; National Space Science Data Center's 2002-054B ;

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Rubin-3-DSI Spacecraft:  Chronologies: 2002 payload #79 ; 2002-054C : 6100th spacecraft. Type: Technology Sponsor: Russia Launch: 28 November 2002 at 6h07 UTC, from Plesetsk Cosmodrome's LC-132/1, by a Kosmos-3M. Orbit: 681 km x 742 km x 98.2° Mission: Rubin-3-DSI, with a mass of 45 kg, was built by PO Polyot of Omsk (builders of the Kosmos-3M) and OHB System of Bremen. It measures the launch vehicle environment and performance. Source: Jonathan Space Report No. 491 & 492 ; Spacewarn No. 589 ; National Space Science Data Center's 2002-054C ;

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MEPSI Spacecraft:  Micro-Electromechanical-based Picosat Satellite Inspection Experiment Chronologies: 2002 payload #80 ; 2002-052B : 6101st spacecraft. Type: Technology Sponsor: US Air Force and DARPA Launch: 24 November 2002 at 0h49 UTC, from Cape Canaveral LC-39A, by the Space Shuttle. Deployed from a canister in Endeavour's payload bay on 2 December 2002 at 22h05 UTC. Orbit: Low-Earth Decayed: 31 January 2003 Mission: MEPSI consists of two 1-kg boxes attached to each other by a 15-m tether. The boxes include an imaging camera and a MEM transceiver. It is a prototype for a miniature inspector satellite. Source: Jonathan Space Report No. 489 & 492 ; Spacewarn No. 591 ; Spacewarn No. 589 ; National Space Science Data Center's 2002-052B ;

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TDRS 10 Spacecraft:  TDRS-J Chronologies: 2002 payload #81 ; 2002-055A : 6102nd spacecraft. Type: Communications (data relay) Sponsor: NASA Source : Boeing Launch: 5 December 2002 at 2h42 UTC, from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's SLC-36, by an Atlas IIA (AC-144). Orbit: Geostationary at 150° West longitude Mission: TDRS 10 is a communcations satellite that joins the currently operational fleet of six TDRSs which are used to relay data from many science-payload NASA satellites. The 3.2 tonne (with fuel), 1.7 kW, hexagonal, triaxially-stabilized spacecraft's enhanced capability includes simultaneous coverage of five spacecraft at multiple frequencies and at a data rate of 800 megabits/s from its Ka-band transponders, 300 Mbps from its Ku-band, and 6 Mbps from its S-band transponders. TDRS 10 is the last of three Boeing 601 class satellites which supersede the original TRW TDRS series. Source: Jonathan Space Report No. 492 ; Spacewarn No. 590 ; National Space Science Data Center's 2002-055A ; Boeing's TDRS H, I, J :

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Stentor Spacecraft:  Chronologies: 2002 payload #82 ; 2002 4th loss : 6103rd spacecraft. Type: Communications (technology) Sponsor: France Launch: 11 December 2002 at 22h21 UTC, from the Kourou Space Center's ELA-3, by an Ariane 5 (Ariane 514, V517). Orbit: None Mission: Stentor was an experimental French communications technology satellite using the Alcatel Spacebus 3000 bus with Eurostar 3000 components. It carried an S400 liquid apogee engine as well as SEP and Fakel electric xenon thrusters; the communications payload included Ku-band and EHF transponders. Mass was 2210 kg Note: The first Ariane 5ECA launch ended in failure when the first stage Vulcain 2 engine nozzle failed three minutes after launch because of a leak in the cooling system. The vehicle reached an apogee of about 140 km and then fell back towards the Atlantic, destroyed by range safety seven minutes after launch. Source: Jonathan Space Report No. 492 ;

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Hot Bird 7 Spacecraft:  Chronologies: 2002 payload #83 ; 2002 5th loss : 6104th spacecraft. Type: Communications Sponsor: Europe's Eutelsat Launch: 11 December 2002 at 22h21 UTC, from the Kourou Space Center's ELA-3, by an Ariane 5 (Ariane 514, V517) Orbit: n/a Mission: Hot Bird 7 was a 3300 kg Eurostar 2000+ satellite with a Ka-band communications payload. Source: Jonathan Space Report No. 492 ;

ADEOS-2 / Midori 2 Spacecraft:  Chronologies: 2002 payload #84 ; 2002-056A : 6105th spacecraft. Type: Earth remote sensing Sponsor: Japan's NASDA Launch: 14 December 2002 at 1h31 UTC, from the Tanegashima Space Center, by an H-2A-202. Orbit: 804 km x 806 km x 98.7° x 101 min (Sun-synchronous)  Mission: Adeos 2 is a Japanese remote sensing spacecraft. The 3.7-tonne (with fuel), 5 kW spacecraft has the dimensions of 4 meters x 4 meters x 5 meters, and has a single solar panel of 0.3 meters x 24 meters. It carries five instruments to monitor the global climate trends.      In October 2003, JAXA lost contact with the Midori-2  and its mission is presumed lost. . Source: Jonathan Space ReportNo. 492 & 513 ; Spacewarn No. 590 ; National Space Science Data Center's 2002-056A ;

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FedSat Spacecraft:  Chronologies: 2002 payload #85 ; 2002-056B : 6106th spacecraft. Type: Technology (communications) Sponsor: Australia Launch: 14 December 2002 at 1h31 UTC, from the Tanegashima Space Center, by a H2A-202. Orbit: 793 km x 806 km x 98,7° x 100,9 min., Mission: Fedsat is a microsatellite (58 kg) that carries communications, navigation and computing systems, and a sensitive magnetometer (named NewMag). It is also reported to carry a compact disk carrying voice recordings of 300 Australians as a time capsule enduring its estimated 100-year orbital life-span. It experienced some tumbling that requires corrective efforts.  Source: Jonathan Space Report No. 492 ; Spacewarn No. 590 ; National Space Science Data Center's 2002-056B ;

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WEOS Spacecraft:  Whale Earth (Ecology] Observing Satellite Chronologies: 2002 payload #86 ; 2002-056C : 6107th spacecraft. Type: Earth remote sensing Sponsor: Chiba Insitute of Technology Launch: 14 December 2002 at 1h31 UTC, from the Tanegashima Space Center, by a H2A-202. Orbit: 791 km x 805 km x 98.7° x 100.8 min Mission: WEOS is a Japanese microsatellite that relays data from transmitters attached to whales. Source: Jonathan Space Report No. 492 ; Spacewarn No. 590 ; National Space Science Data Center's 2002-056C ;

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Mu-Lab-Sat / Micro-Labsat Spacecraft:  Micro-Lab-Sat Chronologies: 2002 payload #87 ; 2002-056D : 6108th spacecraft. Type: Technology Sponsor: Japan's NASDA Launch: 14 December 2002 at 1h31 UTC, from the Tanegashima Space Center, by a H2A-202. Orbit: 789 km x 805 km x 98.7° x 100.8 min Mission: Micro-Labsat (Mu-Lab-Sat ) is a Japanese technology experiment microsatellite (54 kg). It tests the separation mechanism for the Selene moon probe subsatellites. The satellite released two tiny subsatellites in an experiment to test an onboard tracking imager for inspector satellites. The RITE (Remote Inspection Technology Experiment) targets are disks about 0.1-meter in diameter. They were released from Micro-LabSat on 14 March 2003 at 1h40 UTC and 14 May 2003 at 1h50 UTC. The targets have not been cataloged by USAF Space Command. Source: Jonathan Space Report No. 492 & 509 ; Spacewarn No. 590 ; National Space Science Data Center's 2002-056C ;

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NSS 6 Spacecraft:  Chronologies: 2002 payload #88 ; 2002-057A : 6109th spacecraft. Type: Communications (multi-service) Sponsor: International's New Skies (the commercial Intelsat spinoff) Launch: 17 December 2002 at 23h04 UTC, from the Kourou Space Center's ELA-2, by an Ariane 44L (V156). Orbit: Georstationary at 95° East longitude Mission: NSS 6 is a communications spacecraft. The 4.5 tonne (with fuel) spacecraft carriers 50 Ku-band and 10 Ka-band transponders to provide voice, video and data communications to India, China, Southeast Asia, and Australia. It is a Lockheed Martin A2100AX with a launch mass of 4,575 kg and a Ku and Ka band communications payload. Notes: Last launch of an Ariane 44L booster. Source: Jonathan Space Report No. 492 ; Spacewarn No. 590 ; National Space Science Data Center's 2002-057A ;

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Rubin-2 (AATiS OSCAR-49 (AO-49) / SAFIR-M) Spacecraft:  Chronologies: 2002 payload #89 ; 2002-058A : 6110th spacecraft. Type: Technology Sponsor: OHB/Carlo Gavazzi Space Launch: 20 December 2002 at 17h00 UTC, from Baykonur Cosmodrome's LC-109, by a Dnepr.  Orbit: 635 km x 679 km x 64.6° x 97.9 min Mission: Rubin 2 is a German microsatellite (~10-kg) test satellite that can operate without a dedicated ground station. It can be operated via an internet link from a PC, using the Orbcomm mobile messaging satellite network. SAFIR-M is a German amateur radio payload onboard the small Rubin-2; it was built by the German amateur radio association "AATiS e.V." (German acronym for "working group for amateur radio and telecommunications in schools"). It is designed as a "store and broadcast" system for APRS based messages, dedicated for the use of schools in combination with the existing WX-Net and planned buoy experiments in Germany.  Source: Jonathan Space Report No. 492 ; Spacewarn No. 590 ; National Space Science Data Center's 2002-058A ; A Brief History of Amateur Satellites ;

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Latinsat B Spacecraft:  Chronologies: 2002 payload #90 ; 2002-058B : 6111th spacecraft. Type: Communications Sponsor: Aprize Argentina Launch: 20 December 2002 at 17h00 UTC, from Baykonur Cosmodrome's LC-109, by a Dnepr. Orbit: 632 km x 720 km x 64.6° x 98.1 min Mission: Latinsat-B is one of the two Argentine picosatellites (12 kg) that monitors both fixed and mobile goods for the transportation industry. It is a communications relays for Aprize Argentina, a spinoff of Virginia-based Aprize Satellite and SpaceQuest. Source: Jonathan Space Report No. 492 ; Spacewarn No. 590 ; National Space Science Data Center's 2002-058B ;

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Saudisat 1C / Saudi OSCAR 50 (SO-50) Spacecraft:  Chronologies: 2002 payload #91 ; 2002-058C : 6112th spacecraft. Type: Communications Sponsor: King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology Launch: 20 December 2002 at 17h00 UTC, from Baykonur Cosmodrome's LC-109, by a Dnepr. Orbit: 633 km x 680 km x 64.6° x 98.8 min Mission: Saudisat 1C is a Saudi Arabian picosatellite (~10-kg) test satellite. Source: Jonathan Space Report No. 492 ; Spacewarn No. 590 ; National Space Science Data Center's 2002-058C ; A Brief History of Amateur Satellites ;

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Unisat-2 Spacecraft:  Chronologies: 2002 payload #92 ; 2002-058D : 6113th spacecraft. Type: Technology Sponsor: University of Roma/La Sapienza Launch: 20 December 2002 at 17h00 UTC, fromBaykonur Cosmodrome's LC-109, by a Dnepr. Orbit: 636 km x 667 km x 64.6° x 97.8 min Mission: Unisat 2 is a 12 kg, Italian picosat that carries a camera and debris/aerosol detection sensors. Source: Jonathan Space Report No. 492 ; Spacewarn No. 590 ; National Space Science Data Center's 2002-058D ;

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Trailblazer Dummy  Spacecraft:  Chronologies: 2002 payload #93 ; 2002-058E : 6114th spacecraft. Type: Dummy Sponsor: Launch: 20 December 2002 at 17h00 UTC, from Baykonur Cosmodrome's LC-109, by a Dnepr. Orbit: 639 km x 645 km x 64.6° x 97.6 min Mission: Trailblazer is a 100 kg mockup of an American's TransOrbital Trailblazer commercial lunar orbiter that was launched to test the viability of the craft for orbiting the Moon. If successful, these Lunar orbiters (and landers) will be launched in late 2003 through 2005. The company that sponsored the satellite "believes that there is a commercial demand for sending personal items, and burial ashes to the Moon".  Notes:  Launched by ISC Kosmotras. The Dnepr is a refurbished Yuzhnoe R-36M2 ballistic missile. Source: Jonathan Space Report No. 492 ; Spacewarn No. 590 ; National Space Science Data Center's 2002-058E ;

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Latinsat A Spacecraft:  Chronologies: 2002 payload #94 ; 2002-058H : 6115th spacecraft. Type: Communications Sponsor: Aprize Argentina Launch: 20 December 2002 at 17h00 UTC, from Baykonur Cosmodrome's LC-109, by a Dnepr. Orbit: 632 km x 720 km x 64.6° x 98.1 min Mission: Latinsat-A is one of the two Argentine picosatellites (12 kg) that monitors both fixed and mobile goods for the transportation industry. It is a communications relays for Aprize Argentina, a spinoff of Virginia-based Aprize Satellite and SpaceQuest. Source: Jonathan Space Report No. 492 ; Spacewarn No. 590 ; National Space Science Data Center's 2002-058H ;

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Kosmos 2393 Spacecraft:  Oko US-KS Chronologies: 2002 payload #95 ; 2002-059A : 6116th spacecraft. Type: Missile early warning. Sponsor: Russian Defense Ministry Launch: 24 December 2002 at 12h20 UTC, from Plesetsk Cosmodrome's LC-16/2, by an A-2-e/Molniya-M. Orbit: 545 km x 39 717 km x 62.8° x 12-hr Mission: Cosmos 2393 is a Russian is a military early warning satellite built by NPO Lavochkin. Source: Jonathan Space Report No. 492 ; Spacewarn No. 590 ; National Space Science Data Center's 2002-059A ;

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Kosmos 2394 Spacecraft:  Uragan-M no. 791 Chronologies: 2002 payload #96 ; 2002-060A : 6117th spacecraft. Type: Navigation Sponsor: Russia Launch: 25 December 2002 at 7h37 UTC, from Baykonur Cosmodrome's LC-81/23, by a D-1-e/Proton-K/DM-2. Orbit: Initial: 19,127 km x 19,137 km x 64.8° x 676 min Mission: Cosmos 2394, Cosmos 2395 and Cosmos 2396 are three Glonass fleet spacecraft that extend the current, depleted fleet of nine spacecraft to 12, which will grow further to a fleet of 18 spacecraft by 2004, and to 24 by 2005. (The original fleet had 24 spacecraft in the 1980s.) Source: Jonathan Space Report No. 492 ; Spacewarn No. 590 ; National Space Science Data Center's 2002-060A ;

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Kosmos 2395 Spacecraft:  Uragan-M no. 792 Chronologies: 2002 payload #97 ; 2002-060B : 6118th spacecraft. Type: Navigation Sponsor: Russia Launch: 25 December 2002 at 7h37 UTC, from Baykonur Cosmodrome's LC-81/23, by a D-1-e/Proton-K/DM-2. Orbit: Initial: 19,127 km x 19,137 km x 64.8° x 676 min Mission: Cosmos 2394, Cosmos 2395 and Cosmos 2396 are three Glonass fleet spacecraft that extend the current, depleted fleet of nine spacecraft to 12, which will grow further to a fleet of 18 spacecraft by 2004, and to 24 by 2005. (The original fleet had 24 spacecraft in the 1980s.) Source: Jonathan Space Report No. 492 ; Spacewarn No. 590; National Space Science Data Center's 2002-060B ;

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Kosmos 2396 Spacecraft:  Uragan-M no. 793 Chronologies: 2002 payload #98 ; 2002-060C : 6119th spacecraft. Type: Navigation Sponsor: Russia Launch: 25 December 2002 at 7h37 UTC, from Baykonur Cosmodrome's LC-81/23, by a D-1-e/Proton-K/DM-2. Orbit: Initial: 19,127 km x 19,137 km x 64.8° x 676 min Mission: Cosmos 2394, Cosmos 2395 and Cosmos 2396 are three Glonass fleet spacecraft that extend the current, depleted fleet of nine spacecraft to 12, which will grow further to a fleet of 18 spacecraft by 2004, and to 24 by 2005. (The original fleet had 24 spacecraft in the 1980s.) Source: Jonathan Space Report No. 492 ; Spacewarn No. 590 ; National Space Science Data Center's 2002-060C ;

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Shenzhou 4 Spacecraft:  Shenzhou IV or Divine Vessel IV Chronologies: 2002 payload #99 ; 2002-061A : 6120th spacecraft. Type: Piloted spaceship test flight Sponsor: China Launch: 29 December 2002 at 16h40 UTC, from Jiuquan Space Launch Center, by a Chang Zheng 2F. Orbit: Placed in a 198 km x 331 km x 42.4 °  Raised (on 29 December) to 330 km x 337 km x 42.4° Recovered: 5 January 2003 at 11h16 UTC. Mission: Shenzhou 4  is a Chineseunmanned test satellite that carries a retrievable crew module with all furnishings, test equipment, and dummy astronauts to assess its viability for a manned launch. Very similar to the Russian Soyuz spacecraft, the Shenzhous carry two other modules, a service module for storing fuel and equipment, and an orbiter to continue on after the release of the crew module.) This is the fourth automated test flight of the Soyuz-like Shenzhou spaceship.  SZ-4 carried two dummy astronauts with equipment to monitor the life support system. The orbital module separated on 3 January 2003 to operate independently in orbit. Shortly afterwards, at about 10h26 UTC, the main spacecraft fired its deorbit engine for a landing in Inner Mongolia. Notes: Even before its launch, Shenzhou IV was sait to be “probably the last unmanned spacecraft before China put a manned one in orbit.” Source: Jonathan Space Report No. 492 & 493 ; Spacewarn No. 590 ; National Space Science Data Center's 2002-061A ; Xinhua’s 23 Jul 2001, 3 Nov 02, 12 Nov 02  ;

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Shenzhou 4 Orbital Module Spacecraft:  Chronologies: 2002 payload #100 ; 2002-061C : 6121st spacecraft. Type: Piloted spaceship test flight Sponsor: China Launch: 29 December 2002 at 16h40 UTC, from Jiuquan, by a Chang Zheng 2F. Orbit: Placed in a 198 km x 331 km x 42.4 °  Raised (on 29 December) to 330 km x 337 km x 42.4° Decayed: 9 September 2003 Mission: Source: Jonathan Space Report No. 492 & 493 ; Spacewarn No. 590 & 599 ; National Space Science Data Center's 2002-061C ;

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Nimiq 2 Spacecraft:  Chronologies: 2002 payload #101 ; 2002-062A : 6122nd spacecraft. Type: Communications (DBS) Sponsor: Telesat Canada Launch: 29 December 2002 at 23h16 UTC, from Baykonur Cosmodrome's LC-81/24, by a D-1-e/Proton-M/Briz-M (Proton-M 53502 / Briz-M 88504). Orbit: Geostationary at 91° West longitude Mission: Nimiq 2 is a Canadian communications spacecraft that provides radio, digital and "interactive" television, and internet services to subscribers in all of North America through its 32, 120 W, Ku-band transponders. The 3.6 tonne (with fuel) spacecraft is a Lockheed Martin A2100AX with a launch mass of 3600 kg. Notes: This is International Launch Services' first commercial launch using the Krunichev Proton-M/Briz-M. Source: Jonathan Space Report No. 492  & 536 ; Spacewarn No. 590 ; National Space Science Data Center's 2002-062A ;