The ABRES program office participated in a Mark 500 Penetration Aid Concept Selection Study involving the Aerospace Corporation, MIT Lincoln Laboratory, and other contractors. Participants in the study selected a penetration aid concept for the Navy's Trident C4/Mark 500 system.

Stanford Telecommunications, Incorporated, was awarded a contract to study the utility of a Satellite Control and Data Relay System. The system would use a space-based network to track and control satellites and relay data to ground stations in the continental U.S.

Continued operation of the long-range telephone and telegraph radio-communication system within the Soviet Union and transmission of USSR central television programmes to stations in the Orbita and participating international networks (international cooperation scheme).

STREP-1, an ABRES flight test conducted in support of the Army's System Technology Reentry Experiments Program, was launched on a Minuteman I booster from Vandenberg AFB to Kwajalein missile range. The primary mission was successful, but a secondary payload, the advanced Star decoy sponsored by ABRES, deployed improperly because of improper loading, and data on its performance could not be collected.

Obtaining information needed for research into the natural resources of the earth and the development of methods for remote sensing of the underlying surface, and obtaining meteorological information. In addition to Soviet apparatus, carried scientific ap paratus from the German Democratic Republic.

A probe was launched from the White Sands Missile Range to take background measurements needed for development of a space-based space surveillance system. The probe's radiometer failed to deploy, and its parachute malfunctioned as it was returning to earth. As a result, no data was gathered, and the payload was severely damaged.

Flight P78-2 was successfully launched by SAMSO's Space Test Program. The mission was designated SCATHA (Spacecraft Charging at High Altitudes) and gathered data on the build-up of electrical charges on satellites operating at geosynchronous altitude. It was sponsored jointly by NASA and the Air Force. Spacecraft charging experiments. The SCATHA spacecraft had two charged particle injection systems, one of which was the Satellite Positive-Ion-Beam System (SPIBS). This was a xenon ion source which included some of the technologies used in thrusters: however, the discharge chamber was not performance optimized as was done with ion engines. Maximum operating power was 0.045 kW, and the ion source could produce a thrust of about 0.14 mN at a specific impulse of 350 s. Ions could be ejected at 1 keV or 2 keV. Neutralization was accomplished by a tantalum filament. The specific impulse was low because there was no attempt to optimize the propellant efficiency. The SPIBS system was ground-tested for a period of 600 hours. The SCATHA spacecraft was placed in a near geosynchronous orbit. Ion beam operations were performed intermittently over a 247 day period. The SCATHA flight demonstrated that a charged spacecraft, and the dielectric surfaces on it, could be safely discharged by emitting a very low energy (<50 eV) neutral plasma -- in effect shorting the spacecraft to the ambient plasma before dangerous charging levels could be reached. As of 28 August 2001 located at 153.98 deg W drifting at 4.513 deg E per day. As of 2007 Mar 8 located at 19.65W drifting at 4.513E degrees per day.

Manned precursor. Recovered April 1, 1979 10:09 GMT. Soyuz T Test.
Maneuver Summary:
197 km X 240 km orbit to 255 km X 297 km orbit. Delta V: 33 m/s
255 km X 297 km orbit to 264 km X 306 km orbit. Delta V: 4 m/s
264 km X 306 km orbit to 309 km X 321 km orbit. Delta V: 17 m/s
309 km X 321 km orbit to 279 km X 357 km orbit. Delta V: 18 m/s
279 km X 357 km orbit to 352 km X 402 km orbit. Delta V: 32 m/s
352 km X 402 km orbit to 363 km X 384 km orbit. Delta V: 8 m/s
Total Delta V: 112 m/s
Officially: Investigation of the upper atmosphere and outer space.

Following the decision to cancel Chelomei's manned Almaz military space station programme, a resolution consolidated the programs, with the Mir docking ports to be reinforced to accommodate 20 tonne space station modules based on Chelomei's TKS manned ferry spacecraft. NPO Energia was made responsible for the overall space station, but subcontracted the work to KB Salyut due to the press of in-house work on Energia, Salyut 7, Soyuz-T, and Progress. The subcontractor began work in the summer of 1979.

Experimental Communications Satellite. Experimental Communications Satellite (ECS). Launch time 0846 GMT. ECS was injected into the planned transfer orbit. On 9 Feb, however, ECS ceased radio transmissions about 10 seconds after the apogee kick motor was fired. Communicat ions and propagation experiments of satellite-communication systems. Operation and control experiment for geostationary satellites. Mass at launch 260 kg. Configuration - cylindrical. Height 1.9m including antenna. Diameter 1.4m. Spin stabilized. Last known longitude (13 June 1995) 146.23 deg W drifting at 33.817 deg E per day.

SAMSO felt that the design presented at this Review was not really complete, and it directed the contractor, Boeing, to do further work in the areas of software, rocket motors, and interface with the space shuttle and the Satellite Control Facility. Boeing was to present the results of its efforts at a follow-on design review to be held later in the year.

HQ USAF stretched out the schedule for construction of space shuttle launch facilities at Vandenberg AFB, and it changed the Initial Operational Capability date for those facilities from mid-1983. The extra time was needed because NASA was adding strap-on solid rocket motors to the shuttle to augment its performance, and the launch facilities had to be modified to accommodate those motors.

Soft X-ray telescope. Launching organization: Institute of Space and Aeronautical Science, University of Tokyo. Function: Observation of X-ray radiation of celestial bodies with good time resolution over a wide spectrum range. Characterstics: weight 96 kg, configuration regula r octagonal prism, height 0.66 m, diameter 0.76m, spin stabilized. Expected life 2 years.

Transmission of color and black-and-white USSR central television programmes to a network of receivers for collective use. Positioned in geosynchronous orbit over the Indian Ocean at 99 deg E in 1979-1981 As of 3 September 2001 located at 51.81 deg E drifting at 0.088 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 11 located at 98.64E drifting at 0.060E degrees per day.

Atlas booster 27F successfully launched Space Test Program Flight P78-1 from Space Launch Complex 3W, Vandenberg AFB, California. The primary payload on the spacecraft was a gamma spectrometer sponsored by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). Ionosphere and magnetosphere studies; destroyed on 13 September 1985 (while still functioning) as part of an American ASAT test.

Comprehensive investigations of the structure of the earth's ionosphere, the characteristics of wave processes and the propagation of radio waves in the ionospheric plasma. Launched under the Intercosmos programme by the USSR in cooperation with the Peopl e's Republic of Bulgaria, the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic, the Hungarian People's Republic and the Polish People's Republic. Additional Details: here....

Unmanned supply vessel to Salyut 6. Delivery of fuel, consumable materials and equipment to the Salyut 6 station. Docked with Salyut 6 on 14 Mar 1979 07:19:21 GMT. Undocked on 3 Apr 1979 16:10:00 GMT. Destroyed in reentry on 5 Apr 1979 00:10:22 GMT. Total free-flight time 3.40 days. Total docked time 20.37 days.

The large rocket motor for the Inertial Upper Stage was test fired at the Arnold Engineering Development Center. The firing lasted 145 seconds and generated more than 50,000 pounds of thrust. This was the first development test firing of the large motor, and it was entirely successful.

The decision was taken not to convert the Enterprise to a flight orbiter due to the numerous structural design changes made since its construction. Static test article OV-099 would be used for that instead. So Enterprise became a pathfinder vehicle at Cape Canaveral to verify fit and handling of ground facilities in the Vertical Assembly Building and LC39.

On 20 April 1979 LVI-4 VA (VA s/n 103 and s/n 008) was awaiting launch. The booster ignited, but then shut down on the pad. This triggered the launch escape system, which pulled the top capsule away from the booster. The parachute system failed and the capsule crashed to the ground. The lower capsule remained in the rocket. The top capsule was to have been manned, but the inability to demonstrate two consecutive failure-free launches of the Proton/TKS-VA combination made that (luckily) impossible.

SAMSO awarded $200,000 contracts to five companies - RCA, GE, Rockwell International, Lockheed, and Hughes - to do conceptual studies on a DMSP Block 6 satellite. The studies were finished in September, but by that time there were indications that the White House might disapprove the development of Block Six and order development of a shuttle-compatible Block 5D instead.

Provision of uninterrupted round the clock telephone and telegraph radiocommunication in the USSR and simultaneous transmission of colour and black-and-white USSR central television programmes to stations in the Orbita network. Positioned in geosynchronous orbit at 85 deg E in 1979-1982 As of 29 August 2001 located at 84.16 deg E drifting at 0.043 deg E per day. As of 2007 Mar 10 located at 65.45E drifting at 0.034E degrees per day.

SAMSO terminated the SIRE (Satellite Infrared Experiment) contract with Lockheed because of large cost overruns. The SIRE payload was to have been launched on flight P80-2 and was to have measured the long wave infrared signatures of space objects against the stellar background. SAMSO began to develop a program to fly the SIRE sensor on space shuttle sortie missions around the mid-1980s.

The second FLTSATCOM satellite was successfully launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on board an Atlas/Centaur booster. Spacecraft engaged in practical applications and uses of space technology such as weather or communication (US Cat C). Launch vehicle put payload into geosynchronous transfer orbit Positioned in geosynchronous orbit at 23 deg W in 1979-1980; 72 deg E in 1980-1992 As of 5 September 2001 located at 90.48 deg W drifting at 6.234 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 9 located at 12.01W drifting at 6.223W degrees per day.

Unmanned supply vessel to Salyut 6. Delivery of fuel, consumable materials and equipment to the Salyut 6 station. Docked with Salyut 6 on 15 May 1979 06:19:22 GMT. Undocked on 8 Jun 1979 07:59:41 GMT. Destroyed in reentry on 9 Jun 1979 18:52:46 GMT. Total free-flight time 3.54 days. Total docked time 24.07 days.

The Proton launch vehicle that shut down on the original LVI-4 launch attempt was undamaged, and just a month later, with a switch of payload, LVI-4 was orbited as Cosmos 1100 and 1101. The pair launched were the 102P/102L twins from LVI-3. One capsule failed when the automatic system suffered an electrical distribution failure and it did not land correctly, spending two orbits in space, while the other landed as planned after one orbit. The launch again successfully demonstrated the reusability of the VA capsule. Plans to launch the upper capsule manned were scrubbed due to the inability to get two consecutive failure-free launches of the Proton/TKS-VA.

Zenit-2M area survey photo reconnaissance satellite used for earth resources studies as part of 'Gektor-Priroda' project. Nauka subsatellite 32KS jettisoned into independent orbit in the course of the mission. Investigation of the natural resources of the earth in the interests of various branches of the national economy of the USSR and international cooperation.

The Defense Systems Acquisition Review Council recommended that the Air Force be allowed to undertake full-scale development of the Global Positioning System. The Secretary of Defense implemented this recommendation in a memorandum dated 24 August. The same memorandum authorized the Air Force to integrate IONDS packages into the GPS satellites.

Docked with Salyut 6. Launched unmanned to provide return vehicle for Soyuz 32 crew of Lyakhov/Ryumin after Soyuz 33 primary propulsion system failure. Checked the operation of the spacecraft propulsion unit; transportated the crew of the Salyut-6 station back to earth.

First Multi-Orbit Satellite / Performance Improvement ballistic missile launch detection satellite, remained in service for nearly six years. Positioned in geosynchronous orbit over the Pacific Ocean at 135 deg W in 1979-1982; 85 deg W in 1982-1984; 135 deg W in 1984; 125 deg W in 1985..

Zenit-2M area survey photo reconnaissance satellite used for earth resources studies as part of 'Gektor-Priroda' project. Investigation of the natural resources of the earth in the interests of various branches of the national economy of the USSR and international cooperation.

SAMSO awarded the McDonnell Douglas Astronautics Company a contract for two SGS-II upper stage vehicles, with an option for five more. The vehicles would be used with Atlas boosters to launch GPS. SAMSO awarded the McDonnell Douglas Astronautics Company a contract for two SGS-II upper stage vehicles, with an option for five more. The vehicles would be used with Atlas boosters to launch GPS.

Unmanned supply vessel to Salyut 6. Delivery of fuel, consumable materials and equipment to the Salyut 6 station. Docked with Salyut 6 on 30 Jun 1979 11:18:22 GMT. Undocked on 18 Jul 1979 03:49:55 GMT. Destroyed in reentry on 20 Jul 1979 01:57:30 GMT. Total free-flight time 4.0 days. Total docked time 17.69 days.

Stationed at 14 deg W. Statsionar 4. Positioned in geosynchronous orbit at 14 deg W in 1979-1981; 90 deg E in 1981-1983 As of 26 August 2001 located at 59.72 deg E drifting at 0.012 deg E per day. As of 2007 Mar 8 located at 84.05E drifting at 0.107W degrees per day.

The Large Ballistic Recovery Vehicle (LBRV) was launched from Vandenberg AFB to Kwajalein lagoon on a Minuteman 1 booster. The purpose of the experiment was to recover the external shell of a Mark 12A reentry vehicle intact after reentry in order to assess the performance of staple-fiber heatshields. The LBRV was successfully

NASA had planned to use Skylab with the space shuttle. Plans for an additional Apollo mission to boost Skylab into a higher orbit for later use by the shuttle were not acted on, since NASA was confident that Skylab would stay in orbit until shuttle flights began in 1978 - 1979. But the shuttle was delayed, and faster atmospheric decay than expected resulted in Skylab crashing to earth before the first shuttle mission was flown. The media went into a frenzy over the event, and debris rained over a large swath of Australia. There was no damage and no injuries, but the publicity made NASA hyper-sensitive in ensuring that future heavy spacecraft were deorbited in a controlled manner.

The Data Multiplexing System was declared operational. The system had been installed at various DMSP ground sites, and it allowed payload data and telemetry to be transmitted from one site to another. It also opened up a communication link between the Kaena Point Tracking Station, in Hawaii, and the Air Force Global Weather Central in Nebraska, thereby allowing the Global Weather Central to receive stored weather data from Hawaii as well as from Washington and Maine.

Zenit-2M area survey photo reconnaissance satellite used for earth resources studies as part of 'Gektor-Priroda' project. Investigation of the natural resources of the earth in the interests of various branches of the national economy of the USSR and international cooperation.

The group was selected to provide shuttle manned spaceflight engineers to operate military payloads.. Qualifications: USAF, Navy, or Army officers with bachelor's degree in science or engineering; four years experience in flying or space-related activities. Vision minimum 20/150 uncorrected, correctable to 20/20. Maximum sitting blood pressure of 140/90. Height between 150 and 193 cm.. 13 were selected from 222 candidates. The existence of the group was secret until 1985.

Spacecraft engaged in practical applications and uses of space technology such as weather or communication (US Cat C). Positioned in geosynchronous orbit at 91 deg W in 1979-1990 As of 2 September 2001 located at 7.26 deg W drifting at 1.139 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 9 located at 158.25E drifting at 1.129W degrees per day.

Technology Development Corporation, a minority small business, was awarded a contract to upgrade the Ground Communications Network for the DSP program. The basic contract was valued at $5,251 million, and it carried options valued at $8,555 million. This was the largest contract ever awarded under the federal government's Disadvantaged Business Program.

Zenit-2M area survey photo reconnaissance satellite used for earth resources studies as part of 'Gektor-Priroda' project. Nauka subsatellite 31KS jettisoned into independent orbit in the course of the mission. Investigation of the natural resources of the earth in the interests of various branches of the national economy of the USSR and international cooperation.

Chemical Systems Division of United Technologies Corporation test fired a 5 1/2 segment solid rocket motor at its Coyote Test Facility at San Jose, California. This was the first test of the motor, and it was entirely successful. The 5 1/2 segment motor was to be used with the new Titan III 34D launch vehicle.

A Minuteman III standard test missile (STM 18-W) was launched from Vandenberg AFB to the Kwajalein missile range. This was the last of ten Minuteman III test flights designed to verify Mark 12A design objectives and the first operational test and evaluation demonstration for the operational Mark 12A system. The test was partially successful.