First artificial satellite; transmitted signals for 21 days. Launching of first ever artificial satellite of the Earth; physical study of the atmosphere; remained in orbit until January 4, 1958. This event began the space race by galvanizing interest and action on the part of the American public to support an active role in space research, technology, and exploration.

President Eisenhower in a White House press release congratulated the Soviet scientists on SPUTNIK I. He gave a brief history of the development of the U.S.-IGY satellite program and pointed to the separation of Project Vanguard from work on ballistic missiles.

Planned August launch rescheduled after failure of American lunar probe on August 17. Inability to complete final tests of the new engines and malfunctions during pre-launch preparations indicated a lot of work had to be done on the new launch vehicle before the first launch could be attempted.

NASA¾with the Army as executive agent¾attempted to launch a 12-foot-diameter inflatable satellite of micro-thin plastic covered with aluminum foil known as BEACON. Launched from AMR by a Juno I¾a modified Redstone, the payload prematurely separated prior to booster burnout.

Signal Communication by Orbiting Relay Equipment; first commsat; transmitted taped messages for 13 days. Project Score, Atlas rocket placed in orbit carrying communications equipment which relayed President Eisenhower's Christmas message to the world from outer space. (AF Ballistic Missiles Program Status Report.)

A Thor/Delta was launched from Cape Canaveral carrying NASA's Echo I, the first passive communications satellite to be placed into orbit. Balloon; passively relayed TV and voice transmissions. Spacecraft engaged in practical applications and uses of space technology such as weather or communication (US Cat C).

Vanguard I completed third year in orbit and was still transmitting. Vanguard I provided much useful data on orbits, including the slight pear-shape of the Earth and the effect of solar pressure. Vanguard also provided the second stage for the Able, Delta, and Able-Star, as well as the third stage of Scout, pioneering solid-propellant stages used in Polaris and Minuteman.

Small satellite was to have verified the readiness of the worldwide Mercury tracking network. An attempt was made to launch Mercury-Scout 1 (MS-1) into orbit with a communications package further to qualify the radar tracking of the Mercury global network prior to manned orbital flight. Shortly after lift-off, the launch vehicle developed erratic motions and attending high aerodynamic loads, and was destroyed by the Range Safety Officer after 43 seconds of flight. No further attempts were planned. The Mercury-Atlas 4 (MA-4) mission and the successful Mercury-Atlas 5 (MA-5), flown on November 29, 1961, disclosed that the network met all requirements.

Second attempted launch of Cosmos 63S1 small launch vehicle 2LK with a DS-1 satgellite. This time the new second stage failed. The oxidiser was exhausted before orbital velocity could be reached due to uncontrolled pumping of liquid oxygen into the combustion chamber. The upper stage and satellite impacted in the Kurile Islands. An Expert Commission headed by Ustinov was convened to review the program.

After five months of further work and tests to improve the reliability of the second stage, Yangel's team felt it was ready to again attempt a launch of the 63S1 booster. 63S1 s/n 6LK put a DS-2 satellite into orbit, which conducted studies of the ionosphere. This was the first successful launch of the Kosmos 63S1 launch vehicle. A decision was made after two unsuccessful launches of the DS-1 to create a simplified DS-2 spacecraft based on the equipment and structural elements of DS-1 spacecraft. The cylindrical section for mission avionics was completely omitted.

Carried military experiments to test communications and navigation equipment needed for command and control of Soviet nuclear forces (later used on the Uragan navigation satellites). Also conducted operational monitoring of cosmic rays, radiation from nuclear tests, and natural and artifically-produced radiation belts.

During firing of the apogee kick motor, contact was lost with the satellite. Syncom (Synchronous Communications) was a NASA project supported by DoD ground stations and communications experiments. Spacecraft engaged in practical applications and uses of space technology such as weather or communication (US Cat C). Four score. Last known longitude (10 March 1987) 172.58 deg E drifting at 2.429 deg E per day.

Carried military experiments to test communications and navigation equipment needed for command and control of Soviet nuclear forces (later used on the Uragan navigation satellites). Also conducted operational monitoring of cosmic rays, radiation from nuclear tests, and natural and artifically-produced radiation belts.

NASA's Syncom II synchronous communications satellite was placed in orbit by a Thor/Delta launched from Cape Canaveral. Experimental commsat; first geosynchronous satellite. Spacecraft engaged in practical applications and uses of space technology such as weather or communication (US Cat C). Positioned in geosynchronous orbit at 55 deg W in 1963; 26 deg W in 1965. Last known longitude (19 July 1995) 68.47 deg E drifting at 0.089 deg W per day.

Carried military experiments to test communications and navigation equipment needed for command and control of Soviet nuclear forces (later used on the Uragan navigation satellites). Also conducted operational monitoring of cosmic rays, radiation from nuclear tests, and natural and artifically-produced radiation belts.

Carried military experiments to test communications and navigation equipment needed for command and control of Soviet nuclear forces (later used on the Uragan navigation satellites). Also conducted operational monitoring of cosmic rays, radiation from nuclear tests, and natural and artifically-produced radiation belts.

First first mission of Block II Saturn with two live stages. SA-5, a vehicle development flight, was launched from Cape Kennedy Complex 37B at 11:25:01.41, e.s.t. This was the first flight of the Saturn I Block II configuration (i.e., lengthened fuel tanks in the S-1 and stabilizing tail fins), as well as the first flight of a live (powered) S-IV upper stage. The S-1, powered by eight H-1 engines, reached a full thrust of over 680,400 kilograms (1.5 million pounds) the first time in flight. The S-IV's 41,000 kilogram (90,000-pound-thrust cluster of six liquid-hydrogen RL-10 engines performed as expected. The Block II SA-5 was also the first flight test of the Saturn I guidance system.

NASA's Syncom III synchronous communications satellite was launched into orbit by a Thrust Augmented Thor/Delta (TAD) launch vehicle in its first use as a space booster. Also carried Star Flash experiment. Spacecraft engaged in practical applications and uses of space technology such as weather or communication (US Cat C). Positioned in geosynchronous orbit at 64 deg W in 1964; 180 deg E in 1964; 25 deg W in 1965; 165 deg E in 1966-1969. Last known longitude (6 December 1974) 6.08 deg W drifting at 0.188 deg W per day.

Carried military experiments to test communications and navigation equipment needed for command and control of Soviet nuclear forces (later used on the Uragan navigation satellites). Also conducted operational monitoring of cosmic rays, radiation from nuclear tests, and natural and artifically-produced radiation belts.

Titan IIIA, Vehicle #3, was launched from Cape Canaveral. In a maneuverability test involving three separate orbits, the Transtage and two satellites were successfully placed into their programmed orbits. The primary objective of the mission was the triple ignition of the Transtage engine that was required for the three separate orbits. When it placed the Lincoln Experimental Satellite (LES-1) into orbit, the vehicle became the first Titan III to inject an operational payload into orbit. Lincoln Experimental Satellite; communications experiments. Space craft engaged in investigation of spaceflight techniques and technology (US Cat A).

Carried military experiments to test communications and navigation equipment needed for command and control of Soviet nuclear forces (later used on the Uragan navigation satellites). Also conducted operational monitoring of cosmic rays, radiation from nuclear tests, and natural and artifically-produced radiation belts.

The 6595th Aerospace Test Wing launched an Atlas/Agena which boosted the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) Snapshot spacecraft into orbit carrying the SNAP-10A satellite nuclear power supply experiment. The onboard nuclear reactor was used to provide electric power for an ion engine, marking the first attempt to test a reactor-ion system in orbit. Only nuclear reactor ever orbited by the United States. The SNAP-10A reactor provided electrical power for an 8.5 mN ion engine using cesium propellant. The engine was shut off after one hour of operation when high-voltage spikes created electromagnetic interference with the satellite's attitude control system sensors. The reactor continued in operation, generating 39 kWt and more than 500 watts of electrical power for 43 days before the spacecraft telemetry failed.

The fourth Titan IIIA flight test missile (Vehicle #6) was launched from Complex 20 at Cape Canaveral in a maneuverability test for the Transtage. The primary aim was for the Transtage engine to accomplish four separate ignitions, something never before attempted. In the process of successfully completing its four programmed ignitions and burns, the Transtage placed two satellites into orbit - a Lincoln Experimental Satellite (LES-2) and a hollow aluminum radar calibration sphere (LCS-1). By completing its assigned tasks, the Transtage extended the capabilities of the Titan IIIA beyond it's specific requirements. Because of this highly productive mission, the planned fifth Titan IIIA (Vehicle 7/4) launch was cancelled and the booster was converted to a Titan IIIC configuration. Experimental commsat. Space craft engaged in investigation of spaceflight techniques and technology (US Cat A).

Carried military experiments to test communications and navigation equipment needed for command and control of Soviet nuclear forces (later used on the Uragan navigation satellites). Also conducted operational monitoring of cosmic rays, radiation from nuclear tests, and natural and artifically-produced radiation belts.

A Titan IIIC (Vehicle #9), the ninth research and development Titan III and sixth Titan IIIC to be launched from Cape Canaveral, completed the most difficult flight plan and most successful mission to date. The primary objective of injecting a modified Gemini spacecraft into a suborbital trajectory to test the reentry heat shield for the Manned Orbiting Laboratory (MOL) program was accomplished. After dipping down to 80 nautical miles to eject the MOL load, the Transtage pitched up and placed a canister containing 11 experiments into a 160-nautical mile circular orbit. Space craft engaged in investigation of spaceflight techniques and technology (US Cat A).

Applications Technology Satellite; communications and meteorological experiments. Positioned in geosynchronous orbit over the Americas at 151 deg W in 1966-1968?; over the Americas at 149 deg W in 1968-1982; over the Pacific Ocean 170 deg E in 1982-1985 As of 3 September 2001 located at 167.30 deg E drifting at 0.065 deg E per day. As of 2007 Mar 9 located at 59.28W drifting at 0.332E degrees per day.

A Titan IIIC booster (Vehicle #14) launched from Cape Canaveral placed a multiple payload of six satellites into orbit. Three of the satellites completed the Pacific link of the Initial Defense Satellite Communication System (IDSCS) program between Washington D.C., and South Vietnam. A fourth was a special communications satellite, the Despun Antenna Test Satellite (DATS), designed to test a despun antenna system for possible use on future communications satellites. DATS was designed to transmit 75 percent of radio signal strength to earth stations compared to the 15 percent for previous systems. Also included in the payload were a Defense Department Gravity Gradient Experiment (DODGE) satellite and a Lincoln Experimental Satellite, LES-5, the first all solid-state Ultra-high Frequency (UHF) band communication satellite intended to test communications with frontline troops. Gravity gradient experiments. Space craft engaged in investigation of spaceflight techniques and technology (US Cat A).

Communications tests. Positioned in geosynchronous orbit over the Atlantic Ocean at 45 deg W in-100 deg W in 1968-1970; over the Americas at 69 deg W in 1971-1976; over the Americas at 105 deg W in 1977-1998 As of 4 September 2001 located at 105.90 deg W drifting at 0.003 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 10 located at 105.23W drifting at 0.006W degrees per day.

Applications Technology Satellite that was to have been put into a geosynchronous transfer orbit, instead was left in a nearly-useless LEO orbit. ATS-4 included two cesium contact ion engines. Flight test objectives were to measure thrust and to examine electromagnetic compatibility with other spacecraft subsystems. The 5 cm diameter thrusters were designed to operate at 0.02 kW and provide about 89 microN thrust at about 6700 s specific impulse. The thrusters had the capability to operate at 5 setpoints from 18 to 89 microN. Thrusters were configured so they could be used for East-West station-keeping. Prior to launch, a 5 cm cesium thruster was life tested for 2245 hours at the 67 microN thrust level. However the Centaur upper stage did not achieve a second burn and the spacecraft remained attached to the Centaur in a 218 km by 760 km orbit. It was estimated that the pressure at these altitudes was between 10^-6 and 10^-8 Torr. Each of the two engines was tested on at least two occasions each over the throttling range. Combined test time of the two engines was about 10 hours over a 55 day period. The spacecraft re-entered the atmosphere on October 17, 1968. TheATS-4 flight was the first successful orbital test of an ion engine. There was no evidence of IPS electromagnetic interference related to spacecraft subsystems. Measured values of neutralizer emission current were much less than the ion beam current, implying inadequate neutralization. The spacecraft potential was about -132V which was much different than the anticipated value of about -40V.

A Titan ITIC space booster (Vehicle #5) was launched from Complex 41 at the Eastern Test Range and inserted four satellites into separate earth orbits. The primary payload was the Lincoln Experimental Satellite (LES-6) which was the second all-solid-state ultrahigh frequency (UHF) band communication satellite to be placed into a synchronous orbit. It was designed to test communications with aircraft, ships, and ground forces. The other three satellites were Office of Aerospace Research (OAR) payloads - two Experimental Research Satellites (ERS-21 and ERS-28) and an Orbiting Vehicle (OV 2-5) research satellite. Experimental commsat. Space craft engaged in investigation of spaceflight techniques and technology (US Cat A). Positioned in geosynchronous orbit over the Atlantic Ocean at 38 deg W in 1968-1975 As of 26 August 2001 located at 61.90 deg W drifting at 0.101 deg E per day. As of 2007 Mar 9 located at 73.59W drifting at 0.201E degrees per day.

Air Force Titan IIIC, Vehicle #17, was launched from Cape Canaveral and placed the 1,600-pound experimental Tactical Communications Satellite, TACSAT I, into a near-synchronous orbit at an altitude of 19,300 nautical miles above the equator. TACSAT I, built by Hughes Aircraft Company under SAMSO management, was the largest communications satellite yet launched and placed in orbit by the United States. It was to determine the feasibility of using satellite communications repeaters with small mobile ground tactical communications equipment. In addition, using the technology already developed with earlier Despun Antenna Test System (DATS) and Lincoln Experimental Satellites (LES) test spacecraft, TACSAT I would test the feasibility of satellite communications over great distances while also testing the new gyrostat stabilization system. The satellite could handle transmission of television or multiple telephone/ teletype communications channels. Experimental commsat. Space craft engaged in investigation of spaceflight techniques and technology (US Cat A). Positioned in geosynchronous orbit over the Americas at 107 deg W in 1969?-1970; over the Pacific Ocean 173 deg W in 1970; over the Pacific Ocean 179 deg W in 1971-1972; over the Pacific Ocean170 deg E in 1972 Last known longitude (9 June 1995) 176.44 deg E drifting at 0.150 deg E per day.

Applications Technology Satellite; communications tests. Launch vehicle successfully put the payload into a geosynchronous transfer orbit. The spacecraft maneuvered into geostationary orbit at 108 degrees W. The purpose of this flight was to demonstrate North-South Stationkeeping of a geosynchronous satellite. ATS-5 was equipped with an ion engine package identical to that on ATS-4. Once in geosynchronous orbit the spacecraft could not be despun as planned, and thus the spacecraft gravity gradient stabilization could not be implemented. The spacecraft spin rate was about 76 revolutions per minute, and this caused an effective 4g acceleration on the cesium feed system. The high g-loading on the cesium feed system caused flooding of the discharge chamber, and normal operation of the thruster with ion beam extraction could not be performed. The IPS was instead be operated as a neutral plasma source, without high-voltage ion extraction, along with the wire neutralizer to examine spacecraft charging effects. The neutralizer was also operated by itself to provide electron injection for the spacecraft charging experiments. Positioned in geosynchronous orbit over the Americas at 105 deg W in 1969-1977; over the Americas at 70 deg W in 1977-1983. As of 1 September 2001 located at 15.48 deg E drifting at 2.807 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 10 located at 111.70E drifting at 2.819W degrees per day.

Ionospheric and auroral investigations; lower than planned orbit. Fourth satellite of ESRO. Also registered by the United States in A/AC.105/INF.220 as United States space object 1969-83A, with category B and orbital parameters 90.6 min, 280 x 339 km x 85.1 deg.

The launch vehicle arrived at the site on 18 March 1969. The objective was to launch China's first satellite before Japan lofted its counterpart. Ren Xinmin had obtained this specific order from Deng Hsiao Peng. Great difficulties were encountered in the middle of the Cultural Revolution, including the sending of most of the satellite engineers to work on irrigation ditch construction in the provinces. The skirt for the satellite, designed to make it easily visible to ground observors, had to be made from a special silk produced in a factory without the knowledge of the Red Guards. The engineers went by bus to a department store in Beijing to study an imported folding umbrella as a model for the deployment mechanism -- they could not afford to buy it. The entire launch was kept secret until a documentary was released in 2001.

Space Electric Rocket Test; the ion engines aboard were operated until 1981. The SERT 2 development program started in 1966 and included thruster ground tests of 6742 hours and 5169 hours duration. A prototype version of the SERT 2 spacecraft was ground-tested for a period of 2400 hours with an operating ion engine. In addition to diagnostic equipment and related ion engine hardware, the spacecraft had two identical 15 cm diameter, mercury ion engines. Flight objectives included in-space operation for a period of 6 months, measurement of thrust, and demonstration of electromagnetic compatibility. The thruster maximum power level was 0.85 kW, and this provided operation at a 28 mN thrust level at 4200 s specific impulse. Flight data were obtained from 1970 to 1981 with an ion engine operating intermittently in one of three different modes, namely, HV ion extraction, discharge chamber operation only, or just neutralizer operation. Major results were that two mercury engines thrusted for periods of 3781 hours and 2011 hours. Test duration was limited due to shorts in the ion optical system. Thrust measured in space and on the ground agreed within the measurement uncertainties. Up to 300 thruster restarts were demonstrated. One power-processing unit accumulated nearly 17,900 hours during the course of the mission. Additionally, the ion propulsion system was electromagnetically compatible with all other spacecraft systems.

The final campaign to launch China's first satellite began on April 1, 1970, when two DFH-1 satellites and the CZ-1 rocket arrived by train at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre. This was over a year after the first attempt in 1969. Ren Xinmin was project leader and Qi Faren was leader of the DFH-1 experiment team. On April 2 Premier Zhou Enlai called a special meeting in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing for a final readiness review of the satellite and the launch vehicle. Zhou wanted special guarantees that the satellite would transmit the march 'The East is Red' from orbit.

On the morning of April 24, 1970, the first and second stages of CZ-1 were loaded with propellant and stacked. The satellite was mated to the spin-stabilized solid-propellant third stage, and the launcher entered the final eight hours of launch preparation. Weather forecast for the launch at 9:30 p.m. called for clouds at above 7,000 meters and a wind speed of less than 4 to 5 meters per second.

The historic launch came at 9:35 p.m. local time (13:35 UTC). Upon hearing the command "ignition", a launch controller pressed the button to start the rocket engines. The three-stage CZ-1, which was 29.46 meters tall and had a maximum diameter of 2.25 meters, lifted off the launch pad with a thrust of 104 tonnes. Liftoff weight of the CZ-1 was 81.5 tonnes. Rocket expert Shen Jianan recounted that "..as soon as I saw the liftoff on the TV screen inside the bunker, I ran outside. I could only see the beautiful rocket lighting up the night sky and streaking towards the southeast. I ran back inside to listen to the transmissions. Broadcasting on the speaker were status reports like 'capturing target', 'nominal tracking', 'nominal flight', 'nominal second and third stage separation'..." Thirteen minutes after launch, at 9:48 p.m., mission control announced "...satellite and rocket stage separation, satellite enters orbit...the bunker was filled with cheers".

China became the fifth nation after the former Soviet Union, the United States, France and Japan to achieve an indigenous space launch capability. At 9:50 p.m., the National Broadcasting Bureau announced the acquisition of the tune 'East is Red' from the satellite loud and clear. In the following days, the People's Central Broadcasting radio and newspapers in Beijing announced and printed worldwide times of DFH-1 and CZ-1 third stage passages, and directions of travel in the sky. Senior officials in Beijing dispatched a chartered plane to JSLC to bring back Qi and other scientists. In the International Labour Day celebration on May 1, Chairman Mao and Premier Zhou warmly welcomed them at the Tiananmen Square.

Space Test Program Flight 71-2 (STP 71-2), a Thorad/Agena launch vehicle, inserted four payloads into orbit from Vandenberg. Space Test Program; technology experiments. Space craft engaged in investigation of spaceflight techniques and technology (US Cat A).

An Atlas F/Burner IIA launch vehicle, carrying SAMSO's Space Test Program Flight 72-1, was launched from Vandenberg. This was the first use of this booster/upper stage combination. Space craft engaged in investigation of spaceflight techniques and technology (US Cat A).

An Atlas F/Burner IIA launch vehicle, carrying SAMSO's Space Test Program Flight 72-1, was launched from Vandenberg. This was the first use of this booster/upper stage combination. Space craft engaged in investigation of spaceflight techniques and technology (US Cat A).

An Air Force Titan IIIC boosted NASA's Applications Technology Satellite (ATS-F) into orbit from Cape Canaveral. Built by Application Technology Satellite; experimental communications satellite. The purpose of the ATS-6 flight experiment was to demonstrate north-south stationkeeping of a geosynchronous satellite using two cesium ion engine systems. Thruster development tests included a life test of 2614 hours and 471 cycles. Thruster input power was 0.15 kW, which resulted in a thrust of 4.5 mN at a specific impulse of 2500 s. One of the ion engines operated for about one hour and the other for 92 hours. Both of the engines failed to provide thrust on restart due to discharge chamber cesium flooding. The feed system flooding problem caused overloading of the discharge and high voltage power supplies. This failure mechanism was verified through a series of ground tests. However engine operation demonstrated an absence of EMI related to spacecraft systems, verified predictions of spacecraft potential with engines operating, and demonstrated compatibility with the spacecraft's star tracker. It was found that the ion engines or just the neutralizer could discharge large negative spacecraft potentials at all times. Positioned in geosynchronous orbit over the Americas at 94 deg W in 1974-1975; over the Indian Ocean 35 deg E in 1975-1976; over the Americas at 140 deg W in 1976-1979. As of 2 September 2001 located at 172.56 deg W drifting at 6.144 deg E per day. As of 2007 Mar 8 located at 29.12W drifting at 6.125E degrees per day.

Space Test Program flight P73-3 was launched from the Western Test Range, and the payload - Navy Navigation Technology Satellite #1 (NTS-1) - was successfully placed into orbit. Demonstrated navigation technologies leading eventually to Navstar/GPS system. Operated for 5 years.

Experimental commsat. Jointly registered by the Federal Republic of Germany (A/AC.105/INF.305) and France (A/AC.105/INF.306). Symphonie flying model no. 1, constructed jointly by France and the Federal Republic of Germany. Description: Experimental teleco mmunications satellite. Orbit: geostationary. Positioned in geosynchronous orbit over the Atlantic Ocean at 11 deg W in 1975-1977; over the Indian Ocean 49 deg E in 1977-1983 As of 25 August 2001 located at 179.98 deg E drifting at 1.086 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 11 located at 72.77E drifting at 1.184W degrees per day.

Space Test Program flight P72-2 was launched; it carried two infrared radiometers and three other payloads. The launch failed when the Atlas F launch vehicle malfunctioned. A lack of deluge water and collection in the flame bucket of a kerosene/liquid oxygen gel led to the explosion of the gel on lift-off, damaging one of the Atlas engines and leading to complete engine failure during the ascent.

SRET 2 technological research and study satellite. Launched from Soviet Union with a Soviet launch vehicle with the Molniya satellite. Mass 30 kg. Study of the behaviour of a passive cryogenic radiation system, study of the aging of thermal casings and pl astic films.

Eighth CERS/ESRO satellite, first European Space Agency satellite. Launch time 0147:59 GMT. Argument of perigee 344.7 deg. Also registered by the United States in A/AC.105/INF.331 as 1975-72A, category B satellite with orbit 2203.9 min, 442 x 99002 km x 9 0.3 deg.

JETS-1 (Japanese Engineering Test Satellite -1, national name 'Kiku') is intended for preliminary experiments for confirmation of the launching technologies, acquiring the satellite tracking and control technologies, and for extension tests of the extenda ble antennas, measurement of satellite environment, measurement of satellite attitudes, etc. Launch time 0530 GMT.

A Titan IIIC carrying a Space Test Program payload, Flight P74-1, was successfully launched from LC-40, Eastern Test Range. Flight P74-1 was made up of Lincoln Experimental Satellite 8 and 9 (LES 8/9) and Solar Radiation satellites 11A and B (SOLRAD 11A/B). Spacecraft engaged in practical applications and uses of space technology such as weather or communication. Also tested pulsed plasma engines. Positioned in geosynchronous orbit over the Atlantic Ocean at 1976-77; over the Americas at 106-110 deg W in 1978-1986; over the Atlantic Ocean 60-70 deg W in 1987-1991;over the Americas at 94-106 deg W in 1991-1992. As of 6 September 2001 located at 105.16 deg W drifting at 0.010 deg E per day. As of 2007 Mar 9 located at 107.51W drifting at 0.001E degrees per day.

Spacecraft engaged in practical applications and uses of space technology such as weather or communication. Also tested pulsed plasma engines. Positioned in geosynchronous orbit over the Atlantic Ocean at 30-40 deg W in 1976-78; over the Americas at 90-100 deg W in 1980-81; over the Americas at 100-106 deg W in 1981-1990; over the Atlantic Ocean 10 deg W in 1991; over the Americas at 105 deg W in 1992-on. As of 1 September 2001 located at 103.85 deg W drifting at 0.023 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 11 located at 107.07W drifting at 0.018W degrees per day.

A Scout vehicle carrying a Space Test Program spacecraft was successfully launched from SLC-5 at the Western Test Range. The spacecraft, Flight P76-5, carried a wideband signals experiment sponsored by the Defense Nuclear Agency. Communications propagation experiments.

Tentative name before launching: MS-T3. Launching organization: Institute of Space and Aeronautical Science, University of Tokyo. Radio frequencies: 136.725 MHz, tracking; 400.500 MHz, telemetry. Active life: two weeks. Function: (1) Test of the overall p erformance of the newly developed launch vehicle, M-3H-1. (2) Experiment of magnetic stabilization. (3) Observation of ultraviolet radiation.

Engineering test satellite. Engineering Test Satellite Type II (ETS II), Kiku 2. Launch by N launch vehicle no 3. Geographical longitude of the geostationary orbit: 130 deg E. Preliminary experiments to acquire technologies to launch,track, and control geostationary satellites. P ropagation experiment of millimetre and quasi-millimetre waves. Characteristics: Weight at launch 245 kg. Configuration: cylindrical. Height 191 cm including antenna. Diameter 141 cm. Attitude control: spin stabilization. Expected life at least 6 months. Positioned in geosynchronous orbit over the Pacific Ocean at 130 deg E in 1977-1990 As of 5 September 2001 located at 16.93 deg E drifting at 0.930 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 9 located at 85.65W drifting at 0.986W degrees per day.

An Atlas booster and a Global Positioning System Stage Vehicle launched Navigation Technology Satellite 2 into orbit from Vandenberg AFB, California. This was the first use of the GPS Stage Vehicle. Navigation Technical Satellite; GPS precursor. Operated 50% satisfactorily -- still operating 25 years later.

Experimental commsat. SIRIO (Satellite Italiano Ricerca Industriale Orientata). Launch time 2350:00 GMT. Geographical longitude of geostationary orbit 15 deg W. SIRIO is a spin stabilized geostationary experimental communications satellite. Characteristics of satellite: Weight at launch 398 kg, in orbit 218 kg. Configuration - cylindrical, height 1.981m, diameter 1.433 m, nominal life two years. Positioned in geosynchronous orbit over the Atlantic Ocean at 15 deg W in 1977-1981; over the Atlantic Ocean 25 deg W in 1981-1983; over the Indian Ocean 65 deg E in 1983-1985 As of 4 September 2001 located at 86.65 deg E drifting at 0.265 deg E per day. As of 2007 Mar 11 located at 75.38E drifting at 0.003E degrees per day.

Experimental comsat. Medium-scale broadcasting satellite for experimental purposes (BSE). Launch vehicle Delta 2914-140. Launch time 2201 GMT. Location 110 deg E. Characteristics of satellite: Weight approx 355 kg in an early stage in orbit. Configuration - box shaped satelli te with 2 solar array panels with overall span of 8.95m. Height 3.09m, width 1.32m, length 1.19m. 3-axis stabilized attitude control. Expected life 3 years. Positioned in geosynchronous orbit over the Indian Ocean at 110 deg E in 1978-1982 As of 4 September 2001 located at 44.59 deg E drifting at 0.116 deg E per day. As of 2007 Mar 11 located at 108.19E drifting at 0.031E degrees per day.

Orbital Test Satellite; replacement for OTS-A; communications experiments. European Space Agency satellite. Launch time 2259 GMT. Reached definitive position, 10 deg east longitude, on May 24 at 0800 GMT. Launch by US Delta rocket. Positioned in geosynchronous orbit over the Atlantic Ocean at 10 deg E in 1978-1982 over the Atlantic Ocean 5 deg E in 1982-1990 As of 30 August 2001 located at 18.51 deg W drifting at 4.070 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 9 located at 39.02E drifting at 4.083W degrees per day.

Conduct of complex investigations on the interaction between the magnetosphere and ionosphere of the earth. Launched under the Intercosmos programme by the USSR in cooperation with the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic, the German Democratic Republic, the H ungarian People's Republic, the Polish People's Republic and the Socialist Republic of Romania. On 14 Nov 1978, Magion, a small Czechoslovak scientific satellite, separated from object 1296.

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.

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.

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....