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 ZEYA, (RS-16)
1997-10A. (CATN 24744) - Zeya is an 87kg micro-satellite launched on a Start-1 on the first launch from Svobodniy
Cosmodrome in eastern Russia, on the 4th March 1997, into a 472x508km orbit inclined at
97.8deg. It is a navigation and geodesy satellite, aiding military cartography, and
carries 20 laser reflectors and a GPS and GLONASS receiver. It also carries a radio
amateur payload termed RS-16, comprising an HF beacon (29.408 and 29.451MHz, 1.2W) and
downlink (29.415-29.448MHz ,4W), and two 1.6W UHF beacons (435.504 and 435.548MHz). The
satellite was developed by NPO-PM, jointly with the Mozhaisky military space engineering
academy on order from the military space forces in the interests of the Russian Defence
Ministry.
- The spacecraft was never able to be operated and re-entered the atmosphere on the 25th
October 1999.
Picture courtesy of AMSAT.
- SPUTNIK-II (aka
PS-2 or RS-17), 1997
- Refer to the nano-satellite pages.
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- Inspector,
1997-058D
- Delivered to MIR by a Progress-M launcher, and deployed on its withdrawal on the 17th
December 1997 in order to inspect the space station. The inspection spacecraft failed
(apparently due to a faulty gyro but some reports blame the star sensor), and was
abandoned by astronauts. MIR was boosted out of the way and the inspection spacecraft
became an unintentional 72kg microsatellite, in a 378x389km inclined at 51.66deg. The
spacecraft finally decayed on the 2nd November 1998. More...
[Inspector page at DASA]
- Orbcomm-FM 5 to 12,
1997-084A-H, 25112-25119
- Having launched two experimental satellite in 1995, the first eight satellites in the
ORBCOMM little-LEO satellite system were launched on the 23rd December 1997 on a
Pegasus-XL flying out of Wallops. The 42kg microsatellites were placed into an 824x834km
circular orbit (final orbit is 810km circular) inclined at 45 degrees, and will provide
low data rate communication and tracking services. A further 18 ORBCOMM satellites are
expected to join in early 1998, with the last 6 expected to be deployed in 1999. The
satellites were built by Orbital Sciences , and are similar in construction to the earlier
ones; cylindrical in shape during launch measuring 165mm in height, and 1040mm in
diameter. One of the eight satellites is reported to have a power problem, probably due to
a solar panel that did not deploy properly. 1997-084H is switched off. More...
[SSHP ORBCOMM entry][SSHP little
LEO constellations[OSC][ORBCOMM]
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