Previous Spaceflight Launches
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Soyuz-U | Soyuz TM-24
Russian Federal Space Agency (ROSCOSMOS) | RussiaBaikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of Kazakhstan
Aug. 17, 1996, 1:18 p.m.
Status: Launch Successful
Mission:
Soyuz TM-24 was the 27th mission and the 22nd long-duration expedition to Mir space station. It was also a part of the US/Russian Shuttle-Mir Program. The mission began on 17 August 1996, 13:18:03 UTC, launching Commander Valery Korzun, Flight Engineer Aleksandr Kaleri and Research Cosmonaut Claudie André-Deshays into orbit. They docked with Mir two days later. During their stay there, cosmonauts performed several EVAs and various scientific experiments. Station crew was visited by several Progress resupply spacecrafts, STS-79 and STS-81, and welcomed aboard Soyuz TM-25 with the next expedition crew. The mission concluded with a safe landing back on Earth on March 2, 1997, 06:44:16 UTC.
Low Earth Orbit
H-II | Midori
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries | JapanTanegashima Space Center, Japan
Aug. 17, 1996, 1:53 a.m.
Status: Launch Successful
Mission:
Primary applications of ADEOS (Advanced Earth Observation Satellite), which has been renamed Midori after reaching orbit, include monitoring global environmental changes such as maritime meteorological conditions, atmospheric ozone, and gases that promote global warming. ADEOS was also expected to play a vital role in developing more sophisticated inter-orbit communications and platform technology for the satellite of tomorrow. ADEOS was launched by H-2 Launch Vehicle No.4 on August 1996 and provided a large volume of data containing valuable information about our environment atmosphere, ocean and land for about 10 months until it suddenly got out of control on 30 June 1997 because of the structural damage in its solar array paddle.
Low Earth OrbitMolniya-M | Molniya-1T 89
Russian Space Forces | RussiaPlesetsk Cosmodrome, Russian Federation
Aug. 14, 1996, 10:20 p.m.
Ariane 44L | Italsat F2 & Télécom 2D
Aérospatiale | FranceGuiana Space Centre, French Guiana
Aug. 8, 1996, 10:49 p.m.
Soyuz U | Progress M-32
Russian Federal Space Agency (ROSCOSMOS) | RussiaBaikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of Kazakhstan
July 31, 1996, 8 p.m.
Atlas II | UHF F/O F7
Lockheed Martin | United States of AmericaCape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA
July 25, 1996, 12:41 p.m.
Status: Launch Successful
Mission:
The U.S. Navy began replacing and upgrading its ultra-high frequency (UHF) satellite communications network during the 1990s with a constellation of customized satellites built by Hughes Space and Communications Company. Known as the UFO (Ultra High Frequency Follow On) series, these HS-601 model satellites support the Navy's global communications network, serving ships at sea and a variety of other U.S. military fixed and mobile terminals.
Geostationary Orbit
Delta II | GPS IIA-17
United Launch Alliance | United States of AmericaCape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA
July 16, 1996, 12:50 a.m.
Ariane 44L | Arabsat IIA & Türksat 1C
Aérospatiale | FranceGuiana Space Centre, French Guiana
July 9, 1996, 10:24 p.m.
Long March 3 | Apstar 1A
China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation | ChinaXichang Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China
July 3, 1996, 10:47 a.m.
Status: Launch Successful
Mission:
The APSTAR 1 spacecraft carries such general communications traffic as voice, fax, data, and television signals across China and Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Singapore, and Vietnam. APSTAR 1A has expanded coverage to India and Pakistan. Hughes Space and Communications International, Inc., signed a contract in May 1992 with APT Satellite Company, Ltd., of Hong Kong for the first satellite. APT ordered APSTAR IA in March 1995. The spacecraft were built at the Hughes Space and Communications Company facilities in El Segundo, Calif.
Geostationary OrbitTitan 405A | Quasar 11
Lockheed Martin | United States of AmericaCape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA
July 3, 1996, 12:30 a.m.
Status: Launch Successful
Mission:
Satellite Data System (SDS) spacecraft are communication relay satellites for transmiting real-time data from US reconnaissance satellites (e.g. KH-11) in polar areas. They are also used for communications to USAF air craft on polar routes and connect the various ground stations of the Air Force Satellite Control Network (AFSCN). The spacecraft relay the downlinked KH-11 data to a ground station at Fort Belvoir, Virginia.
Elliptical Orbit
