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Soviets in space (19) TKS
THE COSMOS 929 ENIGMA
ON July 17 this year the Soviet Union launched Cosmos 929, believed by Western observers at the time to be an unmanned Soyuz precursor to the next space station, Salyut 6, the appearance of which had been expected by the middle of the year. Russia made a routine announcement that a new Cosmos had been launched but since then nothing has been said about the craft. It is now clear from visual observations by tracking groups in Britain and America that Cosmos 929 is about the same size as a Salyut. Its 51-6° orbit is also identical with that employed (though not exclusively) by manned flights in the Salyut and Soyuz series, and its telemetry has the same format.
There is however evidence that Cosmos 929 is no ordinary Salyut, but perhaps a modification or a completely new vehicle. Jim Oberg of the Texas tracking group tells Flight that the telemetry initially consisted of two separate signals, perhaps indicating the presence of two vehicles. On August 17, the 32nd day of the mission, one set of signals ceased, suggesting that one vehicle had returned to Earth.
The satellite has made a number of orbital changes, also uncharacteristic of the Salyut programme. Cosmos 929 initially followed a 227km X 275km path. On July 27, 30 and August 7 it was raised by 3km, 3-5km and 7-5km respectively. By August 17 the orbit had decayed to 193km X 224km, and on that day it was raised to 222km X 235km. On the following day a major manoeuvre occurred, the satellite being boosted into a 306km X 330km path. More small manoeuvres followed
on August 22, 26 and 31, and the orbit last week measured 317km X 332km.
There are some similarities between the behaviour of Cosmos 929 and that of Cosmos 881 and 882, launched by single rocket on December 15 last year and recovered on the same day.
Salyut to dock with Salyut?
Cosmos 929, launched on July 17, had the brilliance of a Salyut-sized spacecraft and transmitted two sets of signals until August 17. It was speculated that a portion of the spacecraft detached and re-entered at this time. It then manoeuvred to circularise its orbit at an altitude of about 330km. On December 19 the big satellite stopped its slow decay with a manoeuvre which raised its apogee to 440km, the first time that this altitude had been achieved by a Salyut-type spacecraft. During this time Salyut 6 was inhabited by the Soyuz 26 crew (Grechko and Romanenko). It is thought that Cosmos 929 was manoeuvred for simultaneous operations with Salyut 6. I believe that Cosmos 929 represents a test of a manoeuvring Salyut station capable of making large orbital changes and of docking with another Salyut. Salyut 7 might be launched within the next few weeks to dock at the front port of Salyut 6. Like the "military" Salyuts 3 and 5, Cosmos 929 was equipped with a recoverable capsule for the transportation of experimental and observation results. The Soyuz spacecraft is used principally for the transportation of cosmonauts to and from Salyuts, and only the small descent cone comes down to the ground. This module is limited in volume, leaving little room for experiments and their results. The solution is the utilisation of recoverable parts on the Salyut structure. Cosmos 929 also represents a test of the recovery of such a system.
On December 15, 1976, the dual Cosmos 881/882 launch and recovery, following a Soyuz trajectory, tested the development of recoverable sections which will be used with the next Salyut stations. In the future we can expect to see the docking of two Salyuts, and their provisioning by Cosmos 929-like vehicles. One of the two Salyuts will be equipped with several recoverable sections.
http://www.svengrahn.pp.se/histind/Almprog/tksalm.htm
ON July 17 this year the Soviet Union launched Cosmos 929, believed by Western observers at the time to be an unmanned Soyuz precursor to the next space station, Salyut 6, the appearance of which had been expected by the middle of the year. Russia made a routine announcement that a new Cosmos had been launched but since then nothing has been said about the craft. It is now clear from visual observations by tracking groups in Britain and America that Cosmos 929 is about the same size as a Salyut. Its 51-6° orbit is also identical with that employed (though not exclusively) by manned flights in the Salyut and Soyuz series, and its telemetry has the same format.
There is however evidence that Cosmos 929 is no ordinary Salyut, but perhaps a modification or a completely new vehicle. Jim Oberg of the Texas tracking group tells Flight that the telemetry initially consisted of two separate signals, perhaps indicating the presence of two vehicles. On August 17, the 32nd day of the mission, one set of signals ceased, suggesting that one vehicle had returned to Earth.
The satellite has made a number of orbital changes, also uncharacteristic of the Salyut programme. Cosmos 929 initially followed a 227km X 275km path. On July 27, 30 and August 7 it was raised by 3km, 3-5km and 7-5km respectively. By August 17 the orbit had decayed to 193km X 224km, and on that day it was raised to 222km X 235km. On the following day a major manoeuvre occurred, the satellite being boosted into a 306km X 330km path. More small manoeuvres followed
on August 22, 26 and 31, and the orbit last week measured 317km X 332km.
There are some similarities between the behaviour of Cosmos 929 and that of Cosmos 881 and 882, launched by single rocket on December 15 last year and recovered on the same day.
Salyut to dock with Salyut?
Cosmos 929, launched on July 17, had the brilliance of a Salyut-sized spacecraft and transmitted two sets of signals until August 17. It was speculated that a portion of the spacecraft detached and re-entered at this time. It then manoeuvred to circularise its orbit at an altitude of about 330km. On December 19 the big satellite stopped its slow decay with a manoeuvre which raised its apogee to 440km, the first time that this altitude had been achieved by a Salyut-type spacecraft. During this time Salyut 6 was inhabited by the Soyuz 26 crew (Grechko and Romanenko). It is thought that Cosmos 929 was manoeuvred for simultaneous operations with Salyut 6. I believe that Cosmos 929 represents a test of a manoeuvring Salyut station capable of making large orbital changes and of docking with another Salyut. Salyut 7 might be launched within the next few weeks to dock at the front port of Salyut 6. Like the "military" Salyuts 3 and 5, Cosmos 929 was equipped with a recoverable capsule for the transportation of experimental and observation results. The Soyuz spacecraft is used principally for the transportation of cosmonauts to and from Salyuts, and only the small descent cone comes down to the ground. This module is limited in volume, leaving little room for experiments and their results. The solution is the utilisation of recoverable parts on the Salyut structure. Cosmos 929 also represents a test of the recovery of such a system.
On December 15, 1976, the dual Cosmos 881/882 launch and recovery, following a Soyuz trajectory, tested the development of recoverable sections which will be used with the next Salyut stations. In the future we can expect to see the docking of two Salyuts, and their provisioning by Cosmos 929-like vehicles. One of the two Salyuts will be equipped with several recoverable sections.
http://www.svengrahn.pp.se/histind/Almprog/tksalm.htm
- Archibald
- Word Count: 650