INTERBALL Launch

The Interbol-1 (Prognoz-M2) satellite was launched from Plesetsk late on Aug 2. The Molniya-M launch vehicle took off from complex 43 at 2359:11 UTC; the strapons and Blok-A core stage separated, and the Blok-I third stage ignited at 0004:03 UTC on Aug 3. The Blok-I shut down at 0008, and separated at 0008:07, leaving Prognoz-M2, the Blok 2BL-SM2 fourth stage, and the attached BOZ interstage platform in a 240 x 827 km x 62.8 deg, 95.0 min parking orbit around the Earth.

At 0100:30 UTC, as the combination reached apogee, the Blok 2BL stage ignited, and 40 seconds later the BOZ platform was jettisoned. At 0104:15 UTC the fourth stage shut down and separated from the Prognoz payload, leaving it in a highly elliptical orbit of 797 x 193000 km x 62.8 deg (prelaunch estimated parameters), with an orbital period of 3 days 20 hours. US tracking gave an orbit of 505 x 193064 x 63.8 deg, 3 days 19.5 hr.

Prognoz-M2 (SO-M2 no. 512) is the Khvostovoy Zond ("Tail") satellite of Project Interbol, intended to investigate the Earth's geomagnetic tail. The 1250 kg probe carries a detachable 50 kg subsatellite provided by the Czech Republic. The Magion-4 subsatellite, which separated from Prognoz-M2 at around 0925 UTC on Aug 3, carries instruments to measure electric and magnetic fields for comparison with the Prognoz instruments. (The original plan was for Magion-4 to remain attached for several days, it's not clear why it separated so early).

The first Prognoz (SO-M) solar-terrestrial observatory was launched in 1972. Earlier Prognoz flights were all launched from Baykonur in Kazakhstan. (The scientific Prognoz satellites should not be confused with the geostationary Prognoz early warning satellites which are also built by the NPO Lavochkin company).

 The Tail probe carries the following science instruments:
  SKA-1, PROMICS-3, VDP, AMEI-2, CORAL, ALPHA3 (plasma ions)
  ELECTRON, (plasma electrons) 
  MONITOR-3 (solar wind ions with high time resolution)
  IFPE (ion and electron flux variations)
  MIF-M, FGS-1, FM-31 (magnetometers); OPERA (electric field)
  AKR-X (solar radio emission 0.1-1.5 MHz)
  RF-15-1 (solar X-rays 2-240 keV)
  SKA-2, DOK-2, SOSNA-2, RKA-2 (energetic particles)

Project Interbol will be completed with the launch of the Auroral probe (SO-M2 no. 511) which also carries a Magion subsatellite. This launch will occur in 1996 if funds become available.

Interball in Space Calendar