- Email: [email protected]
Results of radioastronomical tracking of Soviet space rockets
Pluner. Space Sci.
Pergamon
Press 1961. Vol. 8, pp.
194-l%.
Printed in Great Britain.
ABSTRACTS No. 7 (1961) *E. A. BENEDIKTOV. G. G. GETMANTSEV and V. L. GINSBURG: Radioastronomical investigations employing artificial satellites and space rockets (pp. 3-22). One reason for the efficacy of radioastronomical methods is the possibility of using a very wide range of frequencies, extending over approximately eleven octaves as against the range, inside of one octave. corresponding to the visible spectrum. The only radical method of further extending the frequency range involves artificial earth satellites and space rockets reaching out beyond the earth’s atmosphere. The present paper emphasizes basic measurement principles. Space rockets in the vicinity of Mars, Venus and other planets of the solar system can provide radio emission measurements over a wide The ground antenna for range of frequencies. measuring the radio emission on a one-metre wavelength from Mars and Venus would require a 150 m diameter mirror. On the other hand the dimensions for an antenna on a space rocket would approach the wavelength, depending on the solid angle presented by the planet to the space rocket. A study of cosmic radio emission and the radio emission of discrete sources yields a table illustrating radiowave absorption under cosmic conditions for wavelengths 0.3 km, 1 km and 3 km. Corpuscular solar fluxes can have an appreciable influence on wavelengths above 200 to 300 m. From the standpoint of instrumentation. simple antennae are adequate for artificial satellites, employing the travelling-wave type for directional reception from discrete sources against a substantial dispersed cosmic radio-emission. Artificial satellite measurements based on diffraction of extra-terrestrial radio-emission at the edge of the earth’s and the moon’s disks are of interest in the angular localization of discrete sources and for defining details in the distribution of nonthermal cosmic radio-emission on the celestial vault. Artificial satellite experiments are indicated for establishing the theoretical basis for the radio-emission in the radiation belts which are sufficiently intense for measurement. From the standpoint of electron-concentration measurements in the ionosphere and in interplanetary space, the most promising may be the method of measuring the group delay time of artificial satellite transmitter signals synchronized with low-frequency modulated oscillations. The magnetic field has a negligible effect on radiowave propagation on a wavelength of 600 m at altitudes above 3000 km. The survey draws on a bibliography of 39 references.
radio-astronomy for determining the angular coordinates of discrete sources of radio-emission was used for tracking the first, second and third Soviet space rockets. The observations were carried out on a frequency of 183 MC/S. For determining the intensity of a signal from the space rocket use was made of the emission from a discrete source in the Cygnus constellation with an energy flux density of 70x 10-“4W. rn+. c/s on the 1.5 m wavelength. Time characteristics of slow signal-intensity variations, referred to an isotropic emitter at the distance of the space rocket, show that in addition to the rapid variations there were slower variations from the first rocket with characteristic periods, one of 8 to 12 min and the second from 40 min to one hour. On the second space rocket, variations in signal intensity occurred with a period of 45 min. falling to lo-13 min. An analysis of records from the third space rocket employing two mutually perpendicular antennae showed fading from maximum to minimum over a period of approximately 3 min. associated with rotation. Slower variations in the mean amplitude of the signal with periods greater than 20-30 min are attributed to the Faraday effect. V. V. BELETSKII and Yu. V. ZONOV: Rotation and orientation of the third Soviet satellite (pp. 32-55). A method is set out for determining the parameters of the satellite motion around the mass centre and its orientation in space from the angles of rotation of the magnetometer frame relative to the body of the satellite as measured by two pickups and telemetered to earth. Results from the first 109 loops of the satellite orbit demonstrate the possibility of calculating the orientation of any instrument on the satellite. Precession and rotation periods were determined with an accuracy of 5 sec. the angle between the satellite axis and precession a&, coinciding with the direction of the kinetic moment
vector, i.e. angle of nutation, with an accuracy of 1’. and the position of the precession axis with an accuracy of IO”. The satellite rotated around the direction of the kinetic moment vector in such a way that the angle between the satellite axis and the kinetic moment vector was in the neighbourhood of 90”, deviating from this position on different loops by not more than 6”. The precession period increased slowly from 135-140 set in the early loops (I-5) to 195 set on the 283rd loop. The slow variation in the parameters of satellite rotation and orientation may be due to the effect of perturbing factors such as the and gravitational perturV. V. VITKEVICH. A. D. KUZ’MIN. R. L. SOROCHENKO influence of aerodynamic bations, the interaction of the satellite current systems and V. A. UDAL’TSOV: Results of radioastronomical with the earth’s magnetic field and. to a lesser degree. tracking of Soviet space rockets (pp. 23-3 1 I. The radio-interference method widely employed in Foucault currents, etc. 194
Pergamon
Press 1961. Vol. 8, pp.
194-l%.
Printed in Great Britain.
ABSTRACTS No. 7 (1961) *E. A. BENEDIKTOV. G. G. GETMANTSEV and V. L. GINSBURG: Radioastronomical investigations employing artificial satellites and space rockets (pp. 3-22). One reason for the efficacy of radioastronomical methods is the possibility of using a very wide range of frequencies, extending over approximately eleven octaves as against the range, inside of one octave. corresponding to the visible spectrum. The only radical method of further extending the frequency range involves artificial earth satellites and space rockets reaching out beyond the earth’s atmosphere. The present paper emphasizes basic measurement principles. Space rockets in the vicinity of Mars, Venus and other planets of the solar system can provide radio emission measurements over a wide The ground antenna for range of frequencies. measuring the radio emission on a one-metre wavelength from Mars and Venus would require a 150 m diameter mirror. On the other hand the dimensions for an antenna on a space rocket would approach the wavelength, depending on the solid angle presented by the planet to the space rocket. A study of cosmic radio emission and the radio emission of discrete sources yields a table illustrating radiowave absorption under cosmic conditions for wavelengths 0.3 km, 1 km and 3 km. Corpuscular solar fluxes can have an appreciable influence on wavelengths above 200 to 300 m. From the standpoint of instrumentation. simple antennae are adequate for artificial satellites, employing the travelling-wave type for directional reception from discrete sources against a substantial dispersed cosmic radio-emission. Artificial satellite measurements based on diffraction of extra-terrestrial radio-emission at the edge of the earth’s and the moon’s disks are of interest in the angular localization of discrete sources and for defining details in the distribution of nonthermal cosmic radio-emission on the celestial vault. Artificial satellite experiments are indicated for establishing the theoretical basis for the radio-emission in the radiation belts which are sufficiently intense for measurement. From the standpoint of electron-concentration measurements in the ionosphere and in interplanetary space, the most promising may be the method of measuring the group delay time of artificial satellite transmitter signals synchronized with low-frequency modulated oscillations. The magnetic field has a negligible effect on radiowave propagation on a wavelength of 600 m at altitudes above 3000 km. The survey draws on a bibliography of 39 references.
radio-astronomy for determining the angular coordinates of discrete sources of radio-emission was used for tracking the first, second and third Soviet space rockets. The observations were carried out on a frequency of 183 MC/S. For determining the intensity of a signal from the space rocket use was made of the emission from a discrete source in the Cygnus constellation with an energy flux density of 70x 10-“4W. rn+. c/s on the 1.5 m wavelength. Time characteristics of slow signal-intensity variations, referred to an isotropic emitter at the distance of the space rocket, show that in addition to the rapid variations there were slower variations from the first rocket with characteristic periods, one of 8 to 12 min and the second from 40 min to one hour. On the second space rocket, variations in signal intensity occurred with a period of 45 min. falling to lo-13 min. An analysis of records from the third space rocket employing two mutually perpendicular antennae showed fading from maximum to minimum over a period of approximately 3 min. associated with rotation. Slower variations in the mean amplitude of the signal with periods greater than 20-30 min are attributed to the Faraday effect. V. V. BELETSKII and Yu. V. ZONOV: Rotation and orientation of the third Soviet satellite (pp. 32-55). A method is set out for determining the parameters of the satellite motion around the mass centre and its orientation in space from the angles of rotation of the magnetometer frame relative to the body of the satellite as measured by two pickups and telemetered to earth. Results from the first 109 loops of the satellite orbit demonstrate the possibility of calculating the orientation of any instrument on the satellite. Precession and rotation periods were determined with an accuracy of 5 sec. the angle between the satellite axis and precession a&, coinciding with the direction of the kinetic moment
vector, i.e. angle of nutation, with an accuracy of 1’. and the position of the precession axis with an accuracy of IO”. The satellite rotated around the direction of the kinetic moment vector in such a way that the angle between the satellite axis and the kinetic moment vector was in the neighbourhood of 90”, deviating from this position on different loops by not more than 6”. The precession period increased slowly from 135-140 set in the early loops (I-5) to 195 set on the 283rd loop. The slow variation in the parameters of satellite rotation and orientation may be due to the effect of perturbing factors such as the and gravitational perturV. V. VITKEVICH. A. D. KUZ’MIN. R. L. SOROCHENKO influence of aerodynamic bations, the interaction of the satellite current systems and V. A. UDAL’TSOV: Results of radioastronomical with the earth’s magnetic field and. to a lesser degree. tracking of Soviet space rockets (pp. 23-3 1 I. The radio-interference method widely employed in Foucault currents, etc. 194