Calsphere

Calsphere

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Class: Military. Type: Target. Destination: Medium Earth Orbit. Nation: USA. Agency: U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy.

Radar calibration objects (but also cover for other classified subsatellites).

Typical orbit: 786 km circular orbit, 88.1 deg inclination.

Calsphere Chronology

1964 October 6 - Calsphere 1 - Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: SLC2W. Launch Vehicle: Delta. Mass: 1.00 kg (2.20 lb). Perigee: 997 km (619 mi). Apogee: 1,034 km (642 mi). Inclination: 90.10 deg. Period: 105.50 min.
Space craft engaged in investigation of spaceflight techniques and technology (US Cat A).

1964 October 6 - Calsphere 2 - Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: SLC2W. Launch Vehicle: Delta. Mass: 10 kg (22 lb). Perigee: 1,049 km (651 mi). Apogee: 1,078 km (669 mi). Inclination: 90.20 deg. Period: 106.50 min.
Space craft engaged in investigation of spaceflight techniques and technology (US Cat A).

1965 August 13 - Calsphere 4A - Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: SLC2E. Launch Vehicle: Delta. Mass: 2.00 kg (4.40 lb). Perigee: 1,077 km (669 mi). Apogee: 1,179 km (732 mi). Inclination: 90.10 deg. Period: 107.90 min.
Surveillance Calibration; white 14 inch dia. sphere.

1967 May 31 - Calsphere 4 - Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: SLC2W. Launch Vehicle: Delta. Perigee: 815 km (506 mi). Apogee: 834 km (518 mi). Inclination: 69.90 deg. Period: 101.40 min.
Space craft engaged in investigation of spaceflight techniques and technology (US Cat A).

1967 May 31 - Calsphere 3 - Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: SLC2W. Launch Vehicle: Delta. Mass: 38 kg (83 lb). Perigee: 900 km (550 mi). Apogee: 906 km (562 mi). Inclination: 70.00 deg. Period: 103.10 min.
Surveillance Calibration. Space craft engaged in investigation of spaceflight techniques and technology (US Cat A).

1968 August 16 - AVL-802 Mylar Sphere - Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: SLC3E. Launch Vehicle: Atlas. FAILURE: Failure.

1968 August 16 - AVL-802 Grid Sphere 7-2 - Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: SLC3E. Launch Vehicle: Atlas. FAILURE: Failure.

1968 August 16 - AVL-802 Rigid Sphere - Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: SLC3E. Launch Vehicle: Atlas. FAILURE: Failure.

1971 February 17 - Calsphere 3A - Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: SLC10W. Launch Vehicle: Delta. Mass: 1.00 kg (2.20 lb). Perigee: 509 km (316 mi). Apogee: 531 km (329 mi). Inclination: 98.40 deg. Period: 95.00 min.
Radar calibarion sphere. Space craft engaged in investigation of spaceflight techniques and technology (US Cat A).

1971 February 17 - Calsphere 4 - Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: SLC10W. Launch Vehicle: Delta. Mass: 1.00 kg (2.20 lb). Perigee: 486 km (301 mi). Apogee: 502 km (311 mi). Inclination: 98.40 deg. Period: 94.50 min.
Radar calibarion sphere. Space craft engaged in investigation of spaceflight techniques and technology (US Cat A).

1971 February 17 - Calsphere 5 - Launch Site: Vandenberg. Launch Complex: SLC10W. Launch Vehicle: Delta. Mass: 1.00 kg (2.20 lb). Perigee: 340 km (210 mi). Apogee: 360 km (220 mi). Inclination: 98.20 deg. Period: 91.50 min.
Radar calibarion sphere. Space craft engaged in investigation of spaceflight techniques and technology (US Cat A).

Bibliography:

McDowell, Jonathan, Jonathan's Space Home Page (launch records), Harvard University, 1997-present. Web Address when accessed: http://www.planet4589.org/jsr.html.
JPL Mission and Spacecraft Library, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, 1997. Web Address when accessed: http://msl.jpl.nasa.gov/home.html.
McDowell, Jonathan, Launch Log, October 1998. Web Address when accessed: http://hea-www.harvard.edu/~jcm/space/log/launch.html.

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