biro@parity.dec.com (Support SAR-SAT, get lost) (02/14/89)
TASS CORRESPONDENT REPORTS FORM MISSION CONTROL CENTRE: PHOBOS The PHOBOS interplanetary station that became a satellite of Mars on the 29th of January has been transferred to a new intermediate orbit. In accordance with the flight program the station engines were turned on at 1600 MSK on the 12th of February. The results were a new elliptical orbit with the following parameters: Apocentre 81200 KM ?? this may be 87200 KM had bad reception at this point Pericentre 6400 KM Inclination 0.9 degrees Period 86.5 Hours Obersveration of the surface and atmosphere of Mars and well as the space around the planet were started on February 1st and continued on February 5, 8 and 11. In the Future, the craft will be transferred to a circular orbit with a radius that will exceed by 200-300 km the height of the PHOBOS satellite. From this distance the spacecraft will carry out autonomous navigation measurements of the position of that satellite of Mars for the purpose of a subsequent rapprochement of the station and the satellite.