Kosmos 1661 Explained

Kosmos 1661
Mission Type:Early warning
Cospar Id:1985-049A
Satcat:15827
Mission Duration:4 years
Spacecraft Type:US-K
Launch Date: UTC
Launch Rocket:Molniya-M/2BL
Launch Site:Plesetsk Cosmodrome
Orbit Reference:Geocentric
Orbit Regime:Molniya
Orbit Inclination:62.9 degrees
Orbit Period:717.70 minutes
Apsis:gee

Kosmos 1661 (Russian: Космос 1661 meaning Cosmos 1661) is a Soviet US-K missile early warning satellite which was launched in 1985 as part of the Soviet military's Oko programme. The satellite is designed to identify missile launches using optical telescopes and infrared sensors.

Kosmos 1661 was launched from Site 16/2 at Plesetsk Cosmodrome in the Russian SSR. A Molniya-M carrier rocket with a 2BL upper stage was used to perform the launch, which took place at 00:40 UTC on 18 June 1985. The launch successfully placed the satellite into a molniya orbit. It subsequently received its Kosmos designation, and the international designator 1985-049A. The United States Space Command assigned it the Satellite Catalog Number 15827.

Podvig says that it moved from its orbital position immediately after launch, and was probably never functional.

See also

References

[1]

[2]

[3] [4]

Notes and References

  1. Pavel . Podvig . 2002 . History and the Current Status of the Russian Early-Warning System . Science and Global Security . 10 . 1 . 21–60 . 0892-9882 . 10.1080/08929880212328 . 2002S&GS...10...21P . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120315024323/http://iis-db.stanford.edu/pubs/20734/Podvig-S%26GS.pdf . 2012-03-15 . 10.1.1.692.6127 . 122901563 .
  2. Web site: US-K (73D6). Gunter's Space Page. 2012-03-08. 2012-04-21.
  3. Web site: Satellite Catalog. Jonathan. McDowell. Jonathan McDowell. Jonathan's Space Page. 30 April 2012.
  4. Web site: Launch Log. Jonathan. McDowell. Jonathan's Space Page. 2 May 2012.