Kosmos 931 Explained

Kosmos 931
Mission Type:Early warning
Cospar Id:1977-068A
Satcat:10150
Mission Duration:4 years
Spacecraft Type:US-K
Launch Date: UTC
Launch Rocket:Molniya-M/2BL
Launch Site:Plesetsk Cosmodrome
Deactivated:24 October 1977
Orbit Reference:Geocentric
Orbit Regime:Molniya
Orbit Inclination:62.8 degrees
Orbit Period:717.80 minutes
Apsis:gee

Kosmos 931 (Russian: Космос 931 meaning Cosmos 931) was a Soviet US-K missile early warning satellite which was launched in 1977 as part of the Soviet military's Oko programme. The satellite was designed to identify missile launches using optical telescopes and infrared sensors.

Kosmos 931 was launched from Site 43/3 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 04:44 UTC on 20 July 1977. The launch successfully placed the satellite into a molniya orbit. It subsequently received its Kosmos designation, and the international designator 1977-068A. The United States Space Command assigned it the Satellite Catalog Number 10150.

It self-destructed on 24 October 1977 and never reached the correct orbit.

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.