Kosmos 1172

Summary

Kosmos 1172 (Russian: Космос 1172 meaning Cosmos 1172) was a Soviet US-K missile early warning satellite which was launched in 1980 as part of the Soviet military's Oko programme. The satellite was designed to identify missile launches using optical telescopes and infrared sensors.[2]

Kosmos 1172
Mission typeEarly warning
COSPAR ID1980-028A Edit this at Wikidata
SATCAT no.11758
Mission duration4 years[1]
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft typeUS-K[2]
Launch mass1,900 kilograms (4,200 lb)
Start of mission
Launch date12 April 1980, 20:18 (1980-04-12UTC20:18Z) UTC
RocketMolniya-M/2BL[2]
Launch sitePlesetsk Cosmodrome[2][3]
End of mission
Deactivated9 April 1982[1]
Decay date26 December 1997 (1997-12-27)[4]
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric
RegimeMolniya[2]
Perigee altitude646 kilometres (401 mi)[4]
Apogee altitude39,698 kilometres (24,667 mi)[4]
Inclination62.8 degrees[4]
Period717.56 minutes[4]
 

Kosmos 1172 was launched from Site 41/1 at Plesetsk Cosmodrome in the Russian SSR.[3] A Molniya-M carrier rocket with a 2BL upper stage was used to perform the launch, which took place at 20:18 UTC on 12 April 1980.[3] The launch successfully placed the satellite into a molniya orbit. It subsequently received its Kosmos designation, and the international designator 1980-028A.[4] The United States Space Command assigned it the Satellite Catalog Number 11758.[4]

It re-entered the Earth's atmosphere on 26 December 1997.[4]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b Podvig, Pavel (2002). "History and the Current Status of the Russian Early-Warning System" (PDF). Science and Global Security. 10 (1): 21–60. Bibcode:2002S&GS...10...21P. CiteSeerX 10.1.1.692.6127. doi:10.1080/08929880212328. ISSN 0892-9882. S2CID 122901563. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 March 2012.
  2. ^ a b c d e "US-K (73D6)". Gunter's Space Page. 8 March 2012. Retrieved 21 April 2012.
  3. ^ a b c McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 2 May 2012.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h McDowell, Jonathan. "Satellite Catalog". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 30 April 2012.