Kosmos 862

Summary

Kosmos 862 (Russian: Космос 862 meaning Cosmos 862) was a Soviet US-K missile early warning satellite which was launched in 1976 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 862
Mission typeEarly warning
COSPAR ID1976-105A Edit this at Wikidata
SATCAT no.9495
Mission duration4 years [1]
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft typeUS-K[2]
Launch mass1,900 kilograms (4,200 lb)
Start of mission
Launch date22 October 1976, 09:12 (1976-10-22UTC09:12Z) UTC
RocketMolniya-M/2BL[2]
Launch sitePlesetsk Cosmodrome[2][3]
End of mission
Deactivated15 March 1977[1]
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric
RegimeMolniya [2]
Perigee altitude612 kilometres (380 mi)[4]
Apogee altitude39,763 kilometres (24,708 mi)[4]
Inclination62.9 degrees[4]
Period718.21 minutes[4]
 

Launch edit

Kosmos 862 was launched from Site 43/4 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 09:12 UTC on 22 October 1976.[3]

Orbit edit

The launch successfully placed the satellite into a molniya orbit. It subsequently received its Kosmos designation, and the international designator 1976-105A.[4] The United States Space Command assigned it the Satellite Catalog Number 9495.[4]

The satellite self-destructed on March 15, 1977, breaking into 13 pieces of which several are still on orbit.[1][5]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b c 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 2012-03-15.
  2. ^ a b c d e "US-K (73D6)". Gunter's Space Page. 2012-03-08. Retrieved 2012-04-21.
  3. ^ a b c McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 2 May 2012.
  4. ^ a b c d e f McDowell, Jonathan. "Satellite Catalog". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 30 April 2012.
  5. ^ Anz-Meador, Phillip (December 2022). History of On-orbit Satellite Fragmentations (PDF) (16th ed.). p. 25. Retrieved 10 May 2023.