Kosmos 2446 (Russian: Космос 2446 meaning Cosmos 2446) is a Russian US-K missile early warning satellite which was launched in 2008 as part of the Russian Space Forces' Oko programme.[5] The satellite is designed to identify missile launches using optical telescopes and infrared sensors.[2]
| Mission type | Early warning |
|---|---|
| COSPAR ID | 2008-062A |
| SATCAT no. | 33447 |
| Mission duration | 4 years[1] |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Spacecraft type | US-K[2] |
| Launch mass | 1,900 kilograms (4,200 lb)[3] |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 2 December 2008, 05:03 UTC |
| Rocket | Molniya-M/2BL[2] |
| Launch site | Plesetsk Cosmodrome[2][3] |
| End of mission | |
| Decay date | May 6th, 2017 |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric |
| Regime | Molniya[2] |
| Perigee altitude | 522 kilometres (324 mi)[4] |
| Apogee altitude | 39,190 kilometres (24,350 mi)[4] |
| Inclination | 62.8 degrees[4] |
| Period | 704.78 minutes[4] |
Kosmos 2446 was launched from Site 16/2 at Plesetsk Cosmodrome in Russia.[2] A Molniya-M carrier rocket with a 2BL upper stage was used to perform the launch, which took place at 05:03 UTC on 2 December 2008.[3] The launch successfully placed the satellite into a molniya orbit. It subsequently received its Kosmos designation, and the international designator 2008-062A.[3] The United States Space Command assigned it the Satellite Catalog Number 33447.[3]
References
edit- ^ 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.
- ^ a b c d e f "US-K (73D6)". Gunter's Space Page. 8 March 2012. Retrieved 21 April 2012.
- ^ a b c d e "Cosmos 2446". National Space Science Data Centre. 20 April 2012. Retrieved 25 April 2012.
- ^ a b c d McDowell, Jonathan. "Satellite Catalog". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 30 April 2012.
- ^ Podvig, Pavel (2 December 2008). "Launch of Cosmos-2446, a new first-generation early-warning satellite". Russian Strategic Nuclear Forces. Retrieved 30 April 2012.