Kosmos 2446

Kosmos 2446
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 (2008-12-02UTC05:03Z) UTC
Rocket Molniya-M/2BL[2]
Launch site Plesetsk Cosmodrome[2][3]
Orbital parameters
Reference system Geocentric
Regime Molniya [2]
Perigee 522 kilometres (324 mi)[4]
Apogee 39,190 kilometres (24,350 mi)[4]
Inclination 62.8 degrees[4]
Period 704.78 minutes[4]

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]

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]

Ground track of Kosmos 2446

References

  1. ↑ Podvig, Pavel (2002). "History and the Current Status of the Russian Early-Warning System" (PDF). Science and Global Security. 10: 21–60. ISSN 0892-9882. doi:10.1080/08929880212328. Archived from the original (pdf) on 15 March 2012.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "US-K (73D6)". Gunter's Space Page. 2012-03-08. Retrieved 2012-04-21.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "Cosmos 2446". National Space Science Data Centre. 2012-04-20. Retrieved 2012-04-25.
  4. 1 2 3 4 McDowell, Jonathan. "Satellite Catalog". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 30 April 2012.
  5. ↑ Podvig, Pavel (2 December 2008). "Launch of Cosmos-2446, a new first-generation early-warning satellite". Russian Strategic Nuclear Forces. Retrieved 30 April 2012.

See also

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