Kosmos 2241

Kosmos 2241 (Russian: Космос 2241 meaning Cosmos 2241) was a Russian US-K missile early warning satellite that was launched in 1993 as part of the Russian Space Forces' Oko programme. The satellite was designed to identify missile launches using optical telescopes and infrared sensors.[2]

Kosmos 2241
Mission typeEarly warning
COSPAR ID1993-022A
SATCAT no.22594
Mission duration4 years[1]
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft typeUS-K[2]
Launch mass1,900 kilograms (4,200 lb)[3]
Start of mission
Launch date6 April 1993, 19:07 (1993-04-06UTC19:07Z) UTC
RocketMolniya-M/2BL[2]
Launch sitePlesetsk Cosmodrome[2][3]
End of mission
Decay date8 March 2022
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric
RegimeMolniya [2]
Perigee altitude663 kilometres (412 mi)[4]
Apogee altitude39,690 kilometres (24,660 mi)[4]
Inclination62.9 degrees[4]
Period717.76 minutes[4]
 

Kosmos 2241 was launched from Site 43/4 at Plesetsk Cosmodrome in Russia.[5] A Molniya-M carrier rocket with a 2BL upper stage was used to perform the launch, which took place at 19:07 UTC on 6 April 1993.[3] The launch successfully placed the satellite into a molniya orbit. It subsequently received its Kosmos designation, and the international designator 1993-051A.[3] The United States Space Command assigned it the Satellite Catalog Number 22594.[3]

On 8 March 2022, Kosmos 2241 decayed from orbit and reentered the atmosphere.[6]

See also

References
  1. 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. "US-K (73D6)". Gunter's Space Page. 2012-03-08. Retrieved 2012-04-21.
  3. "Cosmos 2241". National Space Science Data Centre. 2012-04-20. Retrieved 2012-04-25.
  4. McDowell, Jonathan. "Satellite Catalog". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 30 April 2012.
  5. McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 2 May 2012.
  6. "COSMOS 2241". N2YO.com. 8 March 2022. Retrieved 27 March 2022.
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