Kosmos 931

Kosmos 931 (Russian: Космос 931 meaning Cosmos 931) was a Soviet US-K missile early warning satellite which was launched in 1977 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 931
Mission typeEarly warning
COSPAR ID1977-068A
SATCAT no.10150
Mission duration4 years [1]
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft typeUS-K[2]
Launch mass1,900 kilograms (4,200 lb)
Start of mission
Launch date20 July 1977, 04:44 (1977-07-20UTC04:44Z) UTC
RocketMolniya-M/2BL[2]
Launch sitePlesetsk Cosmodrome[2][3]
End of mission
Deactivated24 October 1977[1]
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric
RegimeMolniya [2]
Perigee altitude637 kilometres (396 mi)[4]
Apogee altitude39,718 kilometres (24,680 mi)[4]
Inclination62.8 degrees[4]
Period717.80 minutes[4]
 

Kosmos 931 was launched from Site 43/3 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 04:44 UTC on 20 July 1977.[3] The launch successfully placed the satellite into a molniya orbit. It subsequently received its Kosmos designation, and the international designator 1977-068A.[4] The United States Space Command assigned it the Satellite Catalog Number 10150.[4]

It self-destructed on 24 October 1977 and never reached the correct orbit.[1]

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. McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 2 May 2012.
  4. McDowell, Jonathan. "Satellite Catalog". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 30 April 2012.


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