Kosmos 1903

Kosmos 1903 (Russian: Космос 1903 meaning Cosmos 1903) is a Soviet US-K missile early warning satellite which was launched in 1987 as part of the Soviet military's Oko programme. The satellite is designed to identify missile launches using optical telescopes and infrared sensors.[2]

Kosmos 1903
Mission typeEarly warning
COSPAR ID1987-105A
SATCAT no.18701
Mission duration4 years [1]
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft typeUS-K[2]
Launch mass1,900 kilograms (4,200 lb)[3]
Start of mission
Launch date21 December 1987, 22:35 (1987-12-21UTC22:35Z) UTC
RocketMolniya-M/2BL[2]
Launch sitePlesetsk Cosmodrome[2][3]
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric
RegimeMolniya [2]
Perigee altitude605 kilometres (376 mi)[4]
Apogee altitude39,746 kilometres (24,697 mi)[4]
Inclination63.0 degrees[4]
Period717.72 minutes[4]
 

Kosmos 1903 was launched from Site 41/1 at Plesetsk Cosmodrome in the Russian SSR.[5] A Molniya-M carrier rocket with a 2BL upper stage was used to perform the launch, which took place at 22:35 UTC on 21 December 1987.[3] The launch successfully placed the satellite into a molniya orbit. It subsequently received its Kosmos designation, and the international designator 1987-105A.[3] The United States Space Command assigned it the Satellite Catalog Number 18701.[3]

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 1903". 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.
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