Kosmos 2222
Kosmos 2222 (Russian: Космос 2222 meaning Cosmos 2222) is a Russian US-K missile early warning satellite which was launched in 1992 as part of the Russian Space Forces' Oko programme. The satellite is designed to identify missile launches using optical telescopes and infrared sensors.[2]
| Mission type | Early warning |
|---|---|
| COSPAR ID | 1992-081A |
| SATCAT no. | 22238 |
| 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 | 25 November 1992, 12:18 UTC |
| Rocket | Molniya-M/2BL[2] |
| Launch site | Plesetsk Cosmodrome[2][3] |
| End of mission | |
| Decay date | 3 May 2023, 03:58 UTC |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric |
| Regime | Molniya [2] |
| Perigee altitude | 639 kilometres (397 mi)[4] |
| Apogee altitude | 39,724 kilometres (24,683 mi)[4] |
| Inclination | 62.8 degrees[4] |
| Period | 717.96 minutes[4] |
Kosmos 2222 was launched from Site 43/3 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 12:18 UTC on 25 November 1992.[3] The launch successfully placed the satellite into a molniya orbit. It subsequently received its Kosmos designation, and the international designator 1992-081A.[3] The United States Space Command assigned it the Satellite Catalog Number 22238.[3]
The satellite became inactive in 1995, and reentered the Earth's atmosphere on 3 May 2023 at 03:58 UTC.[6]
See also
References
- 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.
- "US-K (73D6)". Gunter's Space Page. 2012-03-08. Retrieved 2012-04-21.
- "Cosmos 2222". National Space Science Data Centre. 2012-04-20. Retrieved 2012-04-25.
- McDowell, Jonathan. "Satellite Catalog". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 30 April 2012.
- McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 2 May 2012.
- McDowell, Jonathan [@planet4589] (3 May 2023). "The Russian early warning satellite Oko 73D6-6051, codename Kosmos-2222, reentered south of New Zealand at 0358 UTC May 3 after 30.4 years in space. It operated from 1992 to about 1995 and has been space junk since then" (Tweet) – via Twitter.