Kosmos 2440
Kosmos 2440 (Russian: Космос 2440 meaning Cosmos 2440) is a Russian US-KMO missile early warning satellite which was launched in 2008 as part of the Russian Space Forces' Oko programme. The satellite is designed to identify missile launches using infrared telescopes.[2] It spent its two-year operational life at 80E giving early warning coverage of Russia, China, North Korea, the Middle East and some of Europe.[4]
| Mission type | Early warning |
|---|---|
| Operator | VKS |
| COSPAR ID | 2008-033A |
| SATCAT no. | 33108 |
| Mission duration | 5–7 years (estimate) 20 months (actual) |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Spacecraft type | US-KMO (71Kh6)[1] |
| Manufacturer | Lavochkin[1] |
| Launch mass | 2,600 kilograms (5,700 lb)[1] |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 26 June 2008, 23:59:00 UTC[2] |
| Rocket | Proton-K/DM-2 |
| Launch site | Baikonur 81/24 |
| End of mission | |
| Deactivated | February 2010[3] |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric |
| Regime | Geostationary |
| Longitude | 80E [4] |
| Instruments | |
| Infrared telescope with 1 metre (3 ft 3 in) aperture [1] | |
Kosmos 2440 was launched from Site 81/24 at Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. A Proton-K carrier rocket with a DM-2 upper stage was used to perform the launch, which took place at 23:59 UTC on 26 June 2008.[2][5] The launch successfully placed the satellite into geostationary orbit. It subsequently received its Kosmos designation, and the international designator 2008-033A.[2] The United States Space Command assigned it the Satellite Catalog Number 33108.[2]
When the satellite was launched US-KMO satellite Kosmos 2379 was also operational although this failed late 2009/early 2010 after an 8-year life.[4] Kosmos 2440 itself started drifting off station in February 2010 giving an operational life of less than two years.[3][4]
Kosmos 2440 was replaced by Kosmos 2479 which was launched in March 2012.[6]
References
- "US-KMO (71Kh6)". Gunter's Space Page. 2012-03-30. Retrieved 2012-04-19.
- "Cosmos 2440". National Space Science Data Centre. 2012-04-10. Retrieved 2012-04-19.
- Pavel, Podvig (2012-09-02). "Only two satellites left in Russia's early-warning system". Russian Strategic Nuclear Forces. Retrieved 2012-04-19.
- Pavel, Podvig (2010-04-28). "Early warning system is down to three satellites". Russian Strategic Nuclear Forces. Retrieved 2012-04-19.
- Pavel, Podvig (2008-06-27). "Launch of an early-warning satellite". Russian Strategic Nuclear Forces. Retrieved 2012-04-19.
- Pavel, Podvig (2012-03-30). "Cosmos-2479 – new geostationary early warning satellite". Russian Strategic Nuclear Forces. Retrieved 2012-04-17.