Kosmos 1241
Encyclopedia
Kosmos 1241 was a target satellite
which was used by the Soviet Union
in the 1980s for tests of anti-satellite weapon
s as part of the Istrebitel Sputnik
programme. It was launched in 1981, and was itself part of the Dnepropetrovsk Sputnik
programme. It was a target for Kosmos 1243 and Kosmos 1258.
It was launched at 08:29 GMT on 21 January 1981, using a Kosmos-3M carrier rocket, flying from Site 132/1
at the Plesetsk Cosmodrome
in Northwest Russia
.
Kosmos 1241 was placed into a low Earth orbit
with a perigee
of 989 kilometres (614.5 mi), an apogee
of 995 kilometres (618.3 mi), 65.8 degrees of inclination
, and an orbital period
of 105 minutes. It was intercepted by Kosmos 1243 on 2 February. This was intended to have been a destructive test, however the explosive charge aboard Kosmos 1243 failed to detonate. Kosmos 1258 attempted to intercept it on 14 March, however it failed. As of 2009, Kosmos 1241 is still orbiting the Earth.
Kosmos 1241 was the ninth of ten Lira satellites to be launched, of which all but the first were successful. Lira was derived from the earlier DS-P1-M satellite, which it replaced. Kosmos 1241 was also the penultimate satellite to be launched as part of the DS programme, which concluded with Kosmos 1375
in June 1982.
Satellite
In the context of spaceflight, a satellite is an object which has been placed into orbit by human endeavour. Such objects are sometimes called artificial satellites to distinguish them from natural satellites such as the Moon....
which was used by the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
in the 1980s for tests of anti-satellite weapon
Anti-satellite weapon
Anti-satellite weapons are designed to incapacitate or destroy satellites for strategic military purposes. Currently, only the United States, the former Soviet Union, and the People's Republic of China are known to have developed these weapons. On September 13, 1985, the United States destroyed US...
s as part of the Istrebitel Sputnik
Istrebitel Sputnik
Istrebitel Sputnik , or IS , was a Soviet anti-satellite weapons programme which led to the deployment of the IS-A or I2P system during the 1970s and 1980s...
programme. It was launched in 1981, and was itself part of the Dnepropetrovsk Sputnik
Dnepropetrovsk Sputnik
Dnepropetrovsk Sputnik , also known as DS, was a series of satellites launched by the Soviet Union between 1961 and 1982. DS satellites were used for a number of missions, including technological and scientific research, and radar tracking targets for anti-satellite weapons and anti-ballistic...
programme. It was a target for Kosmos 1243 and Kosmos 1258.
It was launched at 08:29 GMT on 21 January 1981, using a Kosmos-3M carrier rocket, flying from Site 132/1
Plesetsk Cosmodrome Site 132
Site 132, also known as Chusovaya , is a launch complex at the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in Russia, used by Kosmos carrier rockets. It consists of a two launch pads, Site 133/1, which is active, and Site 133/2 which is not....
at the Plesetsk Cosmodrome
Plesetsk Cosmodrome
Plesetsk Cosmodrome is a Russian spaceport, located in Arkhangelsk Oblast, about 800 km north of Moscow and approximately 200 km south of Arkhangelsk.-Overview:...
in Northwest Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
.
Kosmos 1241 was placed into a low Earth orbit
Low Earth orbit
A low Earth orbit is generally defined as an orbit within the locus extending from the Earth’s surface up to an altitude of 2,000 km...
with a perigee
Apsis
An apsis , plural apsides , is the point of greatest or least distance of a body from one of the foci of its elliptical orbit. In modern celestial mechanics this focus is also the center of attraction, which is usually the center of mass of the system...
of 989 kilometres (614.5 mi), an apogee
Apsis
An apsis , plural apsides , is the point of greatest or least distance of a body from one of the foci of its elliptical orbit. In modern celestial mechanics this focus is also the center of attraction, which is usually the center of mass of the system...
of 995 kilometres (618.3 mi), 65.8 degrees of inclination
Inclination
Inclination in general is the angle between a reference plane and another plane or axis of direction.-Orbits:The inclination is one of the six orbital parameters describing the shape and orientation of a celestial orbit...
, and an orbital period
Orbital period
The orbital period is the time taken for a given object to make one complete orbit about another object.When mentioned without further qualification in astronomy this refers to the sidereal period of an astronomical object, which is calculated with respect to the stars.There are several kinds of...
of 105 minutes. It was intercepted by Kosmos 1243 on 2 February. This was intended to have been a destructive test, however the explosive charge aboard Kosmos 1243 failed to detonate. Kosmos 1258 attempted to intercept it on 14 March, however it failed. As of 2009, Kosmos 1241 is still orbiting the Earth.
Kosmos 1241 was the ninth of ten Lira satellites to be launched, of which all but the first were successful. Lira was derived from the earlier DS-P1-M satellite, which it replaced. Kosmos 1241 was also the penultimate satellite to be launched as part of the DS programme, which concluded with Kosmos 1375
Kosmos 1375
Kosmos 1375 was a target satellite which was used by the Soviet Union in the 1980s for tests of anti-satellite weapons as part of the Istrebitel Sputnik programme.. It was launched in 1982, and was itself part of the Dnipropetrovsk Sputnik programme...
in June 1982.