Kosmos 2224 (Russian: Космос 2224 meaning Cosmos 2224) is a Russian US-KMO 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 infrared telescopes.[1]

Kosmos 2224
Mission typeEarly warning
OperatorVKS
COSPAR ID1992-088A Edit this at Wikidata
SATCAT no.22269
Mission duration5-7 years (estimate)
77 months (actual)
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft typeUS-KMO (71Kh6)[1]
ManufacturerLavochkin[1]
Launch mass2,600 kilograms (5,700 lb)[1]
Start of mission
Launch date17 December 1992, 12:45:00 (1992-12-17UTC12:45Z) UTC[2][3]
RocketProton-K/DM-2
Launch siteBaikonur 200/39[1]
End of mission
Deactivated17 June 1999[3]
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric
RegimeGeostationary
Instruments
Infrared telescope with 1 metre (3 ft 3 in) aperture [1]

Kosmos 2224 was launched from Site 200/39 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 12:45 UTC on 17 December 1992.[2] The launch successfully placed the satellite into geostationary orbit. It subsequently received its Kosmos designation, and the international designator 1992-088A.[2] The United States Space Command assigned it the Satellite Catalog Number 22269.[2][3]

It was operational for 77 months, which was the longest of the US-KMO series until Kosmos 2379.[1][3]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g "US-KMO (71Kh6)". Gunter's Space Page. 2012-03-30. Retrieved 2012-04-19.
  2. ^ a b c d "Cosmos 2224". National Space Science Data Centre. 2012-04-10. Retrieved 2012-04-19.
  3. ^ a b c d 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. doi:10.1080/08929880212328. ISSN 0892-9882. S2CID 122901563. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-03-15.