Kosmos 2397 (Russian: Космос 2397 meaning Cosmos 2397) is a Russian US-KMO missile early warning satellite which was launched in 2003 as part of the Russian Space Forces' Oko programme. The satellite is designed to identify missile launches using infrared telescopes.[2]

Kosmos 2397
Mission typeEarly warning
OperatorVKS
COSPAR ID2003-015A Edit this at Wikidata
SATCAT no.27775
Mission duration5-7 years (estimate)
2 months (actual)
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft typeUS-KMO (71Kh6)[1]
ManufacturerLavochkin[1]
Launch mass2,600 kilograms (5,700 lb)[1]
Start of mission
Launch date24 April 2003, 04:23:00 (2003-04-24UTC04:23Z) UTC[2]
RocketProton-K/DM-2
Launch siteBaikonur 81/24
End of mission
DeactivatedJune 2003[3]
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric
RegimeGeostationary
Instruments
Infrared telescope with 1 metre (3 ft 3 in) aperture [1]

Kosmos 2397 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 04:23 UTC on 24 April 2003.[2] The launch successfully placed the satellite into geostationary orbit. It subsequently received its Kosmos designation, and the international designator 2003-015A.[2] The United States Space Command assigned it the Satellite Catalog Number 27775.[2]

The satellite developed problems two months after being launched. It started drifting eastwards in June 2003 and had reached 155E by November 2003.[3]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d "US-KMO (71Kh6)". Gunter's Space Page. 2012-03-30. Retrieved 2012-04-19.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Cosmos 2397". National Space Science Data Centre. 2012-04-10. Retrieved 2012-04-19.
  3. ^ a b Pavel, Podvig (2003-11-28). "Problems with Russian military satellites". Russian Strategic Nuclear Forces. Retrieved 2012-04-19.
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