Kosmos 706 (Russian: Космос 706 meaning Cosmos 706) was a Soviet US-K missile early warning satellite which was launched in 1975 as part of the Soviet military's Oko programme. The satellite was designed to identify missile launches using optical telescopes and infrared sensors.[2]

Kosmos 706
Mission typeEarly warning
COSPAR ID1975-007A Edit this at Wikidata
SATCAT no.7625
Mission duration4 years[1]
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft typeUS-K[2]
Launch mass1,900 kilograms (4,200 lb)
Start of mission
Launch date30 January 1975, 15:02 (1975-01-30UTC15:02Z) UTC
RocketMolniya-M/2BL[2]
Launch sitePlesetsk Cosmodrome[2][3]
End of mission
Deactivated20 November 1975[1]
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric
RegimeMolniya orbit[2]
Perigee altitude659 kilometres (409 mi)[4]
Apogee altitude39,689 kilometres (24,662 mi)[4]
Inclination62.7 degrees[4]
Period717.66 minutes[4]

Launch

edit

Kosmos 706 was launched from Site 41/1 at Plesetsk Cosmodrome in the Russian SSR.[3] A Molniya-M carrier rocket with a 2BL upper stage was used to perform the launch, which took place at 15:02 UTC on 30 January 1975.[3] The launch successfully placed the satellite into a molniya orbit. It subsequently received its Kosmos designation, and the international designator 1975-007A.[4] The United States Space Command assigned it the Satellite Catalog Number 7625.[4]

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ a b 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 15 March 2012.
  2. ^ a b c d e "US-K (73D6)". Gunter's Space Page. 8 March 2012. Retrieved 21 April 2012.
  3. ^ a b c McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 2 May 2012.
  4. ^ a b c d e f McDowell, Jonathan. "Satellite Catalog". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 30 April 2012.