Kosmos 909

Kosmos 909 (Russian: Космос 909 meaning Cosmos 909) was a satellite which was used as a target for tests of anti-satellite weapons. It was launched by the Soviet Union in 1977 as part of the Dnepropetrovsk Sputnik programme,[1] and used as a target for Kosmos 910 and Kosmos 918, as part of the Istrebitel Sputnik programme.[2]

Kosmos 909
Mission typeASAT target
COSPAR ID1977-036A
SATCAT no.10010
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft typeLira
ManufacturerYuzhnoye
Launch mass650 kilograms (1,430 lb)
Start of mission
Launch date19 May 1977, 16:30 (1977-05-19UTC16:30Z) UTC
RocketKosmos-3M
Launch sitePlesetsk 132/2
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric
RegimeLow Earth
Perigee altitude985 kilometres (612 mi)
Apogee altitude2,111 kilometres (1,312 mi)
Inclination65.9 degrees
Period117 minutes
 

It was launched aboard a Kosmos-3M carrier rocket,[3] from Site 132/2 at the Plesetsk Cosmodrome. The launch occurred at 16:30 UTC on 19 May 1977.[4]

Kosmos 909 was placed into a low Earth orbit with a perigee of 985 kilometres (612 mi), an apogee of 2,111 kilometres (1,312 mi), 65.9 degrees of inclination, and an orbital period of 117 minutes.[1] Attempted interceptions by Kosmos 910 and 918 on 23 May and 17 June respectively failed, and as of 2009 Kosmos 909 remains in orbit.[2][5]

Kosmos 909 was the fifth of ten Lira satellites to be launched,[1] of which all but the first were successful. Lira was derived from the earlier DS-P1-M satellite, which it replaced.

See also

References
  1. Wade, Mark. "DS-P1-I". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 5 January 2009. Retrieved 30 May 2009.
  2. Wade, Mark. "IS-A". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 21 April 2012. Retrieved 30 May 2009.
  3. McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 30 May 2009.
  4. Wade, Mark. "Kosmos 3". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Retrieved 30 May 2009.
  5. McDowell, Jonathan. "Satellite Catalog". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 30 May 2009.


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