Kosmos 1974 (Russian: Космос 1974 meaning Cosmos 1974) is a Soviet US-K missile early warning satellite which was launched in 1988 as part of the Soviet military's Oko programme. The satellite is designed to identify missile launches using optical telescopes and infrared sensors.[2]

Kosmos 1974
Mission typeEarly warning
COSPAR ID1988-092A Edit this at Wikidata
SATCAT no.19554
Mission duration4 years [1]
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft typeUS-K[2]
Launch mass1,900 kilograms (4,200 lb)[3]
Start of mission
Launch date3 October 1988, 22:23 (1988-10-03UTC22:23Z) UTC
RocketMolniya-M/2BL[2]
Launch sitePlesetsk Cosmodrome[2][3]
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric
RegimeMolniya [2]
Perigee altitude600 kilometres (370 mi)[4]
Apogee altitude39,772 kilometres (24,713 mi)[4]
Inclination62.9 degrees[4]
Period718.15 minutes[4]

Kosmos 1974 was launched from Site 41/1 at Plesetsk Cosmodrome in the Russian SSR.[5] A Molniya-M carrier rocket with a 2BL upper stage was used to perform the launch, which took place at 22:23 UTC on 3 October 1988.[3] The launch successfully placed the satellite into a molniya orbit. It subsequently received its Kosmos designation, and the international designator 1988-092A.[3] The United States Space Command assigned it the Satellite Catalog Number 19554.[3]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ 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 2012-03-15.
  2. ^ a b c d e "US-K (73D6)". Gunter's Space Page. 2012-03-08. Retrieved 2012-04-21.
  3. ^ a b c d e "Cosmos 1974". National Space Science Data Centre. 2012-04-20. Retrieved 2012-04-25.
  4. ^ a b c d McDowell, Jonathan. "Satellite Catalog". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 30 April 2012.
  5. ^ McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 2 May 2012.