Kosmos 1109 (Russian: Космос 1109 meaning Cosmos 1109) was a Soviet US-K missile early warning satellite which was launched in 1979 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 1109
Mission typeEarly warning
COSPAR ID1979-058A Edit this at Wikidata
SATCAT no.11417
Mission duration4 years [1]
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft typeUS-K[2]
Launch mass1,900 kilograms (4,200 lb)
Start of mission
Launch date27 June 1979, 18:11 (1979-06-27UTC18:11Z) UTC
RocketMolniya-M/2BL[2]
Launch sitePlesetsk Cosmodrome[2][3]
End of mission
Deactivated15 February 1980[1]
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric
RegimeMolniya [2]
Perigee altitude665 kilometres (413 mi)[4]
Apogee altitude39,675 kilometres (24,653 mi)[4]
Inclination62.9 degrees[4]
Period717.48 minutes[4]

Kosmos 1109 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 18:11 UTC on 27 June 1979.[3] The launch successfully placed the satellite into a molniya orbit. It subsequently received its Kosmos designation, and the international designator 1979-058A.[4] The United States Space Command assigned it the Satellite Catalog Number 11417.[4]

Kosmos 1109 maneuvered into an operational orbit about 19 July, 1979. The payload was "lost" after 17 February 1980 and three pieces of debris were soon found that could be traced back to that period. It self-destructed. Other pieces of debris have been found since then. The primary piece remains in orbit but several pieces of debris have since decayed.[5]

See also

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References

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  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 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 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.
  5. ^ Anz-Meador, Phillip (December 2022). History of On-orbit Satellite Fragmentations 16th Edition (PDF) (Report). p. 25.