Kosmos 2479

Kosmos 2479 (Russian: Космос 2479 meaning Cosmos 2479) is a Russian US-KMO missile early warning satellite which was launched in 2012 as part of the Russian Aerospace Defence Forces' Oko programme. The satellite is designed to identify missile launches using infrared telescopes.^[4] It was the last US-KMO geostationary satellite, to be launched, prior to the system being replaced by EKS.^[5]

Kosmos 2479

Mission type	Early warning
Operator	VKO
COSPAR ID	2012-012A
SATCAT no.	38101
Mission duration	5–7 years[1]
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft type	US-KMO (71Kh6)[1][2]
Manufacturer	Lavochkin[1]
Launch mass	2,600 kilograms (5,700 lb)[1]
Start of mission
Launch date	30 March 2012, 05:49 (2012-03-30UTC05:49Z) UTC
Rocket	Proton-K/DM-2
Launch site	Baikonur 81/24[2]
Orbital parameters
Reference system	Geocentric
Regime	Geostationary
Longitude	80°E then 166°E[when?]
Perigee altitude	35,785 kilometres (22,236 mi)
Apogee altitude	35,797 kilometres (22,243 mi)
Inclination	1.12 degrees
Period	23.93 hours
Epoch	8 November 2013, 11:25:58 UTC[3]
Instruments
Infrared telescope with 1 metre (3 ft 3 in) aperture[1]

Kosmos 2479 was launched from Site 81/24 at Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The last^[4][6][7] Proton-K carrier rocket with a DM-2 upper stage was used to perform the launch, which took place at 05:49 UTC on 30 March 2012. The launch successfully placed the satellite into geostationary orbit.^[2] It subsequently received its Kosmos designation, and the international designator 2012-012A.^[4] The United States Space Command assigned it the Satellite Catalog Number 38101.^[5]

Kosmos 2479 replaced Kosmos 2440 which was launched in June 2008 and operated until February 2010.^[2] These satellites are moved to 80°E and then moved to their intended position.^[2] It arrived at 80°E in mid-April 2012 and featured in the official opening of the Oko eastern control centre at Pivan-1 in May.^[8][9] It started to drift from 80°E in July 2012 and in October 2012 it was stabilised at 166°E, a location registered as Prognoz-6 but which had previously never been used.^[8][10][11]

See also

• Spaceflight portal

• List of Kosmos satellites (2251–2500)

References

1. "Oko-2 (Cosmos-2479) atop Proton-K/Block DM-2 on March 30, 2012". Orbiter Forum. 29 March 2012. Retrieved 17 April 2012.
2. Pavel, Podvig (30 March 2012). "Cosmos-2479 - new geostationary early warning satellite". Russian Strategic Nuclear Forces. Retrieved 17 April 2012.
3. Peat, Chris (8 November 2013). "COSMOS 2479 - Orbit". Heavens Above. Retrieved 9 November 2013.
4. "Cosmos 2479". National Space Science Data Centre. 10 April 2012. Retrieved 17 April 2012.
5. "2012-012". Zarya. n.d. Retrieved 17 April 2012.
6. "Oko Satellite successfully delivered to Orbit". Spaceflight 101. 30 March 2012. Archived from the original on 12 February 2013. Retrieved 17 April 2012.
7. Graham, William (29 March 2012). "Russian Proton-K completes 45 years of service with US-KMO satellite launch". NASA Spaceflight. Retrieved 17 April 2012.
8. Zak, Anatoly (19 August 2012). "Oko Early Warning Satellite". Russian Space Web. Retrieved 21 October 2012.
9. Pavel, Podvig (31 May 2012). "An early-warning satellite command center opens up". Russian Strategic Nuclear Forces. Retrieved 21 October 2012.
10. Satre, Jens (21 October 2012). "Kosmos 2479 at 166.3° E". Satellite Calculations. Archived from the original on 25 October 2012. Retrieved 21 October 2012.
11. Pavel, Podvig (13 November 2012). "Changes in Russia's early warning satellite constellation". Russian Strategic Nuclear Forces. Retrieved 28 November 2012.