Kosmos 1275

Kosmos 1275
Mission typeNavigation
COSPAR ID1981-053A Edit this at Wikidata
SATCAT no.12504Edit this on Wikidata
Mission duration2 months[1]
Spacecraft properties
Launch mass810 kilograms (1,790 lb)[2]
Start of mission
Launch date4 June 1981, 19:37 (1981-06-04UTC19:37Z) UTC
RocketKosmos-3M
Launch sitePlesetsk Cosmodrome
End of mission
Deactivated24 July 1981[1]
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric[1]
Inclination83 degrees[1]

Kosmos 1275 (Russian: Космос 1275 meaning Cosmos 1275) was a part of a 6-satellite Soviet military navigation system, called the Parus series, distributed in orbital planes spaced 30 degrees apart, and launched from the Plesetsk cosmodrome aboard a Cosmos rocket. It is believed to be the first satellite destroyed by untracked Satellite debris.[1]

Kosmos 1275 was launched from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in the Russian SSR on 4 June 1981. On July 24, 1981, at 23.51 GMT, it suddenly ceased operations and broke into more 300 large pieces of debris and many other too small to track. Because it had no propellant on board, it was believed that there was nothing internal that could have led to its break-up.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Clark, Phillip S. Space Debris Incidents Involving Soviet/Russian Launches (Technical report). Molniya Space Consultancy. Archived from the original on 25 October 2021. Retrieved 6 February 2023.
  2. ^ "Cosmos 1275". Retrieved 6 February 2023.


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