Ionosfernaya

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Cosmos 381
Credit - © Mark Wade

Class: Earth. Type: Ionosphere. Destination: Medium Earth Orbit. Nation: Russia. Agency: MO SSSR. Manufacturer: Reshetnev.

Ionospheric studies. Used the basic KAUR-1 bus, consisting of a 2.035 m diameter cylindrical spacecraft body, with solar cells and radiators of the thermostatic temperature regulating system mounted on the exterior. Orientation was by a single-axis magneto-gravitational (gravity gradient boom) passive system. The hermetically sealed compartment had the equipment mounted in cruciform bays, with the chemical batteries protecting the radio and guidance equipment mounted at the centre.

Typical orbit: 982 km circular orbit, 74 deg inclination. Length: 3.00 m (9.80 ft). Maximum Diameter: 2.04 m (6.68 ft). Span: 2.04 m (6.68 ft). Mass: 800 kg (1,760 lb).

Ionosfernaya Chronology

1969 December 27 - Ionosfernaya? - Launch Site: Plesetsk. Launch Complex: LC132/1. Launch Vehicle: Kosmos 3. FAILURE: Launch vehicle failed to orbit - unknown cause.

1970 December 2 - Cosmos 381 - Launch Site: Plesetsk. Launch Complex: LC132/2. Launch Vehicle: Kosmos 3. Mass: 710 kg (1,560 lb). Perigee: 961 km (597 mi). Apogee: 1,007 km (625 mi). Inclination: 74.00 deg. Period: 104.80 min.

Bibliography:

McDowell, Jonathan, Jonathan's Space Home Page (launch records), Harvard University, 1997-present. Web Address when accessed: http://www.planet4589.org/jsr.html.
McDowell, Jonathan, Jonathan's Space Report (Internet Newsletter), Harvard University, Weekly, 1989 to Present. Web Address when accessed: http://www.planet4589.org/jsr.html.
JPL Mission and Spacecraft Library, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, 1997. Web Address when accessed: http://msl.jpl.nasa.gov/home.html.
Golotyuk, S, Novosti kosmonavtiki, "Sputnikostroiteli s beregov Yeniseya", No. 10, 1999, p. 64.

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© Mark Wade, 1997 - 2008 except where otherwise noted.