Kosmos 2446 Explained

Kosmos 2446 (ru|Космос 2446 meaning Cosmos 2446) is a Russian US-K missile early warning satellite which was launched in 2008 as part of the Russian Space Forces' Oko programme. The satellite is designed to identify missile launches using optical telescopes and infrared sensors.

Kosmos 2446 was launched from Site 16/2 at Plesetsk Cosmodrome in Russia. A Molniya-M carrier rocket with a 2BL upper stage was used to perform the launch, which took place at 05:03 UTC on 2 December 2008. The launch successfully placed the satellite into a molniya orbit. It subsequently received its Kosmos designation, and the international designator 2008-062A. The United States Space Command assigned it the Satellite Catalog Number 33447.

References

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See also

• List of Kosmos satellites (2251–2500)
• List of R-7 launches (2005–2009)
• 2008 in spaceflight

Notes and References

1. Web site: Cosmos 2446. National Space Science Data Centre. 2012-04-20. 2012-04-25.
2. Pavel . Podvig . 2002 . History and the Current Status of the Russian Early-Warning System . Science and Global Security . 10 . 1 . 21–60 . 0892-9882 . 10.1080/08929880212328 . 2002S&GS...10...21P . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120315024323/http://iis-db.stanford.edu/pubs/20734/Podvig-S%26GS.pdf . 15 March 2012 . 10.1.1.692.6127 . 122901563 .
3. Launch of Cosmos-2446, a new first-generation early-warning satellite . Russian Strategic Nuclear Forces . Podvig . Pavel . 2 December 2008 . 30 April 2012.
4. Web site: US-K (73D6). Gunter's Space Page. 2012-03-08. 2012-04-21.
5. Web site: Satellite Catalog. Jonathan. McDowell. Jonathan's Space Page. 30 April 2012.