NEXT SPACEFLIGHT

Status

Success

Cosmos 38, 39 & 40

Launch Time
Tue Aug 18, 1964 09:15 UTC

First flight of Cosmos-3 (11K65).

Rocket

Cosmos-3
Image Credit: OKB-586
RVSN USSR
Status: Retired
Liftoff Thrust: 1,481 kN
Payload to LEO: 1,250 kg
Payload to GTO: 0 kg
Stages: 2
Strap-ons: 0
Rocket Height: 32.42 m
Fairing Diameter: 2.44 m
Fairing Height: 5.72 m

Mission Details

Cosmos 38, 39 and 40

The Strela (Russian: Стрела) are Soviet, then Russian, military space telecommunication satellites, in use since 1964.

These satellites operate as mailboxes ("store-and-forward"): they remember the received messages and then resend them after the scheduled time, or by a command from the Earth. Some sources state the satellites are capable of only three months of active operation, but in accordance with others they can serve for about five years. The satellites are used for transmission of encrypted messages and images.

The operational constellation consists of 12 satellites in two orbital planes, spaced 90° apart. The spacecraft had a cylindrical body with a gravity-gradient boom, which was extended on-orbit to provide passive attitude stabilization. On-board storage was 12 Mbits of data, with a transmission rate of 2.4 kbit/s.

The first three satellites were launched in 1964 by a Cosmos launcher. After one year of service, new and improved satellites were launched, called Strela-2. In 1970, these satellites were modernized, and became the Strela-1M and Strela-2M satellites. From 1985, these satellites will be gradually replaced by Strela-3, and then by Strela-3M from 2005. A civilian version of these satellites was created, called Goniets.

Initially launched by six on Tsyklon, when the launcher was retired, they were only launched by two on Cosmos, before Rokot was put into service and allowed the sending of triplets of Strela satellites.

Payloads: 3
Total Mass: 210.0 kg
Low Earth Orbit

Location

Site 41/15, Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan

Stats

1964

55th orbital launch attempt

Cosmos-3

1st mission
1st mission of 1964
1st successful mission