Status
Prelaunch Failure
Tselina-OM #20
Launch Time
Tue Jun 26, 1973
Tue Jun 26, 1973
The launcher exploded on the pad during tests, killing 9 employees.
Rocket
Mission Details
Tselina-OM #20
Tselina-OM #20 is a satellite of the Tselina-OM constellation. Tselina-OM is a Russian, formerly Soviet, military space-based radio surveillance system. It is capable of determining the exact location of radio-emitting objects and also their type, modes of operation, and how active they are. For instance, preparation for a military operation may raise the activity of the radio communications. Detection of these communications by a space-based surveillance system can provide early warning of this activity, warning that may be unavailable by other means.
Payloads: 1
Total Mass: 400.0 kg
Low Earth Orbit
Location
Site 132/2, Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russia
Stats
Cosmos-3
90th mission
8th mission of 1973
12th failed mission