Launch Partial Failure
Liftoff Time (GMT)
22:48:00
Tuesday December 23, 1980
The rocket placed the satellites in a lower than planned orbit.
Cosmos 1228 to 1235 are satellites of the Strela-1M constellation. These satellites operate as mailboxes: 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 according to others, they can serve for about five years. The satellites are used for transmission of encrypted messages and images.
Low Earth Orbit
8 Payloads
400 kilograms
251st
Mission
17th
Mission of 1980
1458th
Mission
87th
Mission of 1980
105th
Orbital launch attempt