Astrofizika
Spacecraft · Russia
Original archive entry. The text, images and links below are kept as they were written.
Credit: Manufacturer Image
Russian earth geodetic satellite. Cosmos 1066. Based on the Meteor-1 bus but carried special optical instruments for the observation of lasers on Earth. Technology satellite built by VNIIEM, International. Launched 1978. Used Meteor Bus.
The craft carried an SPD-50 electric thruster like those on Meteor-Priroda to allow its orbit to be adjusted to pass over the experiment sites. The satellite operated for two years. The detection of light sources from the ground was used by Astrofizika essentially as a navigation device, to give an accurate measurement of the ability of the ion engine to allow overflight of a precise location.
More at: Astrofizika.
Related
- Country
- Russia
- Engines
- SPT-50
- Launch Vehicles
- R-7, Vostok 8A92M
- Launch Sites
- Plesetsk
- Agency
- MOM, Kozlov bureau
Chronology
1 event
1978 December 23
08:39 GMT - . Launch Site: Plesetsk. LV Family: R-7. Launch Vehicle: Vostok 8A92M.- Cosmos 1066 - . Payload: Astrofizika s/n 1. Mass: 2,750 kg (6,060 lb). Nation: Russia. Agency: MOM. Class: Astronomy. Type: X-ray astronomy satellite. Spacecraft Bus: Meteor. Spacecraft: Astrofizika. USAF Sat Cat: 11165 . COSPAR: 1978-121A. Apogee: 890 km (550 mi). Perigee: 819 km (508 mi). Inclination: 81.20 deg. Period: 102.00 min. Probable failure. Investigation of the upper atmosphere and outer space. .