Early Warning Sat

Development began of the Soviet Union's Prognoz geosynchronous ballistic missile early warning satellite in 1980. It was required to fill in the gaps missed by the Oko series in 12-hour Molniya orbits. A single Prognoz deployed at 24 deg W, supplemented by several Okos in lower orbits, provided adequate warning of an American surprise missile attack.

The first generation Oko system, even using a four satellite constellation in Molniya orbits, could not provide 24 hour observation of all possible launch locations. Therefore development began of a replacement system began in 1980. It supplemented the Oko satellites with Prognoz satellites in geosynchronous orbits. The system was accepted in to service in March 1985. This work completed the Unified System of Space Surveillance (YeSKN). In order to provide full time coverage of enemy missile launches a total of nine operational Oko and Prognoz satellites were required - four were needed to cover the US land mass alone. It seems this was never achieved in practice.

Usually a single Prognoz was kept operational at all times at 24 deg W. Reserve satellites were stored at 80 deg E or 12 deg E and moved to 24 deg W as required. After the fall of the Soviet Union one active satellite was kept at 24 deg W and another at 12 deg E.

Typical orbit: 35773 km circular orbit, 3.7 deg inclination. Mass: 2,154 kg (4,748 lb).

• 1975 October 8 - Cosmos 775 - Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: LC81/23. Launch Vehicle: Proton. Mass: 2,000 kg (4,400 lb). Perigee: 35,749 km (22,213 mi). Apogee: 35,853 km (22,277 mi). Inclination: 14.90 deg. Period: 1,436.80 min.
  First launch of a prototype for a new geosynchronous ballistic missile early warning satellite. Exploded in orbit. The next launch did not come until nine years later, so this may have been a version of the Oko elliptical orbit early warning satellite. As of 29 August 2001 located at 113.71 deg E drifting at 0.044 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 10 located at 54.82E drifting at 0.255W degrees per day.

• 1984 March 29 - Cosmos 1546 - Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: LC200/40. Launch Vehicle: Proton. Mass: 2,000 kg (4,400 lb). Perigee: 35,709 km (22,188 mi). Apogee: 35,856 km (22,279 mi). Inclination: 11.70 deg. Period: 1,435.90 min.
  Geosynchronous ballistic missile early warning satellite. Stationed at 24 deg W in 1984-1985; 80 deg E in 1986 As of 5 September 2001 located at 72.67 deg E drifting at 0.068 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 2 located at 81.39E drifting at 0.003E degrees per day.

• 1985 February 21 - Cosmos 1629 - Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: LC200/39. Launch Vehicle: Proton. Mass: 2,000 kg (4,400 lb). Perigee: 35,738 km (22,206 mi). Apogee: 35,773 km (22,228 mi). Inclination: 6.50 deg. Period: 1,434.50 min.
  Geosynchronous ballistic missile early warning satellite. Positioned in geosynchronous orbit at 35 deg E in 1985; 24 deg W in 1985-1986 As of 5 September 2001 located at 151.95 deg W drifting at 0.251 deg E per day. As of 2007 Mar 3 located at 24.42W drifting at 0.038E degrees per day.

• 1987 October 28 - Cosmos 1894 - Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: LC200/40. Launch Vehicle: Proton. Mass: 2,000 kg (4,400 lb). Perigee: 35,776 km (22,230 mi). Apogee: 35,802 km (22,246 mi). Inclination: 4.10 deg. Period: 1,436.20 min.
  Geosynchronous ballistic missile early warning satellite. Positioned in geosynchronous orbit at 24 deg W in 1987-1991 As of 5 September 2001 located at 165.32 deg W drifting at 0.190 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 9 located at 85.03W drifting at 0.375E degrees per day.

• 1988 April 26 - Cosmos 1940 - Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: LC200/39. Launch Vehicle: Proton. Mass: 2,000 kg (4,400 lb). Perigee: 35,590 km (22,110 mi). Apogee: 35,764 km (22,222 mi). Inclination: 9.00 deg. Period: 1,430.50 min.
  Given on Western lists as a geosynchronous ballistic missile early warning satellite. However not listed as such in Russian lists, and officially ...'conducted atmospheric, ocean studies. Investigation of the seas and oceans and the processes occurring in the earth's atmosphere'. So may have carried test instruments for second generation SPRN or had other purposes. Stationed initially at 12 deg E; Positioned in geosynchronous orbit at 24 deg W in 1988 As of 1 September 2001 located at 49.66 deg W drifting at 1.409 deg E per day. As of 2007 Mar 9 located at 70.52W drifting at 1.424E degrees per day.

• 1991 February 14 - Cosmos 2133 - Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: LC200/39. Launch Vehicle: Proton. Mass: 2,150 kg (4,730 lb). Perigee: 35,777 km (22,230 mi). Apogee: 35,795 km (22,241 mi). Inclination: 0.50 deg. Period: 1,436.10 min.
  Geosynchronous ballistic missile early warning satellite. First launch of improved second generation version. Declared purpose: 'Investigation of outer space and of processes occurring in the Earth's atmosphere'. Positioned in geosynchronous orbit at 80 deg E in 1991; 24 deg W in 1992-1993; 80 deg E in 1993-1995 As of 2 September 2001 located at 80.48 deg E drifting at 0.009 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 10 located at 74.02E drifting at 0.040E degrees per day.

• 1991 September 13 - Cosmos 2155 - Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: LC81/23. Launch Vehicle: Proton. Mass: 2,150 kg (4,730 lb). Perigee: 35,781 km (22,233 mi). Apogee: 35,825 km (22,260 mi). Inclination: 0.40 deg. Period: 1,437.00 min.
  Geosynchronous ballistic missile early warning satellite. Declared purpose: 'Relaying of telegraph and telephone information'. Positioned in geosynchronous orbit at 24 deg W in 1991-1992 As of 3 September 2001 located at 160.51 deg W drifting at 0.257 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 9 located at 94.69E drifting at 0.424W degrees per day.

• 1992 September 10 - Cosmos 2209 - Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: LC81/23. Launch Vehicle: Proton. Mass: 2,200 kg (4,800 lb). Perigee: 35,787 km (22,236 mi). Apogee: 35,790 km (22,230 mi). Inclination: 0.40 deg. Period: 1,436.20 min.
  Geosynchronous ballistic missile early warning satellite. Stationed at 24 deg W. Declared purpose:'Investigation of outer space and of processes occurring in the Earth's atmosphere'. Positioned in geosynchronous orbit at 24 deg W in 1992-1996 As of 5 September 2001 located at 68.52 deg W drifting at 0.336 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 9 located at 171.17W drifting at 0.109E degrees per day.

• 1992 December 17 - Cosmos 2224 - Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: LC200/39. Launch Vehicle: Proton. Mass: 2,200 kg (4,800 lb). Perigee: 35,757 km (22,218 mi). Apogee: 35,806 km (22,248 mi). Inclination: 4.80 deg. Period: 1,435.80 min.
  Geosynchronous ballistic missile early warning satellite. Stationed at 12 deg E. Declared purpose: 'Investigation of outer space and of processes occurring in the Earth's atmosphere. Prognoz series'. Positioned in geosynchronous orbit at 12 deg E in 1993; 24 deg W in 1994; 12 deg E in 1994-1999 As of 4 September 2001 located at 53.14 deg E drifting at 0.397 deg E per day. As of 2007 Mar 8 located at 142.40E drifting at 0.029E degrees per day.

• 1994 July 6 - Cosmos 2282 - Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: LC81/23. Launch Vehicle: Proton. Mass: 2,500 kg (5,500 lb). Perigee: 35,754 km (22,216 mi). Apogee: 35,817 km (22,255 mi). Inclination: 1.86 deg. Period: 1,436.06 min.
  Geosynchronous ballistic missile early warning satellite. Positioned in geosynchronous orbit at 24 deg W in 1994-1995 As of 5 September 2001 located at 170.85 deg W drifting at 0.127 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 10 located at 58.90W drifting at 0.281E degrees per day.

• 1997 August 14 - Cosmos 2345 - Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: LC200/39. Launch Vehicle: Proton. Mass: 2,500 kg (5,500 lb). Perigee: 35,134 km (21,831 mi). Apogee: 36,504 km (22,682 mi). Inclination: 2.60 deg. Period: 1,437.80 min.
  Geosynchronous ballistic missile early warning satellite. Positioned in geosynchronous orbit at 23 deg W in 1997-1999 As of 4 September 2001 located at 142.44 deg E drifting at 0.028 deg E per day. As of 2007 Mar 9 located at 66.03W drifting at 0.329E degrees per day.

• 1998 April 29 - Cosmos 2350 - Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: LC200/39. Launch Vehicle: Proton. Perigee: 35,788 km (22,237 mi). Apogee: 35,793 km (22,240 mi). Inclination: 2.10 deg. Period: 1,436.30 min.
  Geostationary at 73.0 degrees E. Positioned in geosynchronous orbit at 80 deg E in 1998 As of 3 September 2001 located at 72.67 deg E drifting at 0.041 deg E per day. As of 2007 Mar 11 located at 70.07E drifting at 0.036W degrees per day.

• 2001 August 24 - Cosmos 2379 - Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: LC81/24. Launch Vehicle: Proton. Perigee: 35,768 km (22,225 mi). Apogee: 35,810 km (22,250 mi). Inclination: 1.60 deg. Period: 1,436.20 min.
  Launch delayed from August 23. Early-warning geosynchronous satellite. The Proton upper stage entered a geostationary transfer orbit after its first burn at 2152 GMT. A second burn was at 0310 GMT put the payload into its operational orbit. It was to provide early warning of missiles launched from the United States with the help of a heat-sensing array of detectors. According to the Moscow Kommersant newspaper, these early warning geosynchronous satellites belong to the US-KMO group, also known as Prognoz fleet, while the highly elliptical complement belongs to the US-KS group, also known as Oko fleet, both supplemented by about eight ground-based radars. As of 6 September 2001 located at 80.17 deg E drifting at 0.031 deg E per day. As of 2007 Mar 10 located at 23.84W drifting at 0.002W degrees per day.

• 2003 April 24 - Cosmos 2397 - Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: LC81/24. Launch Vehicle: Proton. Mass: 2,155 kg (4,750 lb). Perigee: 35,886 km (22,298 mi). Apogee: 35,928 km (22,324 mi). Inclination: 2.20 deg. Period: 1,442.30 min.
  As of 2007 Mar 9 located at 60.65W drifting at 0.723E degrees per day.