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US-A

US-A

US-A (Upravlenniye Sputnik Aktivny) were active radar satellites for ocean surveillance. The high power consumtion of the active radar required a nuclear reactor as power source. The satellites were known as RORSAT in the west.

At the end of the mission, the reactor compartment is separated and boosted ito a higher storage orbit. Beginning with Kosmos 1176, the reactor core was also ejected to avoid radioactive material reaching the ground in the event of reentry.

In 1973, an US-A satellite failed to reach orbit and burned up. Two missions failed to boost their reactor into the safe orbit. Kosmos 954's reactor reentered over Canada and polluted an area of 124000 m². Kosmos 1402 ejected the reactor core before reentry. The unprotected core burned up over the south Atlantic.

Nation: USSR
Type / Application: Ocean surveillance, active radar
Operator:
Contractors:
Equipment: Radar
Configuration: US-Bus
Propulsion:
Power: BES-5 nuclear reactor
Lifetime:
Mass:
Orbit:
Satellite COSPAR Date LS Launch Vehicle Remarks
Kosmos 367 (US-A #1) 1970-079A 03.10.1970 Ba LC-90/19 Tsiklon-2
Kosmos 402 (US-A #2) 1971-025A 01.04.1971 Ba LC-90/19 Tsiklon-2
Kosmos 469 (US-A #3) 1971-117A 25.12.1971 Ba LC-90/19 Tsiklon-2
Kosmos 516 (US-A #4) 1972-066A 21.08.1972 Ba LC-90/19 Tsiklon-2
Kosmos (556) (US-A #5) 1973-F01 25.04.1973 Ba LC-90 F Tsiklon-2
Kosmos 626 (US-A #6) 1973-108A 27.12.1973 Ba LC-90/19 Tsiklon-2
Kosmos 651 (US-A #7) 1974-029A 15.05.1974 Ba LC-90/19 Tsiklon-2
Kosmos 654 (US-A #8) 1974-032A 17.05.1974 Ba LC-90/19 Tsiklon-2
Kosmos 723 (US-A #9) 1975-024A 02.04.1975 Ba LC-90/20 Tsiklon-2
Kosmos 724 (US-A #10) 1975-025A 07.04.1975 Ba LC-90/20 Tsiklon-2
Kosmos 785 (US-A #11) 1975-116A 12.12.1975 Ba LC-90 Tsiklon-2
Kosmos 860 (US-A #12) 1976-103A 17.10.1976 Ba LC-90 Tsiklon-2
Kosmos 861 (US-A #13) 1976-104A 21.10.1976 Ba LC-90 Tsiklon-2
Kosmos 952 (US-A #14) 1977-088A 16.09.1977 Ba LC-90 Tsiklon-2
Kosmos 954 (US-A #15) 1977-090A 18.09.1977 Ba LC-90 Tsiklon-2
Kosmos 1176 (US-A #16) 1980-034A 29.04.1980 Ba LC-90 Tsiklon-2
Kosmos 1249 (US-A #17) 1981-021A 05.03.1981 Ba LC-90 Tsiklon-2
Kosmos 1266 (US-A #18) 1981-037A 21.04.1981 Ba LC-90 Tsiklon-2
Kosmos 1299 (US-A #19) 1981-081A 24.08.1981 Ba LC-90 Tsiklon-2
Kosmos 1365 (US-A #20) 1982-043A 14.05.1982 Ba LC-90 Tsiklon-2
Kosmos 1372 (US-A #21) 1982-052A 01.06.1982 Ba LC-90 Tsiklon-2
Kosmos 1402 (US-A #22) 1982-084A 30.08.1982 Ba LC-90 Tsiklon-2
Kosmos 1412 (US-A #23) 1982-099A 02.10.1982 Ba LC-90 Tsiklon-2
Kosmos 1579 (US-A #24) 1984-069A 29.06.1984 Ba LC-90 Tsiklon-2
Kosmos 1607 (US-A #25) 1984-112A 31.10.1984 Ba LC-90 Tsiklon-2
Kosmos 1670 (US-A #26) 1985-064A 01.08.1985 Ba LC-90 Tsiklon-2
Kosmos 1677 (US-A #27) 1985-075A 23.08.1985 Ba LC-90 Tsiklon-2
Kosmos 1736 (US-A #28) 1986-024A 21.03.1986 Ba LC-90 Tsiklon-2
Kosmos 1771 (US-A #29) 1986-062A 20.08.1986 Ba LC-90 Tsiklon-2
Kosmos 1860 (US-A #30) 1987-052A 18.06.1987 Ba LC-90 Tsiklon-2
Kosmos 1900 (US-A #31) 1987-101A 12.12.1987 Ba LC-90 Tsiklon-2
Kosmos 1932 (US-A #32) 1988-019A 14.03.1988 Ba LC-90 Tsiklon-2
Further US missions:

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