Soviet Space ProgramMolniya-M 2BL1/5, Baikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of Kazakhstan
Molniya-1Yu 15L
Launched
December 16, 1968
Image: Jonathan Space Report
Summary
Molniya-1Yu 15L launched on a Soviet Space Program Molniya-M 2BL from 1/5, Baikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of Kazakhstan on December 16, 1968. It was Soviet Space Program's 369th launch, 80th this year and humanity's 915th orbital launch attempt. It was the 16th Molniya-M 2BL flight and the 6th this year. The payload was bound for Elliptical Orbit (Elliptical). The tracked orbit of Kosmos-260, one of 4 catalogued objects, from December 29, 1968, was 497 × 39,595 km inclined 65.0°. 4 objects from this launch are catalogued, one of them a payload.
- Watch
- No webcast on record.
- Vehicle
- Molniya-M 2BL · Soviet Space Program
- Booster
- No booster details on record.
- Mission
- Test Target · Elliptical Orbit (Elliptical)
- Milestone
- 16th Molniya-M 2BL flight · 6th this yearSoviet Space Program's 369th launch80th this yearhumanity's 915th orbital launch attempt127th orbital launch attempt this year
Flight preview
Orbit: as tracked
Kosmos-260 · NORAD 3619 · 1968-115 · Space-Track · tracking 1 of 4 objects
Show the numbers for orbit elements
- Object
- TBA - TO BE ASSIGNED
- Object ID
- 1968-115A
- Epoch
- 1968-12-29 07:16:21 UTC
- Mean motion
- 2.02197335 rev/day
- Eccentricity
- 0.7400192
- Inclination
- 64.9623°
- Ascending node
- 257.9472°
- Arg. of perigee
- 284.7824°
- Mean anomaly
- 9.9962°
- Element set
- 999
- Rev at epoch
- 27
- B*
- 0
Perigee, apogee and period are Kepler figures from the catalogued mean elements, not a propagated state. Published orbit: Elliptical. Ascent drawn from padside's representative profile.
Catalogued objects
4 catalogued: 1 payload, 2 rocket stages, 1 component; none still in orbit
- Kosmos-260 · NORAD 3619 · re-entered July 9, 1973
Molniya-M No. 039 Blok-I · re-entered January 18, 1969
Blok-L No. Ya716-87 · re-entered September 21, 1973
Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org
About this launch
The Molniya-1Yu satellites were modified Molniya-1 satellites to test and calibrate the deep space tracking systems of the Soviet lunar program.
Pad
1/5, Baikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of Kazakhstan
112th launch from 1/5, 12th this year · 245th from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of Kazakhstan
487 launches from this pad · 1,565 from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of Kazakhstan
46 days after the previous launch from this pad
All launches from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of KazakhstanOpen in maps
Questions
When did Molniya-1Yu 15L launch?
Molniya-1Yu 15L launched on December 16, 1968. The time is known to the hour, not the minute.
Where can I watch Molniya-1Yu 15L?
No webcast is on record for this launch.
What rocket launched Molniya-1Yu 15L?
Molniya-M 2BL, flown by Soviet Space Program. Molniya-M 2BL spec sheet
Where did Molniya-1Yu 15L launch from?
1/5, Baikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of Kazakhstan.
What orbit did Molniya-1Yu 15L reach?
The tracked orbit of Kosmos-260, one of 4 catalogued objects, from December 29, 1968, was 497 × 39,595 km inclined 65.0°.
How many satellites did Molniya-1Yu 15L launch?
1 payload from this launch is catalogued, no longer in orbit (Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org).