![[AUTO] Proton - image](/media?u=https%3A%2F%2Fthespacedevs-prod.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com%2Fmedia%2Fimages%2Fproton_image_20231231095535.jpg&w=1600)
Soviet Space ProgramProton-K/DM200/40, Baikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of Kazakhstan
Raduga 8
Launched
March 18, 1981
Summary
Raduga 8 launched on a Soviet Space Program Proton-K/DM from 200/40, Baikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of Kazakhstan on March 18, 1981. It was Soviet Space Program's 1,474th launch, 23rd this year and humanity's 2,419th orbital launch attempt. It was the 24th Proton-K/DM flight and the 1st this year. The payload was bound for Geostationary Orbit (Direct-GEO). Raduga, one of 6 catalogued objects, reached a 36,551 × 36,551 km orbit inclined 0.7°. 6 objects from this launch are catalogued, one of them a payload.
- Watch
- No webcast on record.
- Vehicle
- Proton-K/DM · Soviet Space Program
- Booster
- No booster details on record.
- Mission
- Communications · Geostationary Orbit (Direct-GEO)
- Milestone
- 24th Proton-K/DM flight · 1st this yearSoviet Space Program's 1,474th launch23rd this yearhumanity's 2,419th orbital launch attempt28th orbital launch attempt this year
Flight preview
Orbit: as tracked
Raduga · NORAD 12351 · 1981-027 · Space-Track · tracking 1 of 6 objects
Show the numbers for orbit elements
- Object
- RADUGA 8
- Object ID
- 1981-027A
- Epoch
- 1981-03-18 06:11:22 UTC
- Mean motion
- 0.97630459 rev/day
- Eccentricity
- 0.000001
- Inclination
- 0.7493°
- Ascending node
- 191.6982°
- Arg. of perigee
- 179.9989°
- Mean anomaly
- 348.2727°
- Element set
- 999
- Rev at epoch
- 2
- B*
- 0
Perigee, apogee and period are Kepler figures from the catalogued mean elements, not a propagated state. Published orbit: Direct-GEO. Ascent drawn from padside's representative profile.
Catalogued objects
6 catalogued: 1 payload, 2 rocket stages, 3 components; 2 still in orbit
- Raduga · NORAD 12351 · in orbit
Proton-K 306-01 Stage 3 · re-entered March 20, 1981
Blok DM No. 18L · in orbit
Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org
About this launch
Geostationary communications satellite for military and governmental puposes
Pad
200/40, Baikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of Kazakhstan
15th launch from 200/40, 1st this year · 587th from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of Kazakhstan
64 launches from this pad · 1,565 from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of Kazakhstan
81 days after the previous launch from this pad
All launches from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of KazakhstanOpen in maps
Questions
When did Raduga 8 launch?
Raduga 8 launched on March 18, 1981. The time is known to the hour, not the minute.
Where can I watch Raduga 8?
No webcast is on record for this launch.
What rocket launched Raduga 8?
Proton-K/DM, flown by Soviet Space Program. Proton-K/DM spec sheet
Where did Raduga 8 launch from?
200/40, Baikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of Kazakhstan.
What orbit did Raduga 8 reach?
Raduga, one of 6 catalogued objects, reached a 36,551 × 36,551 km orbit inclined 0.7°.
How many satellites did Raduga 8 launch?
1 payload from this launch is catalogued, still in orbit (Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org).