Padside
Menu

Soviet Space ProgramKosmos-3M (11K65M)132/2, Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russian Federation

Sfera 9

Launched

December 21, 1972

Launch Successful

Image: Julio Perez Suarez

Summary

Sfera 9 launched on a Soviet Space Program Kosmos-3M (11K65M) from 132/2, Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russian Federation on December 21, 1972. It was Soviet Space Program's 709th launch, 77th this year and humanity's 1,418th orbital launch attempt. It was the 63rd Kosmos-3M (11K65M) flight and the 13th this year. The payload was bound for low Earth orbit (LEO). Kosmos-539, one of 3 catalogued objects, reached a 1,347 × 1,391 km orbit inclined 74.1°. 3 objects from this launch are catalogued, one of them a payload.

Watch
No webcast on record.
Vehicle
Kosmos-3M (11K65M) · Soviet Space Program
Booster
No booster details on record.
Mission
Earth Science · Low Earth Orbit (LEO)
Milestone
63rd Kosmos-3M (11K65M) flight · 13th this yearSoviet Space Program's 709th launch77th this yearhumanity's 1,418th orbital launch attempt112th orbital launch attempt this year

Flight preview

Orbit: as tracked

74.1°Inclination
1347 × 1391 kmPerigee × apogeefrom mean elements
112.9 minPeriodfrom mean elements
128.9°Ascending node
19657 d agoElement epoch1972-12-21 09:12 UTC · stale

Kosmos-539 · NORAD 6319 · 1972-102 · Space-Track · tracking 1 of 3 objects

Show the numbers for orbit elements
Object
COSMOS 539
Object ID
1972-102A
Epoch
1972-12-21 09:12:20 UTC
Mean motion
12.74935176 rev/day
Eccentricity
0.002828
Inclination
74.0967°
Ascending node
128.8651°
Arg. of perigee
204.2493°
Mean anomaly
155.7197°
Element set
999
Rev at epoch
4
B*
0

Perigee, apogee and period are Kepler figures from the catalogued mean elements, not a propagated state. Published orbit: LEO. Ascent drawn from padside's representative profile.

Catalogued objects

3 catalogued: 1 payload, 1 rocket stage, 1 debris; 2 still in orbit

  • Kosmos-539 · NORAD 6319 · in orbit

Kosmos-3M Yu149-43 Stage 2 · in orbit

Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org

About this launch

The Sfera or Geoid series were the first soviet geodetic satellites to improve the accuracy of maps. The development of the satellites started in 1965 at NPO-PM.

Pad

Map of 132/2

132/2, Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russian Federation

42nd launch from 132/2, 10th this year · 271st from Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russian Federation

172 launches from this pad · 1,688 from Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russian Federation

49 days after the previous launch from this pad

Questions

When did Sfera 9 launch?

Sfera 9 launched on December 21, 1972. The time is known to the hour, not the minute.

Where can I watch Sfera 9?

No webcast is on record for this launch.

What rocket launched Sfera 9?

Kosmos-3M (11K65M), flown by Soviet Space Program. Kosmos-3M (11K65M) spec sheet

Where did Sfera 9 launch from?

132/2, Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russian Federation.

What orbit did Sfera 9 reach?

Kosmos-539, one of 3 catalogued objects, reached a 1,347 × 1,391 km orbit inclined 74.1°.

How many satellites did Sfera 9 launch?

1 payload from this launch is catalogued, still in orbit (Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org).