Soviet Space ProgramMolniya-M 2BL41/1, Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russian Federation
US-K 20
Launched
March 31, 1981
Image: Jonathan Space Report
Summary
US-K 20 launched on a Soviet Space Program Molniya-M 2BL from 41/1, Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russian Federation on March 31, 1981. It was Soviet Space Program's 1,479th launch, 28th this year and humanity's 2,424th orbital launch attempt. It was the 124th Molniya-M 2BL flight and the 5th this year. The payload was bound for Elliptical Orbit (Elliptical). Kosmos-1261, one of 14 catalogued objects, reached a 595 × 39,411 km orbit inclined 63.0°. 14 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
- Government/Top Secret · Elliptical Orbit (Elliptical)
- Milestone
- 124th Molniya-M 2BL flight · 5th this yearSoviet Space Program's 1,479th launch28th this yearhumanity's 2,424th orbital launch attempt33rd orbital launch attempt this year
Flight preview
Orbit: as tracked
Kosmos-1261 · NORAD 12376 · 1981-031 · Space-Track · tracking 1 of 14 objects
Show the numbers for orbit elements
- Object
- COSMOS 1261
- Object ID
- 1981-031A
- Epoch
- 1981-03-31 10:52:31 UTC
- Mean motion
- 2.02690607 rev/day
- Eccentricity
- 0.7358766
- Inclination
- 62.9531°
- Ascending node
- 283.5212°
- Arg. of perigee
- 316.2657°
- Mean anomaly
- 4.8435°
- Element set
- 999
- Rev at epoch
- 0
- 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
14 catalogued: 1 payload, 2 rocket stages, 10 debris, 1 component; 8 still in orbit
- Kosmos-1261 · NORAD 12376 · in orbit
Molniya-M 17-553 Blok-I · re-entered April 17, 1981
Blok-2BL No. 41 · in orbit
Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org
About this launch
Early warning satellite
Pad
41/1, Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russian Federation
200th launch from 41/1, 6th this year · 803rd from Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russian Federation
310 launches from this pad · 1,688 from Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russian Federation
7 days 6 hours after the previous launch from this pad
All launches from Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russian FederationOpen in maps
Questions
When did US-K 20 launch?
US-K 20 launched on March 31, 1981. The time is known to the hour, not the minute.
Where can I watch US-K 20?
No webcast is on record for this launch.
What rocket launched US-K 20?
Molniya-M 2BL, flown by Soviet Space Program. Molniya-M 2BL spec sheet
Where did US-K 20 launch from?
41/1, Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russian Federation.
What orbit did US-K 20 reach?
Kosmos-1261, one of 14 catalogued objects, reached a 595 × 39,411 km orbit inclined 63.0°.
How many satellites did US-K 20 launch?
1 payload from this launch is catalogued, still in orbit (Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org).