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Kosmos 394

1971-010A

04922

DS-P1-M

Yuzhnoye

650 kilograms (1,430 lb)

9 February 1971, 18:48:48 (1971-02-09UTC18:48:48Z) UTC

Kosmos-3M

Plesetsk 132/1

Geocentric

Low Earth

522 kilometres (324 mi)

552 kilometres (343 mi)

65.8 degrees

95.4 minutes

Kosmos 394 (Russian: Космос 394 meaning Cosmos 394), also known as DS-P1-M No.2 is a satellite which was used to demonstrate technology for future satellites which would be used as targets for tests of anti-satellite weapons. It was launched by the Soviet Union in 1971 as part of the Dnepropetrovsk Sputnik programme.^[1] Following the completion of testing it was intercepted and destroyed by Kosmos 397 on 25 February.^[2]

Launch[edit]

It was launched aboard a Kosmos-3M carrier rocket,^[3] from Site 132/1 at the Plesetsk Cosmodrome. The launch occurred at 18:48:48 UTC on 9 February 1971.^[4]

Orbit[edit]

Kosmos 394 was placed into a low Earth orbit with a perigee of 522 kilometres (324 mi), an apogee of 552 kilometres (343 mi), 65.8 degrees of inclination, and an orbital period of 95.4 minutes.^[1] As of 2009, debris from its destruction is still in orbit.^[5]

Kosmos 394 was the second of the five original DS-P1-M satellites to be launched, and the first to successfully reach orbit.^[1] The three subsequent launches were all successful, before the satellite was replaced with a derivative, Lira.^[6] DS-P1-M and Lira satellites were used as targets for the Istrebitel Sputnikov programme.

See also[edit]

• 1971 in spaceflight

References[edit]

1972 →