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Launch of Cosmos-2421 naval reconnaissance satellite

On June 25, 2006 Russia successfully launched a Tsyklon-2 rocket from the launch complex No. 90 of the Baykonur launch site. The launch was performed by Roskosmos crews at 08:00 MSK (04:00 UTC). The satellite delivered into orbit, designated Cosmos-2421, is a new satellite of the US-PU naval reconnaissance and targeting system (a.k.a. EORSAT or Legenda).

The satellite was given the international designation 2006-026A and the NORAD catalog number 29247. According to NORAD data, inclination of the initial orbit of Cosmos-2421 is 65 degrees, orbital period is about 93 minutes. Apogee of the orbit is about 430 km, perigee - 409 km.

Cosmos-2421 is the only operational US-PU satellite in orbit. Its predecessor, Cosmos-2405, launched in May 2004, completed its mission in April 2006.

[Space] [June 25, 2006] []

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References to this entry

The Cosmos-2421 US-PU spacecraft, launched last week, is reported to be having problems with one of its solar batteries. The extent of the problems is not clear, though - some sources say that the spacecraft is essentially lost, while a...
[Problems with Cosmos-2421] [July 4, 2006 11:01 AM] [#]
Cosmos-2421 naval reconnaissance satellite of the US-PU/Legenda system (29247/2006-026A), launched on 25 June 2006, stopped performing its regular orbit-correcting maneuvers at after February 10, 2008. According to Philip Clark, a long-time observer of...
[Cosmos-2421 completed its mission] [March 20, 2008 4:23 PM] [#]
On November 20, 2009 at 13:44 MSK (10:44 UTC) the Space Forces performed a successful launch of a Soyuz-U rocket from the launch pad No. 2 of the launch complex No. 16 of the Plesetsk launch site. The spacecraft delivered...
[Cosmos-2455 - a new generation electronic intelligence satellite] [November 22, 2009 6:56 PM] [#]

Comments

What exactly does this type of satellite do?

[Darth Jesus] [June 27, 2006] [#]

These are SIGINT satellites that are designed to detect naval targets and guide cruise missiles to them (hence "targeting" in the designation). A description of the program can be found at astronautix.com.

[Pavel Podvig] [June 27, 2006] [#]

Hello Pavel, what is the status Cosmos-2421 , recent report indicates that it has malfunctioned ?? Which other report says that it has now been handed over to the Navy

[Austin] [July 4, 2006] [#]

Reports about the malfunction are conflicting.

[Pavel Podvig] [July 4, 2006] [#]

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