Kosmos 1669
Kosmos-1669 (Russian: Космос-1669) was a Progress spacecraft used to resupply the Salyut 7 space station. It was a Progress 7K-TG spacecraft with the serial number 126.
| Mission type | Salyut 7 resupply |
|---|---|
| Operator | OKB-1 |
| COSPAR ID | 1985-062A |
| SATCAT no. | 15918 |
| Mission duration | 42 days |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Spacecraft | Progress s/n 126 |
| Spacecraft type | Progress 7K-TG |
| Manufacturer | NPO Energia |
| Launch mass | 7280 kg |
| Dry mass | 7020 kg |
| Payload mass | 2500 kg |
| Dimensions | 7.48 m in length and 2.72 m in diameter |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 19 July 1985, 13:05 UTC |
| Rocket | Soyuz-U s/n B15000-446 |
| Launch site | Baikonur 1/5 |
| Contractor | OKB-1 |
| End of mission | |
| Disposal | Deorbited |
| Decay date | 30 August 1985, 01:20 UTC |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric |
| Regime | Low Earth |
| Perigee altitude | 298 km |
| Apogee altitude | 358 km |
| Inclination | 51.66° |
| Period | 91.0 minutes |
| Epoch | 19 July 1985 |
| Docking with Salyut 7 | |
| Docking port | Aft |
| Docking date | 21 July 1985, 15:05 UTC |
| Undocking date | 28 August 1985, 21:50 UTC |
| Time docked | 38 days |
| Cargo | |
| Mass | 2500 kg |
Mission
Kosmos-1669 was launched by a Soyuz-U carrier rocket from Site 1/5 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, at 13:05 UTC on 19 July 1985. The spacecraft docked with the aft port of Salyut 7 at 15:05 UTC on 21 July 1985. Following undocking on 28 August 1985, it moved away from the station, before returning and redocking to test the reliability of the docking system.[1] It undocked for a second time at 21:50 UTC,[2] and was deorbited on 30 August 1985, with the spacecraft burning up over the Pacific Ocean at 01:20 UTC.
Salyut-7
Kosmos-1669 was the second cargo spacecraft (after Progress 24) to visit Salyut 7 after its reactivation, and also the last Progress flight as part of the Salyut programme. It delivered new spacesuit, to replace ones damaged by cold temperatures whilst Salyut 7 was deactivated,[3] as well as replacement parts and consumables. This Progress mission was followed by one last cargo mission to Salyut 7, but carried out by an TKS spacecraft: TKS-4, which would become the fourth and last flight of an TKS spacecraft. The next following mission of a Progress cargo spacecraft, Progress 25, flew to Mir.[1]
As of 2009, Kosmos-1669 is the only Progress spacecraft to have received a Kosmos designation, which are usually reserved for military, experimental and failed spacecraft. It has been reported that this may have been an error due to confusion with a TKS spacecraft which later became Kosmos 1686,[4] or that the spacecraft may have gone out of control shortly after launch, but then been recovered after the Kosmos designation had been applied.[1] Alternatively, it could have been given the designation as it was used to test modifications that would be used on future Progress missions.[3] Some news agencies reported that it was a free-flying Progress-derived spacecraft,[3] or that it was a new type of spacecraft derived from the Progress.[5]
See also
References
- Wade, Mark. "Progress". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Retrieved 11 April 2009.
- Christy, Robert. "Third Expedition to Salyut 7 - 1984". Zarya. Retrieved 11 April 2009.
- Portree, David S. F (March 1995). "Mir Hardware Heritage". NASA. Retrieved 11 April 2009.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain. - Christy, Robert. "Fourth Expedition to Salyut 7 - 1985". Zarya. Retrieved 11 April 2009.
- "New Soviet Craft Docks With Salyut". New York Times. 23 July 1985. Retrieved 11 April 2009.