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Kosmos 291

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Kosmos 291
Mission typeASAT target
COSPAR ID1969-066A Edit this at Wikidata
SATCAT no.04058Edit this on Wikidata
Spacecraft properties
Launch mass4,000 kilograms (8,800 lb)
Start of mission
Launch date06 September 1969, 5:44:00 (1969-09-06UTC05:44Z) UTC
RocketTsyklon
Launch siteBaikonur Cosmodrome

Kosmos 291 (Russian: Космос 291 meaning Cosmos 291), was a satellite was likely intended either as a dummy interceptor or as a target satellite for later ASAT interception tests. However, after reaching a low, somewhat eccentric orbit, it failed to perform the expected orbital maneuvers, and the mission is generally regarded as unsuccessful or incomplete.[1]

Launch

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The launch on 6 August 1969 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome appears to have been the first test of the Tsyklon-2/11K69 booster. The launch occurred at 5:44:00 UTC on 6 September 1969. Shortly after launch, there was a booster failure which resulted in the loss of the spacecraft.

See also

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References

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  1. Siddiqi, Asif A. (1997). The Soviet Co-Orbital Anti-Satellite System: Technical History and Present Status (PDF) (Report). United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2021-03-10. Retrieved 2026-05-07.