| Mission type | communications satellite |
|---|---|
| Operator | VKS |
| COSPAR ID | 2010-043C |
| SATCATno. | 37154 |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Manufacturer | NPO Prikladnoi Mekhaniki (NPO PM)[1] |
| Launch mass | 225 kilograms (496 lb)[1] |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 8 September 2010, 03:30 (2010-09-08UTC03:30Z) UTC |
| Rocket | Rokot/Briz-KM |
| Launch site | Plesetsk133/3 |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric |
| Regime | Low Earth Orbit |
| Perigee altitude | 1,509 kilometres (938 mi)[2] |
| Apogee altitude | 1,498 kilometres (931 mi)[2] |
| Inclination | 82.4 degrees[2] |
| Period | 116.06 minutes |
Kosmos 2468 (Russian:Космос 2468 meaningCosmos 2468) is a Russian militarycommunications satellite which was launched in 2010 by theRussian Space Forces. It was launched withKosmos 2467 and aGonets-M civilian communication satellite.
Kosmos 2468 was launched fromSite 133/3 atPlesetsk Cosmodrome in northern Russia. It was launched by aRockot carrier rocket with aBriz-KM upper stage at 03:30 UTC on itsKosmos designation, and theinternational designator 2010-043C. TheUnited States Space Command assigned it theSatellite Catalog Number 37154.[2]
Kosmos 2468 and Kosmos 2467 areStrela-3 communications satellite. One of them is a Strela-3, and one is a Strela-3M. It is not known which is which.[1] They are described as store-dump communications satellites which receive information from the ground when they pass overhead, and store that information until they pass over theground station they deliver the information to.[3]: 15 The satellites are in low Earth orbit going round the Earth every 116 minutes.[2][4] A full deployment of Strela-3 craft should consist of twelve satellites.[3]: 15 One satellite has theGRAU index of 17F13, as a Strela-3, and the other has a GRAU index of 17F132 as a Strela-3M.[1][5]
Strela-3 has a civilian variant called Gonets which is used by the Russian government for communication in remote areas. It can take between two minutes and six hours to deliver messages.[6]
The previous satellites of this class,Kosmos 2451,Kosmos 2452 andKosmos 2453 were launched together in July 2009.[5][7]
