| Mission type | Early warning |
|---|---|
| COSPAR ID | 1981-058A |
| SATCATno. | 12547 |
| Mission duration | 4 years[1] |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Spacecraft type | US-K[2] |
| Launch mass | 1,900 kilograms (4,200 lb) |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 19 June 1981, 19:37 (1981-06-19UTC19:37Z) UTC |
| Rocket | Molniya-M/2BL[2] |
| Launch site | Plesetsk Cosmodrome[2][3] |
| End of mission | |
| Deactivated | 5 July 1984[1] |
| Decay date | 2 September 2000 (2000-09-03)[4] |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric |
| Regime | Molniya[2] |
| Perigee altitude | 665 kilometres (413 mi)[4] |
| Apogee altitude | 39,725 kilometres (24,684 mi)[4] |
| Inclination | 62.8 degrees[4] |
| Period | 718.49 minutes[4] |
Kosmos 1278 (Russian:Космос 1278 meaningCosmos 1278) was a SovietUS-K missileearly warning satellite which was launched in 1981 as part of the Soviet military'sOko programme. The satellite was designed to identify missile launches usingoptical telescopes andinfrared sensors.[2]
Kosmos 1278 was launched fromSite 43/3 atPlesetsk Cosmodrome in the Russian SSR.[3] AMolniya-M carrier rocket with a2BL upper stage was used to perform the launch, which took place at 19:37 UTC on 19 June 1981.[3] The launch successfully placed the satellite into amolniya orbit. It subsequently received itsKosmos designation, and theinternational designator 1981-058A.[4] TheUnited States Space Command assigned it theSatellite Catalog Number 12547.[4]
Kosmos 1278 was a US-K satellite likeKosmos 862 that self-destructed in orbit, NASA believes deliberately.[1] It had been inactive since early 1984 and broke apart in early-December 1984. The main component may have re-entered the Earth's atmosphere on 2 September 2000.[4][5] Debris from this satellite can not be tracked.
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