24953 - COSMOS 2346

Cosmos 2346 was part of a 6-satellite Russian military navigation system distributed in orbital planes spaced 30 degrees apart, and launched from the Plesetsk cosmodrome aboard a Cosmos rocket. Initial orbital parameters were period 104.4 min, apogee 1,015 km, perigee 953 km, and inclination 82.9 deg.

Navigation information was derived from Doppler-shifted VHF transmissions (approximately 150 and 400 MHz) of the satellite position and orbital data. By acquiring fixes from several satellite, a user's location could be calculated with an accuracy of 100 m. The time needed to ascertain a position was dependent upon the user's latitude and the number of operational spacecraft in orbit. Normally, accurate location determination could be made within 1-2 hours.

Facts in Brief

Launch Date: 1997-09-23
Launch Vehicle: Cosmos
Launch Site: Plesetsk, Russia