Space Brief 18 Jan 2025
In today's brief: high-profile personnel changes in the Space Force, the inclusion of Space Force in historical political events, and strategic shifts in defense highlighted with a focus on satellite applications.
COSMOS 280 (03906)
COSPAR: 1969-040A | Alt Name: Kosmos-280
DECAYED
Image
Additional Sources
Launch Details
Launch Date
April 23, 1969
Launch Site
Launch Pad
LC1
Launch Vehicle
Voskhod 11A57
Orbital Elements
NORAD ID
03906
International Designator
1969-040A
Decay Date
5/6/1969
Explore in the Catalog
Basic Satellite Info
Name
COSMOS 280
Alternative Name
Kosmos-280
Type
Payload
Status
Decayed
Owner
TSKBE3
Country
USSR
Constellation
N/A
Related Satellites
Major Events
N/A
Summary
Apologies, there is no summary for this satellite yet. I am working to generate these for every object in the catalog, but it is going to take time.
Physical Characteristics
Length
6
Diameter
2.2
Span
6
Dry Mass
2200
Launch Mass
2200
Shape
Sphere + DCone
Radar Cross Section
Unknown
Visual Magnitude
Unknown
Color
Unknown
Material Composition
Unknown
Technical Details
Payload
Zenit-4M No. 3L
Purpose
Unknown
Mission
Unknown
Manufacturer
TSKBE3
Life Expectancy
Unknown
Bus
Zenit-4M
Configuration
Unknown
Motor
Unknown
Equipment
Unknown
Power System
Unknown
ADCS
Unknown
Transmitter Frequency
Unknown
Satellite Articles
View All Posts »Learn more about satellites and other related topics.
Space Brief 8 May 2025
Today we cover new appointments at NASA, calls for increased Space Force funding, and a successful test of a hypersonic vehicle. Further investigations target SpaceX, and a documentary highlights space superiority.
Sally Ride and the Twenty Years It Took America to Catch Up
At 7:33 on the morning of 18 June 1983, a 32-year-old astrophysicist named Sally Ride rode Challenger off Pad 39A and became the first American woman in space. She got there two decades after the Soviets, and only after months of being asked whether spaceflight would damage her reproductive organs and whether she planned to cry.
X Report 9 Nov 2025
SpaceX successfully launched 29 new Starlink satellites today, further expanding its satellite internet constellation amidst growing competition in the space broadband market.
X Report 9 Dec 2024
SpaceX's latest Starlink satellite launch boosts their constellation and Starship development progresses steadily.
U.S. GSSAP Executes GEO Handoff to Track China's Shijian-29 | KeepTrack Space Brief
U.S. GSSAP satellites execute coordinated GEO maneuvers for continuous surveillance of Chinese Shijian-29 spacecraft. Handoff approach maintains coverage with zero gaps.
Space Brief 2 Nov 2024
Today's brief covers a historic milestone for China's space program, the decoding of a simulated alien signal, innovative solutions to address satellite air pollution, and industry shifts driven by major investments and contracts.
SpaceX Files $18.7B IPO as Starship V3 Debuts | KeepTrack X Report
SpaceX's S-1 reveals $18.7B in revenue as Starship Flight 12 debuts Block 3 hardware from Pad 2 on May 21, 2026.