The Day America Gained New Eyes on Mars
Fifty-six years ago, a revolutionary spacecraft launched toward the Red Planet after being saved from disaster by two quick-thinking technicians who risked their lives to prevent a rocket collapse
Launch Date
January 29, 1992
Launch Site
Launch Pad
LC81/23
Launch Vehicle
Proton-K/DM-2
NORAD ID
21855
International Designator
1992-005C
Epoch
Sat, 27 Jun 2026 09:59:13 GMT
Apogee
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Perigee
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Inclination
64.90°
Right Ascension
69.68°
Eccentricity
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Argument of Perigee
251.92°
Period
675.73 min
Mean Motion
2.13 rev/day
Latitude
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Longitude
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Altitude
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Velocity
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Name
COSMOS 2179 [GLONASS]
Alternative Name
Kosmos-2179
Type
Status
Owner
VVS
Country
Russia
Constellation
N/A
Related Satellites
Major Events
N/A
1 21855U 92005C 26178.41612334 -.00000051 00000-0 00000-0 0 9992
2 21855 64.8966 69.6835 0014402 251.9172 287.5271 2.13102848267564
Source: Celestrak
Length
4
Diameter
1.5
Span
7.8
Dry Mass
1200
Launch Mass
1300
Shape
Cyl + Ant + 2 Pan
Radar Cross Section
2.6558
Visual Magnitude
Unknown
Color
Unknown
Material Composition
Unknown
Payload
Uragan No. 71L
Purpose
Navigation
Mission
Navigation
Manufacturer
POL
Life Expectancy
3 years
Bus
Uragan
Configuration
3-Axis stabilized
Motor
?
Equipment
?
Power System
2 deployable solar arrays, batteries
ADCS
Unknown
Transmitter Frequency
Unknown
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Fifty-six years ago, a revolutionary spacecraft launched toward the Red Planet after being saved from disaster by two quick-thinking technicians who risked their lives to prevent a rocket collapse
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