Kosmos 2441 (Russian: Космос 2441 meaning Cosmos 2441), also known as Persona No.1, was a Russian optical reconnaissance satellite launched in 2008. The first Persona satellite, it failed a few months into its mission, which was scheduled to have lasted three to five years. It was the first Russian reconnaissance satellite to be placed into a sun-synchronous orbit.[3]

Kosmos 2441

Artist's impression of a Persona satellite
Mission type	Reconnaissance
Operator	VKS
COSPAR ID	2008-037A
SATCAT no.	33272
Mission duration	3-5 years (planned) ~2 months (achieved)
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft type	Persona
Manufacturer	TsSKB Progress LOMO Vavilov State Optical Institute NPO Opteks
Launch mass	~7,000 kilograms (15,000 lb)[1]
Start of mission
Launch date	26 July 2008, 18:31:36 (2008-07-26UTC18:31:36Z) UTC
Rocket	Soyuz-2-1b
Launch site	Plesetsk 43/4
End of mission
Last contact	~September 2008 (2008-10)
Orbital parameters
Reference system	Geocentric
Regime	Sun-synchronous
Perigee altitude	714 kilometres (444 mi)[2]
Apogee altitude	732 kilometres (455 mi)[2]
Inclination	98.3 degrees[2]
Epoch	31 July 2008[2]

Kosmos 2441 was launched by a Soyuz-2-1b carrier rocket flying from Site 43/4 of the Plesetsk Cosmodrome. The launch took place at 18:31:36 UTC on 26 July 2008,[4] and marked the first Soyuz-2-1b launch from Plesetsk. Following its successful deployment the satellite was given its Kosmos designation, and was assigned the International Designator 2008-037A and Satellite Catalog Number 33272.[5]

In February 2009, it was reported that Kosmos 2441 had failed shortly after launch.[6] The date of the failure was not announced, however the satellite was last seen to manoeuvre in September 2008.[7] The cause of the failure was reported to be an electrical problem, possibly caused by higher radiation levels encountered by the satellite in sun-synchronous orbit compared to previous satellites in lower-inclination orbits.[6] The next Persona satellite was not launched until 2013, when it was placed into orbit as Kosmos 2486.[8]

References