Soyuz-U launch with Kobal't-M satellite - May 17, 2012

[Chris Bergin]

Boom! Excellent.

[Chris Bergin]

Short article with a bit on the spacecraft (per this thread's resources) and William Graham's Soyuz overview:
http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2012/05/russian-soyuz-u-launches-kobalt-m-satellite/

[input~2]

Estimated time of satellite separation 1413UTC
http://www.interfax.ru/news.asp?id=246234

[anik]

It was the last (435th) launch of Soyuz-U rocket from Plesetsk cosmodrome.

[input~2]

http://er.ru/news/2012/5/17/s-kosmodroma-pleseck-zapushen-sputnik-voennogo-naznacheniya/

[input~2]

USSTRATCOM has catalogued a first object:
38335/2012-024A in 186.8 x 254.9 km x 81.38°

[Jason1701]

It was the last (435th) launch of Soyuz-U rocket from Plesetsk cosmodrome.

Why is that?

[anik]

Why is that?

Because of introduction of new Soyuz-2 rocket.

[Danderman]

It was the last (435th) launch of Soyuz-U rocket from Plesetsk cosmodrome.

I wonder how existing payloads are going to be adapted to the more capable Soyuz-2 LVs. Maybe they will simply fly with ballast.

[input~2]

Article in Russian on Soyuz-U retirement, replaced by Soyuz-2
http://www.ntv.ru/novosti/298138/

[input~2]

USSTRATCOM has catalogued a first object:
38335/2012-024A in 186.8 x 254.9 km x 81.38°

Now a second object:
38336/2012-024B in 186.0 x 246.8 km x 81.38°

[Nicolas PILLET]

It was the last (435th) launch of Soyuz-U rocket from Plesetsk cosmodrome.

Does that mean it was the last Kobalt-M satellite ?

[Lewis007]

Video of the launch

[anik]

Does that mean it was the last Kobalt-M satellite?

No, two more.

[Satori]

Nice photo collection of this launch from Novosti Kosmonavtiki http://www.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/content/photogallery/gallery_232/index.shtml

[Phillip Clark]

Cosmos 2480 is still chugging away in orbit and if it's still up there late on September 27th it will be the longest-lived recoverable Yantar close-look photoreconnaissance satellite.

Is there any known public information that indicates when the two side-mounted descent capsules return to Earth during these flights?

[anik]

Is there any known public information that indicates when the two side-mounted descent capsules return to Earth during these flights?

For Kosmos-2480, probably, on June 15 and July 16, as per http://www.tsskb-progress.ru/novosti/itogi-raboty-za-iiun-2012-goda.html

[Phillip Clark]

Cosmos 2480 just failed to break the record.   It came down on September 24 and I am estimating a recovery time of 17:02 + 2 min UT.

[Stan Black]

It looks like Kobalt №563 Kosmos-2480 was intended to introduce a new fairing, the 14С736. However, I think the rocket ordered to launch Kobalt №563, was instead used to launch the one before Kobalt №562 Kosmos-2472?

Как установлено материалами дела, между истцом и ответчиком заключен договор №1458/2953 от 21.09.2009 (далее – договор), в соответствии с которым истец обязался выполнить работы по изготовлению СЗБ 14С736 для изделия 11Ф695 №563 (этап 1), а ответчик обязался принять и оплатить выполненные работы в сроки и в порядке установленные договором, предусмотренном условиями договора.

[russianhalo117]

It looks like Kobalt №563 Kosmos-2480 was intended to introduce a new fairing, the 14С736. However, I think the rocket ordered to launch Kobalt №563, was instead used to launch the one before Kobalt №562 Kosmos-2472?

Как установлено материалами дела, между истцом и ответчиком заключен договор №1458/2953 от 21.09.2009 (далее – договор), в соответствии с которым истец обязался выполнить работы по изготовлению СЗБ 14С736 для изделия 11Ф695 №563 (этап 1), а ответчик обязался принять и оплатить выполненные работы в сроки и в порядке установленные договором, предусмотренном условиями договора.

I understood same conclusion from my volunteer work with RussianSpaceWeb.