1969

1969 · Soviet Space Program

US-AO 5

failureTsiklon-2A | US-AO 5

US-A (Upravlenniye Sputnik Aktivny) were active radar satellites for ocean surveillance. The high power consumtion of the active radar required a nuclear reactor as power source. The satellites were known as RORSAT in the west. The US-AO series consisted of satellites, which tested all the system components but the nuclear reactor. They were battery powered.

Overview

Date / time
January 25, 1969 at 11:14 AM UTC
Outcome
failure
Launch site
90/19
Mission
US-AO 5
Mission type
Government/Top Secret
Orbit achieved
Low Earth Orbit