US-A
Official name COSMOS 626
Alternative name Cosmos-626 (NPP) (reactor section)
Cospar ID 1973-108A
Norad ID 7005
Launch date 1973-12-27
Launch site TTMTR
Launch vehicle Tsiklon-2
Country/Organization USSR
Type application Ocean surveillance, active radar
RCS size LARGE
Decay date ON ORBIT
Period (min) 103.94
Inclination (deg) 65.44
Perigee (km) 908
Apogee (km) 981
Eccentricity 0.038644785600847
Mean motion (revs. per day) 13.8541466230518
Semi-Major axis (km) 7322.635
Raan (deg) 266.1495
Arg of perigee (deg) 10.2789
Shape Cone + Cyl
Mass (kg) 1250
Diameter (m) 1.3
Height (m) 5.8
Span (m^2) 5.8
Equipment Radar
Configuration US-Bus
Power BES-5 nuclear reactor

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.

At the end of the mission, the reactor compartment is separated and boosted ito a higher storage orbit. Beginning with Kosmos 1176, the reactor core was also ejected to avoid radioactive material reaching the ground in the event of reentry.

In 1973, an US-A satellite failed to reach orbit and burned up. Two missions failed to boost their reactor into the safe orbit. Kosmos 954's reactor reentered over Canada and polluted an area of 124000 m². Kosmos 1402 ejected the reactor core before reentry. The unprotected core burned up over the south Atlantic.

Satellite COSPAR Date LS Launch Vehicle Remarks
COSMOS 367 1970-079A 1970-10-03 TTMTR Tsiklon-2
COSMOS 402 1971-025A 1971-04-01 TTMTR Tsiklon-2
COSMOS 469 1971-117A 1971-12-25 TTMTR Tsiklon-2
COSMOS 516 1972-066A 1972-08-21 TTMTR Tsiklon-2
COSMOS 626 1973-108A 1973-12-27 TTMTR Tsiklon-2
COSMOS 651 1974-029A 1974-05-15 TTMTR Tsiklon-2
COSMOS 654 1974-032A 1974-05-17 TTMTR Tsiklon-2
COSMOS 723 1975-024A 1975-04-02 TTMTR Tsiklon-2
COSMOS 724 1975-025A 1975-04-07 TTMTR Tsiklon-2
COSMOS 785 1975-116A 1975-12-12 TTMTR Tsiklon-2
COSMOS 860 1976-103A 1976-10-17 TTMTR Tsiklon-2
COSMOS 861 1976-104A 1976-10-21 TTMTR Tsiklon-2
COSMOS 952 1977-088A 1977-09-16 TTMTR Tsiklon-2
COSMOS 954 1977-090A 1977-09-18 TTMTR Tsiklon-2
COSMOS 1176 1980-034A 1980-04-29 TTMTR Tsiklon-2
COSMOS 1249 1981-021A 1981-03-05 TTMTR Tsiklon-2
COSMOS 1266 1981-037A 1981-04-21 TTMTR Tsiklon-2
COSMOS 1299 1981-081A 1981-08-24 TTMTR Tsiklon-2
COSMOS 1365 1982-043A 1982-05-14 TTMTR Tsiklon-2
COSMOS 1372 1982-052A 1982-06-01 TTMTR Tsiklon-2
COSMOS 1402 1982-084A 1982-08-30 TTMTR Tsiklon-2
COSMOS 1412 1982-099A 1982-10-02 TTMTR Tsiklon-2
COSMOS 1579 1984-069A 1984-06-29 TTMTR Tsiklon-2
COSMOS 1607 1984-112A 1984-10-31 TTMTR Tsiklon-2
COSMOS 1670 1985-064A 1985-08-01 TTMTR Tsiklon-2
COSMOS 1677 1985-075A 1985-08-23 TTMTR Tsiklon-2
COSMOS 1736 1986-024A 1986-03-21 TTMTR Tsiklon-2
COSMOS 1771 1986-062A 1986-08-20 TTMTR Tsiklon-2
COSMOS 1860 1987-052A 1987-06-18 TTMTR Tsiklon-2
COSMOS 1900 1987-101A 1987-12-12 TTMTR Tsiklon-2
COSMOS 1932 1988-019A 1988-03-14 TTMTR Tsiklon-2