Synopsis
Here is a summary of the key points from the report:
- The 18th Space Defense Squadron announced the breakup of the Soviet-era Cosmos 2143 communications spacecraft on June 29, 2023.
- Cosmos 2143 was launched in 1991 as part of the Strela-3 communications constellation. After 32 years in orbit, it broke up at an altitude of ~1400 km.
- 6 fragments were cataloged after the event, in addition to the parent body. The cause of the breakup is unknown.
- Cosmos 2143 had a dry mass of ~225 kg. The breakup occurred well past its expected lifetime, making the event unique.
- A Gabbard diagram shows the debris cloud, with a max change in inclination of 0.43° and max change in period of 2.5 minutes.
- The high-pressure battery assembly used on these spacecraft cannot be excluded as a possible cause of the late-life breakup.
In summary, the inactive Cosmos 2143 communications spacecraft experienced an unexpected breakup after over 30 years in orbit. The resulting debris cloud was limited, but the cause is unknown and may be related to its high-pressure battery system.
