Object D
오브옉트 D (Object D)
The original heavy scientific satellite project of the Soviet Union, approved by a USSR Council of Ministers decree on 30 January 1956. Conceived as the fifth payload type for the R-7 ICBM, Object D was a complex scientific laboratory weighing over a ton and carrying twelve instruments to measure atmospheric density, magnetic fields, solar radiation, and cosmic rays. Delays in instrument delivery led Sergei Korolev to shelve it in early 1957 in favor of the simplified PS-1 (Sputnik 1); Object D finally reached orbit as Sputnik 3 on 15 May 1958.
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Sources
- Wikipedia (RU) Russian Wikipedia: Object D designation, 30 January 1956 decree, scientific payload, shift to PS-1, launch as Sputnik 3 on 15 May 1958
- Wikipedia (EN) English Wikipedia: Object D as fifth R-7 payload type, 1,000-1,400 kg mass, delays leading Korolev to prioritize PS-1
- nasa.gov Asif Siddiqi for NASA: Object D as the complex laboratory sidelined for the simpler satellite; A/B/V/G designations for nuclear warhead containers
- russianspaceweb.com Anatoly Zak, RussianSpaceWeb: decree 149-88ss of 30 Jan 1956, design details, scientific objectives, timeline of development