Sputnik 40
title: "Sputnik 40" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["spacecraft-launched-in-1997", "sputnik"] topic_path: "general/spacecraft-launched-in-1997" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sputnik_40" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::data[format=table title="Infobox spaceflight"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Sputnik 40 |
| mission_type | Amateur radio |
| operator | Aéro-Club de France |
| AMSAT | |
| Rosaviakosmos | |
| COSPAR_ID | 1997-058C |
| mission_duration | 1-2 months |
| launch_mass | 4 kg |
| launch_date | UTC |
| launch_rocket | Soyuz-U |
| launch_site | Baikonur 1/5 |
| deployment_from | Mir |
| deployment_date | 3 November 1997, 04:05 UTC |
| last_contact | |
| decay_date | 21 May 1998 |
| orbit_epoch | 4 November 1997 |
| orbit_reference | Geocentric |
| orbit_regime | Low Earth |
| orbit_periapsis | 376 km |
| orbit_apoapsis | 382 km |
| orbit_inclination | 51.6 degrees |
| apsis | gee |
| :: |
| name = Sputnik 40 | image = | image_caption =
| mission_type = Amateur radio | operator = Aéro-Club de France AMSAT Rosaviakosmos | website = | COSPAR_ID = 1997-058C | SATCAT = | mission_duration = 1-2 months
| spacecraft_bus = | manufacturer = | dry_mass = | launch_mass = 4 kg | power =
| launch_date = UTC | launch_rocket = Soyuz-U | launch_site = Baikonur 1/5 | launch_contractor = | deployment_from = Mir | deployment_date = 3 November 1997, 04:05 UTC
| last_contact = | decay_date = 21 May 1998
| orbit_epoch = 4 November 1997 | orbit_reference = Geocentric | orbit_regime = Low Earth | orbit_periapsis = 376 km | orbit_apoapsis = 382 km | orbit_inclination = 51.6 degrees | orbit_period = | apsis = gee
Sputnik 40 (, ), also known as Sputnik Jr, PS-2 and Radio Sputnik 17 (RS-17), was a Franco-Russian amateur radio satellite which was launched in 1997 to commemorate the fortieth anniversary of the launch of Sputnik 1, the world's first artificial satellite. A 4 kg one-third scale model of Sputnik 1, Sputnik 40 was deployed from the Mir space station on 3 November 1997. Built by students, the spacecraft was constructed at the Polytechnic Laboratory of Nalchik in Kabardino-Balkaria, whilst its transmitter was assembled by Jules Reydellet College in Réunion with technical support from AMSAT-France.
Launch
Sputnik 40 was launched, along with a backup spacecraft and the X-Mir inspection satellite, aboard Progress M-36 at 15:08 UTC on 5 October 1997. A Soyuz-U carrier rocket placed the spacecraft into orbit, flying from 1/5 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan: the same launch pad used by Sputnik 1. Progress M-36 docked to Mir on 8 October, and the satellites were transferred to the space station. At 04:05 UTC on 3 November, during an extra-vehicular activity, Sputnik 40 was deployed by cosmonauts Anatoly Solovyev and Pavel Vinogradov.
Orbit
On 4 November, the day after it was deployed, Sputnik 40 was in a low Earth orbit with a perigee of 376 km, an apogee of 382 km, an inclination of 51.6 degrees, and a period of 92.13 minutes. The satellite was given the International Designator 1997-058C, and was catalogued by the United States Space Command as 24958. It ceased operations on 29 December 1997 when its batteries expired, and subsequently decayed from orbit on 21 May 1998. The backup satellite remained aboard Mir, and was destroyed when Mir was deorbited on 23 March 2001.
References
References
- "Sputnik Jr". N2YO.
- Krebs, Gunter. "Sputnik 40, 41, 99 (RS 17, 18, 19)". Gunter's Space Page.
- (12 June 2006). "Spoutnik 40 (RS-17)". AMSAT-France.
- Wade, Mark. "PS Model". Encyclopedia Astronautica.
- McDowell, Jonathan. (5 November 1997). "Issue 339". Jonathan's Space Report.
- McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Page.
- Wade, Mark. "Progress-M". Encyclopedia Astronautica.
- Wade, Mark. "Mir". Encyclopedia Astronautica.
- McDowell, Jonathan. "Satellite Catalog". Jonathan's Space Page.
- (1 December 1997). "SPACEWARN Activities, SPX-529". NASA.
- (30 August 1997). "Sputnik: First Artificial Satellite".
- "Tiny Beeping Model Tossed From Station". Space Today Online.
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