# Astron

> Soviet spacecraft

**Wikidata**: [Q19764](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q19764)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astron_(spacecraft))  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/astron

## Summary
Astron was a Soviet spacecraft serving as a space telescope launched on March 23, 1983. It operated until March 23, 1991 and was notable for its highly eccentric orbit that allowed extended ultraviolet observations away from Earth's shadow.

## Key Facts
- Astron was a Soviet spacecraft and space telescope launched on March 23, 1983
- It had a mass of 3250 kilograms and used a Proton-K launch vehicle
- It was launched from Baikonur Cosmodrome Site 200 with COSPAR ID 1983-020A
- The spacecraft had an apoapsis of 185,071 km and a periapsis of 19,015 km
- Its orbital parameters included an inclination of 51.5 degrees and eccentricity of 0.921934
- It was operated by the Dutch Research Council, the Netherlands' national research council
- The mission ended on March 23, 1991, after eight years of operation
- Astron was classified as both a space telescope and an artificial satellite of Earth

## FAQs
### Q: What was Astron?
A: Astron was a Soviet spacecraft designed to function as a space telescope for observing distant space objects. It was launched in 1983 and operated until 1991.

### Q: How long did Astron operate in space?
A: Astron operated from its launch on March 23, 1983, until its mission ended on March 23, 1991, completing an eight-year mission.

### Q: Who was responsible for operating Astron?
A: Astron was operated by the Dutch Research Council, which is the national research council of the Netherlands.

### Q: What made Astron's orbit unique?
A: Astron had a highly eccentric orbit with an apoapsis of approximately 185,000 km, allowing it to escape Earth's shadow for extended observation periods.

## Why It Matters
Astron represented significant Soviet space technology capabilities during the Cold War era and contributed importantly to ultraviolet astronomy. As one of the largest ultraviolet space telescopes of its time, it provided valuable data on interstellar matter, stellar atmospheres, and active galactic nuclei. The eight-year mission duration was notable for the era, and the telescope's highly eccentric orbit allowed uninterrupted observations not possible with many other space telescopes of the period. The involvement of the Dutch Research Council demonstrated international scientific cooperation despite the political tensions of the time, expanding the scope of the mission's scientific output and impact.

## Notable For
- One of the largest ultraviolet space telescopes at the time of its operation
- Had a highly eccentric orbit with apogee reaching approximately 185,000 km
- Allowed escape from Earth's shadow for extended, uninterrupted observation periods
- Operated internationally with Dutch involvement during the Cold War period
- Successfully completed an eight-year mission from 1983 to 1991

## Body
### Technical Specifications
- Astron had a mass of 3250 kilograms
- Its COSPAR ID was 1983-020A, matching its NSSDCA ID
- The spacecraft had an apoapsis of 185,071 km
- Its periapsis was 19,015 km
- Orbital inclination was 51.5 degrees
- Orbital eccentricity was 0.921934

### Mission Profile
- Launched on March 23, 1983
- Mission ended on March 23, 1991
- Launched from Baikonur Cosmodrome Site 200
- Used Proton-K as its launch vehicle
- Major event: Rocket launch on March 23, 1983

### Administrative Details
- Country of origin: Russia (formerly Soviet Union)
- Operated by: Dutch Research Council
- Wikipedia title: "Astron (spacecraft)"
- Wikipedia languages available: Arabic, Bulgarian, Catalan, German, Greek, English, Spanish, Finnish, French
- Site link count: 24
- SCN: 13901
- Freebase ID: /m/06cg7t

### Image and Aliases
- Official image available at: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/Astron.gif
- Alternate name: Astron衛星

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  "@type": "Thing",
  "name": "Astron",
  "description": "A Soviet spacecraft and space telescope launched in 1983 that operated until 1991",
  "url": "https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/Astron.gif",
  "sameAs": [
    "https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q289891",
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  "additionalType": "space telescope"
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## References

1. Jonathan's Space Report
2. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013