Launch Success
Liftoff Time (GMT)
08:20:00
Saturday February 24, 1979
P78-1 was the first satellite in space to discover a comet in general and a sungrazing comet in particular. In total, 9 sungrazing comets, all belonging to the Kreutz group, were discovered on images taken by the Solwind coronagraph. The satellite operated until it was destroyed in orbit on September 13, 1985, to test the ASM-135 ASAT anti-satellite missile.
Polar Orbit
1 Payload
1,331 kilograms
1st
Mission
1st
Mission of 1979
18th
Orbital launch attempt