| Kosmos 10 | |
| Names List: | Zenit 2-6 |
| Mission Type: | Optical imaging reconnaissance Radiation |
| Operator: | Soviet space program |
| Harvard Designation: | 1962 Beta Zeta 1 |
| Cospar Id: | 1962-054A |
| Satcat: | 437 |
| Mission Duration: | 4 days |
| Spacecraft Type: | Zenit-2 |
| Manufacturer: | OKB-1 |
| Launch Mass: | 4610 kg |
| Launch Date: | 17 October 1962 09:21:00 GMT |
| Launch Rocket: | Vostok-2 |
| Launch Site: | Baikonur 1/5 |
| Launch Contractor: | OKB-1 |
| Disposal Type: | Recovered |
| Landing Date: | 21 October 1962 |
| Landing Site: | Steppe in Kazakhstan |
| Orbit Epoch: | 17 October 1962 |
| Orbit Reference: | Geocentric |
| Orbit Regime: | Low Earth |
| Orbit Periapsis: | 197 km |
| Orbit Apoapsis: | 367 km |
| Orbit Inclination: | 65.0° |
| Orbit Period: | 90.2 minutes |
| Apsis: | gee |
| Programme: | Zenit programme Zenit-2 |
| Previous Mission: | Zenit 2-5 |
| Next Mission: | Zenit 2-7 |
| Programme2: | Kosmos (satellites) |
| Previous Mission2: | Kosmos 9 |
| Next Mission2: | Kosmos 11 |
Kosmos 10 (Russian: Космос 10 meaning Cosmos 10), also known as Zenit-2 No.6, was a Soviet reconnaissance satellite launched in 1962. It was the tenth satellite to be designated under the Kosmos system, and the fourth successful launch of a Soviet reconnaissance satellite, following Kosmos 4, Kosmos 7 and Kosmos 9.[1]
Kosmos 10 was a Zenit-2 satellite, a first generation, low resolution, reconnaissance satellite derived from the Vostok spacecraft used for crewed flights, the satellites were developed by OKB-1. In addition to reconnaissance, it was also used for research into radiation in support of the Vostok programme. It had a mass of .[2]
The Vostok-2, s/n T15000-03, was used to launch Kosmos 10.[3] The launch was conducted from Site 1/5 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, and occurred at 09:21 GMT on 21 October 1962.[4] Kosmos 10 was placed into a low Earth orbit with a perigee of, an apogee of, an inclination of 65.0°, and an orbital period of 90.2 minutes.[5] It conducted a four-day mission, before being deorbited and landing by parachute on 21 October 1962, and recovered by the Soviet forces in the steppe in Kazakhstan.[6]
It was the last four-day test flight of the Zenit-2 programme, before the system became fully operational and began making eight-day full-duration flights from the next mission, Kosmos 12.[1]