Kosmos 10 Explained

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]

Spacecraft

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]

Mission

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]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Zenit-2. Wade. Mark. Encyclopedia Astronautica. 2009-05-24. dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120523064141/http://www.astronautix.com/craft/zenit2.htm. 2012-05-23.
  2. Web site: Cosmos 10: Display 1962-054A. 27 February 2020. nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov. NASA. 24 April 2020.
  3. Web site: Launch Log. McDowell . Jonathan. Jonathan's Space Page. 2009-05-24.
  4. Web site: Soyuz. Wade. Mark. Encyclopedia Astronautica. 2009-05-24. dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100107163113/http://astronautix.com/lvs/soyuz.htm. 2010-01-07.
  5. Web site: Cosmos 10: Trajectory 1962-054A. 27 February 2020. nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov. NASA. 24 April 2020.
  6. Web site: Satellite Catalog. McDowell. Jonathan. Jonathan's Space Page. 2009-05-24.