Kosmos (, , meaning ) is a designation given to many satellites operated by the Soviet Union and subsequently Russia. Kosmos 1, the first spacecraft to be given a Kosmos designation, was launched on 16 March 1962.

History

The first Soviet satellites orbiting Earth were named Sputnik, Polyot (starting in 1963), Elektron (in 1964), Proton (in 1965), and Molniya (in 1965), but most have been called Kosmos since Kosmos 1 on 16 March 1962. The program has included uncrewed tests of crewed spacecraft and satellites for scientific research and military purposes. , 2548 Kosmos satellites have been launched. The spacecraft do not form a single programme, but instead consist of almost all Soviet and Russian military satellites, as well as a number of scientific satellites, and spacecraft which failed during or immediately after launch, but still reached orbit.

Most Soviet and subsequently Russian military satellites were given Kosmos designations. Spacecraft include optical reconnaissance satellites, communications satellites, early warning missile defence spacecraft, nuclear-powered radar reconnaissance satellites, anti-satellite weapons and their targets, navigation satellites and technology demonstrators. Some scientific spacecraft such as Dnepropetrovsk Sputnik, Bion and Meteor satellites were also given Kosmos designations.

The designation is given only to satellites which are in Earth orbit. Typically, Soviet Lunar and planetary missions were initially put into a low Earth parking orbit along with an

upper stage, which would later burn for around four minutes to place the spacecraft into a cislunar or a heliocentric orbit. If the engine misfired or the burn was not completed, the probes which would be left in Earth orbit would be given a Kosmos designation.

Control systems for 152 spacecraft which were later assigned Kosmos designations were developed and manufactured by NPO Electropribor (Kharkiv).

Early Kosmos satellites

Kosmos 1

Kosmos 1, also known as Sputnik 11, was launched on 16 March 1962 at 12:00:00 GMT.

Orbital mass 285 kg. It was the first satellite of the Soviet Earth Satellite series.

Employed radio instruments in order to study the structure of the ionosphere.

Kosmos 2

Kosmos 2, also known as Sputnik 12, was launched on 6 April 1962 at 17:16:00 GMT.

Orbital mass 285 kg. It was the second satellite of the Soviet Earth Satellite series.

  • Kosmos 1374 - first flight of BOR-4 prototype of Spiral military shuttle system
  • Kosmos 1375 - target satellite launched in Jun 1982 and intercepted and destroyed by Kosmos 1379 a few weeks later.
  • Kosmos 1378 - ELINT satellite
  • Kosmos 1402 - failed
  • Kosmos 1408 - destroyed in an anti-satellite weapon test
  • Kosmos 1443 - third flight of TKS spacecraft
  • Kosmos 1445 - second flight of BOR-4 prototype of Spiral military shuttle system
  • Kosmos 1517 - third flight of BOR-4 prototype of Spiral military shuttle system
  • Kosmos 1614 - fourth flight of BOR-4 prototype of Spiral military shuttle system
  • Kosmos 1669 - control-restored flight of Progress cargo spacecraft
  • Kosmos 1686 - fourth flight of TKS spacecraft
  • Kosmos 1818 - first RORSAT with Topaz-1 nuclear reactor
  • Kosmos 1867 - second RORSAT with Topaz-1 nuclear reactor
  • Kosmos 1870 - uncrewed flight of Almaz military station
  • Kosmos 2251 - collided with an Iridium satellite
  • Kosmos 2441 - first in a new series of spy satellites (Persona), features updated imaging technology and an extended lifetime of up to seven years, failed
  • Kosmos 2479 - last Oko US-KMO early warning satellite, launched on last Proton-K launch vehicle.
  • Kosmos 2480 - Kobalt-M spy satellite, launched aboard the last Soyuz-U launch vehicle from Plesetsk Cosmodrome.

See also

  • Russian space program
  • Bion (satellite)

References

  • Cosmos unmasked: studying Soviet and Russian space history in the 21st century by Dwayne A. Day
  • Recoverable Satellites under the Cosmos Programme