Kosmos 15 (Russian: Космос 15 meaning Cosmos 15) or Zenit-2 No.9 was a Soviet optical film-return reconnaissance satellite which was launched in 1963. A Zenit-2 spacecraft, Kosmos 15 was the ninth of eighty-one such satellites to be launched.[3][4]
Mission type | Optical imaging reconnaissance Radiation Meteorology |
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COSPAR ID | 1963-011A ![]() |
SATCAT no. | 00569 |
Mission duration | 5 days |
Spacecraft properties | |
Spacecraft type | Zenit-2 |
Manufacturer | OKB-1 |
Launch mass | 4730 kg[1] |
Start of mission | |
Launch date | 22 April 1963, 08:24:00 GMT |
Rocket | Vostok-2 s/n T15000-08 |
Launch site | Baikonur, Site 1/5 |
Contractor | OKB-1 |
End of mission | |
Disposal | Recovered |
Landing date | 27 April 1963 |
Landing site | Steppe in Kazakhstan |
Orbital parameters | |
Reference system | Geocentric[2] |
Regime | Low Earth |
Perigee altitude | 160 km |
Apogee altitude | 358 km |
Inclination | 65.0° |
Period | 89.8 minutes |
Epoch | 22 April 1963 |
Kosmos 15 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 4,730 kilograms (10,430 lb).[1]
The Vostok-2 rocket, serial number T15000-08,[5] was used to launch Kosmos 15. The launch took place at 08:24 GMT on 22 April 1963, using Site 1/5 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome.[6] Following its successful arrival in orbit the spacecraft received its Kosmos designation, along with the International Designator 1963-011A and the Satellite Catalog Number 00569. In addition to reconnaissance, Kosmos 15 carried an experiment package to measure radiation levels in its environment and was also used for meteorological research.
Kosmos 15 was operated in a low Earth orbit. On 24 April 1963, it had a perigee of 160 kilometres (99 mi), an apogee of 358 kilometres (222 mi), with an inclination of 65.0°, and an orbital period of 89.8 minutes.[2] Having spent five days in orbit, the spacecraft was deorbited on 27 April 1963. Its return capsule descended under parachute and was recovered by the Soviet forces in steppe in Kazakhstan.[7][4]
← 1962 · Orbital launches in 1963 · 1964 → | |
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Luna E-6 No.2 | OPS 0048 | OPS 0180 | Luna E-6 No.3 | Syncom 1 | OPS 0240 | OPS 0583 | OPS 0627 · P-11 No.1 | Kosmos 13 | OPS 0720 | Luna 4 | Explorer 17 | Transit 5A-2 | DS-P1 No.2 | Kosmos 14 | Kosmos 15 | OPS 1008 | OPS 1298 | Kosmos 16 | Telstar 2 | Midas 7 · DASH 1 · ERS-5 · ERS-6 · Westford 2 | Mercury-Atlas 9 (Balloon Subsatellite 2 · Flashing Light Unit) | OPS 0924 | Kosmos 17 | Kosmos 18 | DS-MT No.1 | OPS 0954 | Midas 8 · ERS-7 · ERS-8 | Vostok 5 | FTV-1292 · Solrad 6 · LOFTI 2B · Surcal 3 · Radose 112 | Transit 5A-3 | Vostok 6 | TIROS-7 | OPS 0999 · Hitchhiker 1 | GRS | OPS 1440 | Zenit-2 No.12 | OPS 1467 | OPS 1266 | Midas 9 · DASH 2 · ERS-9 · ERS-10 | Syncom 2 | OPS 1370 | Kosmos 19 | DS-A1 No.3 | OPS 1419 | OPS 1561 · LAMPO | OPS 1947 | OPS 1353 | OPS 1610 | Transit 5BN-1 · Transit 5E-1 | Vela 1A · Vela 1B · ERS-12 | Kosmos 20 | DS-A1 No.4 | OPS 2196 | OPS 2437 · Hitchhiker 2 | Polyot 1 | OPS 2268 | Kosmos 21 | Kosmos 22 | Explorer 18 | Atlas-Centaur 2 | OPS 2260 | Zenit-2 No.14 | Transit 5BN-2 · Transit 5E-2 | Kosmos 23 | OPS 2372 | Kosmos 24 | Explorer 19 | TIROS-8 | OPS 1388 · Hitchhiker 3 | |
Payloads are separated by bullets ( · ), launches by pipes ( | ). Crewed flights are indicated in underline. Uncatalogued launch failures are listed in italics. Payloads deployed from other spacecraft are denoted in brackets. |
Zenit-2 satellites | |
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Zenit-2 |
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Zenit-2M (Gektor) |
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