Kosmos 16

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Kosmos 16
Mission type Optical imaging
COSPAR ID 1963-012A
SATCAT № 571
Mission duration 10 days[1]
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft type Zenit-2
Manufacturer OKB-1
Launch mass 4,730.0 kilograms (10,427.9 lb)[1]
Start of mission
Launch date 28 April 1963, 08:49:56 (1963-04-28UTC08:49:56Z) UTC[2]
Rocket Vostok-2
Launch site Baikonur 1/5
End of mission
Disposal Recovered
Landing date 8 May 1963 (1963-05-09)
Orbital parameters
Reference system Geocentric
Regime Low Earth
Perigee 195 kilometres (121 mi)
Apogee 384 kilometres (239 mi)
Inclination 65 degrees
Period 90.3 minutes
Epoch 30 April 1963[3]

Kosmos 16 (Russian: Космос 16 meaning Cosmos 16) or Zenit-2 No.10 was a Soviet optical film-return reconnaissance satellite which was launched in 1963. A Zenit-2 satellite, Kosmos 16 was the tenth of eighty-one such spacecraft to be launched[4][5] and had a mass of 4,730.0 kilograms (10,427.9 lb).[1]

A Vostok-2 rocket, serial number E15000-02,[6] was used to launch Kosmos 16. The launch took place at 08:49:56 UTC on 28 April 1963, using Site 1/5 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome.[2] Following its successful arrival in orbit the spacecraft received its Kosmos designation, along with the International Designator 1963-012A and the Satellite Catalog Number 571.[1]

Kosmos 16 was operated in a low Earth orbit. On 30 April 1963 it had a perigee of 195 kilometres (121 mi), an apogee of 384 kilometres (239 mi), with inclination of 65 degrees and an orbital period of 90.3 minutes. A malfunction of the spacecraft's attitude control system resulted in the satellite being able to return only some of the images which it had been programmed to produce.[5] After ten days in orbit, the spacecraft was deorbited on 8 May 1963.[3] Its return capsule descended under parachute and was recovered by Soviet forces.

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "Cosmos 16". National Space Science Data Center. Retrieved 13 December 2013. 
  2. 2.0 2.1 McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 13 December 2013. 
  3. 3.0 3.1 McDowell, Jonathan. "Satellite Catalog". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 13 December 2013. 
  4. Krebs, Gunter. "Zenit-2 (11F61)". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 13 December 2013. 
  5. 5.0 5.1 Wade, Mark. "Zenit-2". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Retrieved 13 December 2013. 
  6. Wade, Mark. "Vostok 8A92". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Retrieved 13 December 2013. 
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