Kosmos 16
Mission typeOptical imaging reconnaissance
COSPAR ID1963-012A Edit this at Wikidata
SATCAT no.00571
Mission duration10 days
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft typeZenit-2
ManufacturerOKB-1
Launch mass4730 kg[1]
Start of mission
Launch date28 April 1963, 09:36:00 GMT
RocketVostok-2 s/n E15000-02
Launch siteBaikonur, Site 1/5
ContractorOKB-1
End of mission
DisposalRecovered
Landing date8 May 1963
Landing siteSteppe in Kazakhstan
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric[2]
RegimeLow Earth
Perigee altitude194 km
Apogee altitude388 km
Inclination65.0°
Period90.4 minutes
Epoch28 April 1963
 

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.[3][4]

Spacecraft

Kosmos 16 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]

Mission

The Vostok-2 rocket, serial number E15000-02,[5] was used to launch Kosmos 16. The launch took place at 09:36:00 GMT on 28 April 1963, using Site 1/5 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome. Following its successful arrival in orbit the spacecraft received its Kosmos designation, along with the International Designator 1963-012A and the Satellite Catalog Number 00571.[1]

Kosmos 16 was operated in a low Earth orbit. On 30 April 1963, it had a perigee of 194 kilometres (121 mi), an apogee of 388 kilometres (241 mi), with an inclination of 65.0°, and an orbital period of 90.4 minutes.[2] A malfunction of the spacecraft's attitude control system resulted in the satellite being able to return only some of the images, due to the failure of the engine block stabilisation system.[1] After ten days in orbit, the spacecraft was deorbited on 8 May 1963.[6] Its return capsule descended under a parachute and was recovered by the Soviet forces in the steppe in Kazakhstan.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Cosmos 16: Display 1963-012A". nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov. NASA. 27 February 2020. Retrieved 25 April 2020. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  2. ^ a b "Cosmos 16: Trajectory 1963-012A". nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov. NASA. 27 February 2020. Retrieved 25 April 2020. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  3. ^ Krebs, Gunter. "Zenit-2 (11F61)". Gunter's Space Page. Archived from the original on 31 December 2011. Retrieved 13 December 2013.
  4. ^ Wade, Mark. "Zenit-2". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 23 May 2012. Retrieved 13 December 2013.
  5. ^ Wade, Mark. "Vostok 8A92". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 22 August 2016. Retrieved 13 December 2013.
  6. ^ McDowell, Jonathan. "Satellite Catalog". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 13 December 2013.


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