Kosmos 120
| Mission type | Optical imaging |
|---|---|
| COSPAR ID | 1966-050A |
| SATCAT no. | 2196 |
| Mission duration | 8 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 | 8 June 1966, 11:02 UTC[2] |
| Rocket | Voskhod |
| Launch site | Baikonur 31/6 |
| End of mission | |
| Disposal | Recovered |
| Landing date | 16 June 1966, 09:36 UTC[3] |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric |
| Regime | Low Earth |
| Perigee altitude | 200 kilometres (120 mi) |
| Apogee altitude | 286 kilometres (178 mi) |
| Inclination | 51.7 degrees |
| Period | 89.36 minutes |
| Epoch | 10 June 1966[4] |
Kosmos 120 ([Космос 120] Error: {{Lang-xx}}: text has italic markup (help) meaning Cosmos 120) or Zenit-2 No.41 was a Soviet optical film-return reconnaissance satellite launched in 1966. A Zenit-2 spacecraft, Kosmos 120 was the thirty-ninth of eighty-one such satellites to be launched[5][6] and had a mass of 4,730.0 kilograms (10,427.9 lb).[1]
Kosmos 120 was launched by a Voskhod carrier rocket,[7] flying from Site 31/6 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome. The launch took place at 11:02 UTC on 8 June 1966,[2] and following its successful arrival in orbit the spacecraft received its Kosmos designation; along with the International Designator 1966-050A and the Satellite Catalog Number 2196.[1] This was the first time a Voskhod had been used to launch a Zenit-2 satellite; previous launches had used Vostok-2 rockets while the Voskhod was typically used to launch Zenit-4 spacecraft.[8]
Kosmos 120 was operated in a low Earth orbit; at an epoch of 10 June 1966 it had a perigee of 200 kilometres (120 mi), an apogee of 286 kilometres (178 mi) inclination of 51.7 degrees and an orbital period of 89.36 minutes.[4] After eight days in orbit, Kosmos 120 was deorbited, with its return capsule descending under parachute and landing at 09:36 UTC on 16 June 1966.[3]
References
- ^ a b c d "Cosmos 120". National Space Science Data Center. Retrieved 4 January 2014.
- ^ a b McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 4 January 2014.
- ^ a b Christie, Robert. "Zenit Satellites - Zenit-2 variant". Zarya.info. Retrieved 4 January 2014.
- ^ a b McDowell, Jonathan. "Satellite Catalog". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 4 January 2014.
- ^ Krebs, Gunter. "Zenit-2 (11F61)". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 4 January 2014.
- ^ Wade, Mark. "Zenit-2". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Retrieved 4 January 2014.
- ^ Wade, Mark. "Voskhod 11A57". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Retrieved 4 January 2014.
- ^ Krebs, Gunter. "Voskhod (11A57)". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 4 January 2014.
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