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Kosmos 66

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Kosmos 66
A Zenit reentry capsule
NamesZenit 2-27
Mission typeOptical imaging reconnaissance
OperatorOKB-1
COSPAR ID1965-035A Edit this at Wikidata
SATCAT no.1362
Mission duration8 days
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft typeZenit-2
ManufacturerOKB-1
Launch mass4730 kg[1]
Start of mission
Launch date7 May 1965, 09:50:00 GMT
RocketVostok-2
Launch siteBaikonur 31/6
ContractorOKB-1
End of mission
DisposalCrashed (destroyed)
Destroyed15 May 1965
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric[2]
RegimeLow Earth
Perigee altitude202 km
Apogee altitude282 km
Inclination65.0°
Period89.3 minutes
Epoch7 May 1965

Kosmos 66 (Russian: Космос 66 meaning Cosmos 66) or Zenit-2 No.27 was a Soviet, first generation, low resolution, optical film-return reconnaissance satellite launched in 1965. A Zenit-2 spacecraft, Kosmos 66 was the twenty-seventh of eighty-one such satellites to be launched[3][4] and had a mass of 4,730 kilograms (10,430 lb).

Kosmos 66 was launched by a Vostok-2 rocket, serial number R15002-04,[5] flying from Site 31/6 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome. The launch took place at 09:50 GMT on 7 May 1965,[6] and following its successful arrival in orbit the spacecraft received its Kosmos designation; along with the International Designator 1965-035A and the Satellite Catalog Number 01362.

Kosmos 66 was operated in a low Earth orbit, on 7 May 1965 it had a perigee of 202 kilometres (126 mi), an apogee of 282 kilometres (175 mi), an inclination of 65.0° and an orbital period of 89.3 minutes. On 15 May 1965, after eight days in orbit, the satellite was deorbited so that its return capsule could be recovered and its photos analysed, however, the mission was unsuccessful because a parachute deployment failed and the spacecraft was destroyed in the subsequent crash.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/display.action?id=1965-035A - 27 February 2020
  2. ^ https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/displayTrajectory.action?id=1965-035A - 27 February 2020
  3. ^ Krebs, Gunter. "Zenit-2 (11F61)". Gunter's Space Page. Archived from the original on 31 December 2011. Retrieved 17 December 2013.
  4. ^ Wade, Mark. "Zenit-2". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 23 May 2012. Retrieved 17 December 2013.
  5. ^ Wade, Mark. "Vostok 8A92". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 22 August 2016. Retrieved 13 December 2013.
  6. ^ McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 17 December 2013.