Kosmos 16

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]

Kosmos 16
Mission typeOptical imaging reconnaissance
COSPAR ID1963-012A
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
 

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. "Cosmos 16: Display 1963-012A". nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov. NASA. 27 February 2020. Retrieved 25 April 2020. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  2. "Cosmos 16: Trajectory 1963-012A". nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov. NASA. 27 February 2020. Retrieved 25 April 2020. 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 21 April 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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