Kosmos 4

Kosmos 4 (Russian: Космос 4 meaning Cosmos 4), also known as Zenit-2 No.2 and occasionally in the West as Sputnik 14 was the first Soviet reconnaissance satellite to successfully reach orbit.

Kosmos 4
Mission typeOptical imaging reconnaissance
Harvard designation1962 Xi 1
COSPAR ID1962-014A
SATCAT no.00287
Mission duration3 days (4 days planned)
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft typeZenit-2
ManufacturerOKB-1
Launch mass4610 kg [1]
Start of mission
Launch date26 April 1962, 10:02 GMT
RocketVostok-K
Launch siteBaikonur, Site 1/5
ContractorOKB-1
End of mission
DisposalRecovered
Landing date29 April 1962
Landing siteSteppe in Kazakhstan
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric [2]
RegimeLow Earth
Perigee altitude285 km
Apogee altitude317 km
Inclination65.0°
Period90.6 minutes
Epoch26 April 1962
 

Spacecraft

Kosmos 4 was a Zenit-2 satellite, a first generation, low resolution reconnaissance satellite derived from the Vostok spacecraft used for crewed flights.[1] It was the fourth satellite to be designated under the Kosmos system, and the second Soviet attempt to launch a reconnaissance satellite, the previous attempt having failed after one of the carrier rockets' engines shut down prematurely.[3] It had a mass of 4,610 kilograms (10,160 lb).[1]

Mission

It was launched on a Vostok-K rocket, which was making its seventh flight.[4] It was the last Zenit launch to use the Vostok-K, before launches switched to the Vostok-2 starting with the next launch attempt in June 1962. The launch was conducted from Site 1/5 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, and occurred at 10:02:00 GMT on 26 April 1962.[5] Kosmos 4 was placed into a low Earth orbit with a perigee of 285 kilometres (177 mi), an apogee of 317 kilometres (197 mi), an inclination of 65.0°, and an orbital period of 90.6 minutes.[2]

It conducted a four-day mission, to measure radiation before and after the US nuclear tests conducted during project Starfish Prime.[1] However, leaks from the oxygen system tanks used for the orientation system resulted in the premature return of the spacecraft after three days of flight. During most of the flight the spacecraft was uncontrollable, before being deorbited and landing by parachute on 29 April 1962, and recovered by the Soviet forces in the steppe in Kazakhstan.[6]

The next Zenit launch attempt, scheduled for May but delayed to 1 June 1962, failed to reach orbit, but the next launch successfully reached orbit as Kosmos 7.[3]

See also

References
  1. "Cosmos 4: Display 1962-014A". nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov. NASA. 27 February 2020. Retrieved 23 April 2020. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  2. "Cosmos 4: Trajectory 1962-014A". nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov. NASA. 27 February 2020. Retrieved 23 April 2020. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  3. Wade, Mark. "Zenit-2". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 21 April 2012. Retrieved 23 May 2009.
  4. McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 23 May 2009.
  5. Wade, Mark. "Soyuz". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 17 January 2010. Retrieved 23 May 2009.
  6. McDowell, Jonathan. "Satellite Catalog". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 15 December 2013.
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