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Kosmos 8

Summary

Kosmos 8 (Russian: Космос 8 meaning Cosmos 8), also known as DS-K-8 No.1 and occasionally in the West as Sputnik 18 was a technology demonstration satellite which was launched by the Soviet Union in 1962. It was the eighth satellite to be designated under the Kosmos system, and the third spacecraft launched as part of the DS programme to successfully reach orbit, after Kosmos 1 and Kosmos 6. Its primary mission was to demonstrate the technologies of SIGINT for future Soviet military satellites.

Kosmos 8
Mission typeMilitary technology
Micrometeorite
Harvard designation1962 Alpha Xi 1
COSPAR ID1962-038A Edit this at Wikidata
SATCAT no.00367
Mission duration364 jours
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft typeDS-K-8
ManufacturerYuzhnoye
Launch mass337 kg[1]
PowerBatteries
Start of mission
Launch date18 August 1962
05:02:00 GMT
RocketKosmos-2I 63S1
Launch siteKapustin Yar, Mayak-2
ContractorYuzhnoye
End of mission
Decay date17 August 1963
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric[2]
RegimeLow Earth
Perigee altitude251 km
Apogee altitude591 km
Inclination49.0°
Period92.9 minutes
Epoch18 August 1962
 

Spacecraft edit

Kosmos 8 was the only DS-K-8 satellite to be launched.[3][4] It also carried a micrometeorite detector payload which discovered meteoroid flux.[3] It had a mass of 337 kilograms (743 lb).[1]

Mission edit

This satellite tested the Kust-8 SIGINT equipment in orbit.[5] It was launched aboard of the eighth flight of the Kosmos-2I 63S1 rocket.[6] The launch was conducted from Mayak-2 at Kapustin Yar, and occurred at 05:02:00 GMT on 18 August 1962.[7] Kosmos 8 was placed into a low Earth orbit with a perigee of 251 kilometres (156 mi), an apogee of 591 kilometres (367 mi), an inclination of 49.0°, and an orbital period of 92.9 minutes.[2] It decayed on 17 August 1963, one day short of a year after its launch.[8]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b "Cosmos 8: Display 1962-038A". 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. ^ a b "Cosmos 8: Trajectory 1962-038A". 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. ^ a b Wade, Mark. "DS-K-8". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 17 June 2012. Retrieved 23 May 2009.
  4. ^ Wade, Mark. "DS". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 31 March 2009. Retrieved 23 May 2009.
  5. ^ https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/ds-k-8.htm - 24 April 2020
  6. ^ McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 23 May 2009.
  7. ^ Wade, Mark. "Kosmos 2". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 18 June 2012. Retrieved 23 May 2009.
  8. ^ McDowell, Jonathan. "Satellite Catalog". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 23 May 2009.