Kosmos-2251
Encyclopedia
Kosmos-2251, was a Russia
n Strela-2M
communications satellite
. It was launched into Low Earth orbit
from Site 132/1
at the Plesetsk Cosmodrome
at 04:17 GMT on 16 June 1993, by a Kosmos-3M carrier rocket.
with Iridium 33
, an Iridium satellite, in the first major collision of two satellites in Earth orbit. The Iridium satellite, which was operational at the time of the collision, was destroyed, as was Kosmos-2251. The Kosmos satellite was launched in 1993. NASA
reported that a large amount of debris
was produced by the collision.
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n Strela-2M
Strela (satellite)
Strela is a Russian military communications satellite constellation operating in low Earth orbit.-History:The first three satellites, Kosmos 38 , Kosmos 39 and Kosmos 40 , were launched on 18 August 1964...
communications satellite
Communications satellite
A communications satellite is an artificial satellite stationed in space for the purpose of telecommunications...
. It was launched into Low Earth orbit
Low Earth orbit
A low Earth orbit is generally defined as an orbit within the locus extending from the Earth’s surface up to an altitude of 2,000 km...
from Site 132/1
Plesetsk Cosmodrome Site 132
Site 132, also known as Chusovaya , is a launch complex at the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in Russia, used by Kosmos carrier rockets. It consists of a two launch pads, Site 133/1, which is active, and Site 133/2 which is not....
at the Plesetsk Cosmodrome
Plesetsk Cosmodrome
Plesetsk Cosmodrome is a Russian spaceport, located in Arkhangelsk Oblast, about 800 km north of Moscow and approximately 200 km south of Arkhangelsk.-Overview:...
at 04:17 GMT on 16 June 1993, by a Kosmos-3M carrier rocket.
Destruction
At 16:56 GMT on 10 February 2009, it collided2009 satellite collision
The 2009 satellite collision was the first accidental hypervelocity collision between two intact artificial satellites in Earth orbit. The collision occurred at 16:56 UTC on February 10, 2009, at above the Taymyr Peninsula in Siberia, when Iridium 33 and Kosmos-2251 collided...
with Iridium 33
Iridium 33
Iridium 33 was a U.S. Iridium communications satellite. It was launched into low Earth orbit from Site 81/23 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome at 01:36 GMT on 14 September 1997, by a Proton-K carrier rocket with a Block DM2 upper stage...
, an Iridium satellite, in the first major collision of two satellites in Earth orbit. The Iridium satellite, which was operational at the time of the collision, was destroyed, as was Kosmos-2251. The Kosmos satellite was launched in 1993. NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
reported that a large amount of debris
Space debris
Space debris, also known as orbital debris, space junk, and space waste, is the collection of objects in orbit around Earth that were created by humans but no longer serve any useful purpose. These objects consist of everything from spent rocket stages and defunct satellites to erosion, explosion...
was produced by the collision.