Kosmos 5
Encyclopedia
Kosmos 5 also known as 2MS #2 and occasionally in the West as Sputnik 15 was a scientific research and technology demonstration satellite
launched by the Soviet Union
in 1962. It was the fifth satellite to be designated under the Kosmos
system, and the third spacecraft to be launched as part of the MS
programme, after Kosmos 2
and Kosmos 3
. Its primary missions were to develop systems for future satellites, and to record data about artificial radiation
around the Earth.
It was launched aboard Kosmos-2I
63S1 s/n
3LK. It was the sixth flight of the Kosmos-2I, and the fourth to successfully reach orbit. The launch was conducted from pad 2 of the Mayak Launch Complex at Kapustin Yar
, and occurred at 03:00 GMT on 28 May 1962.
Kosmos 5 was placed into a low Earth orbit
with a perigee
of 192 kilometres (119.3 mi), an apogee
of 1578 kilometres (980.5 mi), 49.1 degrees of inclination
, and an orbital period
of 102.6 minutes. It decayed
on 2 May 1963, after nearly a year in orbit.
Kosmos 5 was a 2MS satellite, the second of two to be launched, following the first which was launched as Kosmos 3
on 24 April. The 2MS was the second of two types of MS satellite to be launched, following the first 1MS spacecraft which had been launched as Kosmos 2. Kosmos 5 was the penultimate MS satellite to be launched, and the last to successfully reach orbit. The last launch attempt, of a 1MS satellite, occurred in October, and failed to reach orbit.
Satellite
In the context of spaceflight, a satellite is an object which has been placed into orbit by human endeavour. Such objects are sometimes called artificial satellites to distinguish them from natural satellites such as the Moon....
launched by the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
in 1962. It was the fifth satellite to be designated under the Kosmos
Cosmos (satellite)
Kosmos is a designation given to a large number of satellites operated by the Soviet Union and subsequently Russia. Kosmos 1, the first spacecraft to be given a Kosmos designation, was launched on March 16, 1962....
system, and the third spacecraft to be launched as part of the MS
MS (satellite)
MS was a series of four Soviet satellites launched in 1962. Two different types of satellite, 1MS and 2MS were used, with two satellites of each type being launched. Three of the satellites were operated successfully, however one of the 1MS satellites was lost in a launch failure...
programme, after Kosmos 2
Kosmos 2
Kosmos 2 , also known as 1MS #1 and occasionally in the West as Sputnik 12 was a scientific research and technology demonstration satellite launched by the Soviet Union in 1962. It was the second satellite to be designated under the Kosmos system, and the first spacecraft to be launched as part of...
and Kosmos 3
Kosmos 3
Kosmos 3 , also known as 2MS #1 and occasionally in the West as Sputnik 13 was a scientific research and technology demonstration satellite launched by the Soviet Union in 1962. It was the third satellite to be designated under the Kosmos system, and the second spacecraft to be launched as part of...
. Its primary missions were to develop systems for future satellites, and to record data about artificial radiation
Radiation
In physics, radiation is a process in which energetic particles or energetic waves travel through a medium or space. There are two distinct types of radiation; ionizing and non-ionizing...
around the Earth.
It was launched aboard Kosmos-2I
Kosmos-2I
Kosmos-2I is the designation applied to two Soviet carrier rockets, members of the R-12 family, which were used to orbit satellites between 1961 and 1977. They were superseded by the R-14 derived Kosmos-3 and Kosmos-3M.-References:* http://www.astronautix.com/lvs/koss63s1.htm*...
63S1 s/n
Serial number
A serial number is a unique number assigned for identification which varies from its successor or predecessor by a fixed discrete integer value...
3LK. It was the sixth flight of the Kosmos-2I, and the fourth to successfully reach orbit. The launch was conducted from pad 2 of the Mayak Launch Complex at Kapustin Yar
Kapustin Yar
Kapustin Yar is a Russian rocket launch and development site in Astrakhan Oblast, between Volgograd and Astrakhan. Known today as Znamensk , it was established 13 May 1946 and in the beginning used technology, material, and scientific support from defeated Germany...
, and occurred at 03:00 GMT on 28 May 1962.
Kosmos 5 was placed into a 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...
with a perigee
Apsis
An apsis , plural apsides , is the point of greatest or least distance of a body from one of the foci of its elliptical orbit. In modern celestial mechanics this focus is also the center of attraction, which is usually the center of mass of the system...
of 192 kilometres (119.3 mi), an apogee
Apsis
An apsis , plural apsides , is the point of greatest or least distance of a body from one of the foci of its elliptical orbit. In modern celestial mechanics this focus is also the center of attraction, which is usually the center of mass of the system...
of 1578 kilometres (980.5 mi), 49.1 degrees of inclination
Inclination
Inclination in general is the angle between a reference plane and another plane or axis of direction.-Orbits:The inclination is one of the six orbital parameters describing the shape and orientation of a celestial orbit...
, and an orbital period
Orbital period
The orbital period is the time taken for a given object to make one complete orbit about another object.When mentioned without further qualification in astronomy this refers to the sidereal period of an astronomical object, which is calculated with respect to the stars.There are several kinds of...
of 102.6 minutes. It decayed
Orbital decay
Orbital decay is the process of prolonged reduction in the altitude of a satellite's orbit.This can be due to drag produced by an atmosphere due to frequent collisions between the satellite and surrounding air molecules. The drag experienced by the object is larger in the case of increased solar...
on 2 May 1963, after nearly a year in orbit.
Kosmos 5 was a 2MS satellite, the second of two to be launched, following the first which was launched as Kosmos 3
Kosmos 3
Kosmos 3 , also known as 2MS #1 and occasionally in the West as Sputnik 13 was a scientific research and technology demonstration satellite launched by the Soviet Union in 1962. It was the third satellite to be designated under the Kosmos system, and the second spacecraft to be launched as part of...
on 24 April. The 2MS was the second of two types of MS satellite to be launched, following the first 1MS spacecraft which had been launched as Kosmos 2. Kosmos 5 was the penultimate MS satellite to be launched, and the last to successfully reach orbit. The last launch attempt, of a 1MS satellite, occurred in October, and failed to reach orbit.