Kosmos 8
Encyclopedia
Kosmos 8 also known as DS-K-8 #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 for future Soviet military satellites. It also carried a micrometeoroid
research payload which discovered meteoroid flux.
It was launched aboard the eighth flight of the Kosmos-2I
63S1 rocket. The launch was conducted from pad 2 of the Mayak Launch Complex at Kapustin Yar
, and occurred at 15:00 GMT on 18 August 1962.
Kosmos 8 was placed into a low Earth orbit
with a perigee
of 244 kilometres (151.6 mi), an apogee
of 598 kilometres (371.6 mi), 49 degrees of inclination
, and an orbital period
of 92.9 minutes. It decayed
on 17 August 1963, one day short of a year after its launch. Kosmos 8 was the only DS-K-8 satellite to be launched.
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....
which was 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 eighth 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 launched as part of the DS programme to successfully reach orbit, after Kosmos 1
Kosmos 1
Kosmos 1 , also known as DS-2 #1 and occasionally in the West as Sputnik 11 was a technology demonstration and ionospheric research satellite launched by the Soviet Union in 1962. It was the first satellite to be designated under the Kosmos system, and the first spacecraft launched as part of the...
and Kosmos 6
Kosmos 6
Kosmos 6 , also known as DS-P1 #1 and occasionally in the West as Sputnik 16 was a prototype radar target satellite for anti-ballistic missile tests, which was launched by the Soviet Union in 1962. It was the sixth satellite to be designated under the Kosmos system, and the second spacecraft...
. Its primary mission was to demonstrate the technologies for future Soviet military satellites. It also carried a micrometeoroid
Micrometeoroid
A micrometeoroid is a tiny meteoroid; a small particle of rock in space, usually weighing less than a gram. A micrometeor or micrometeorite is such a particle that enters the Earth's atmosphere or falls to Earth.-Scientific interest:...
research payload which discovered meteoroid flux.
It was launched aboard the eighth flight of the 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 rocket. 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 15:00 GMT on 18 August 1962.
Kosmos 8 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 244 kilometres (151.6 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 598 kilometres (371.6 mi), 49 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 92.9 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 17 August 1963, one day short of a year after its launch. Kosmos 8 was the only DS-K-8 satellite to be launched.