Harvard designation 1962 Beta Zeta 1 Reference system Geocentric Launch date 17 October 1962 Launch site Baikonur Cosmodrome | Spacecraft type Zenit-2 Regime Low Earth Rocket Vostok-2 Mission type Reconnaissance satellite | |
Launch mass 4,700 kilograms (10,400 lb) Landing date 21 October 1962 (1962-10-22) Manufacturer S. P. Korolev Rocket and Space Corporation Energia People also search for Kosmos 9, Kosmos 8, Kosmos 12 | ||
Kosmos 10 (Russian: Космос 10 meaning Cosmos 10), also known as Zenit-2 #5, was a Soviet reconnaissance satellite launched in 1962. It was the tenth satellite to be designated under the Kosmos system, and the fourth successful launch of a Soviet reconnaissance satellite, following Kosmos 4, Kosmos 7 and Kosmos 9.
Vostok-2 s/n T15000-03 was used to launch Kosmos 10. The launch was conducted from Site 1/5 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, and occurred at 09:00:00 UTC on 21 October 1962.
Kosmos 10 was placed into a low Earth orbit with a perigee of 178 kilometres (111 mi), an apogee of 376 kilometres (234 mi), 64.9 degrees of inclination, and an orbital period of 90 minutes. It conducted a four-day mission, before being deorbited and landing by parachute on 21 October.
Kosmos 10 was a Zenit-2 satellite, a reconnaissance satellite derived from the Vostok spacecraft used for manned flights. Kosmos 10 carried an area survey reconnaissance payload. In addition to reconnaissance, it was also used for research into radiation in support of the Vostok programme. It was the last four day test flight of the Zenit-2 programme, before the system became fully operational and began making eight day full-duration flights from the next mission, Kosmos 12.