Harvard designation 1962 Alpha Iota 1 Launch date 28 July 1962 | Mission type Reconnaissance satellite | |
Launch mass 4,610 kilograms (10,160 lb) Landing date 1 August 1962 (1962-09) Manufacturer S. P. Korolev Rocket and Space Corporation Energia | ||
Kosmos 7 (Russian: Космос 7 meaning Cosmos 7), also known as Zenit-2 #4 and occasionally in the West as Sputnik 17 was a Soviet reconnaissance satellite launched in 1962. It was the seventh satellite to be designated under the Kosmos system, and the second successful launch of a Soviet reconnaissance satellite. It also marked the first successful launch of a Vostok-2, on the second attempt. The first Vostok-2 launch, also carrying a Zenit-2 satellite, suffered an engine failure seconds after launch, fell back to earth and exploded within 300 metres of the launch pad.
Vostok-2 s/n T15000-07 was used to launch Kosmos 7. The launch was conducted from Site 1/5 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, and occurred at 09:18:31 GMT on 28 July 1962.
Kosmos 7 was placed into a low Earth orbit with a perigee of 197 kilometres (122 mi), an apogee of 356 kilometres (221 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 1 August.
Kosmos 7 was a Zenit-2 satellite, a reconnaissance satellite derived from the Vostok spacecraft used for manned flights. It was the second Zenit-2 to reach orbit, the first being Kosmos 4. The next Zenit-2 launch was Kosmos 9. Kosmos 7 carried an area survey reconnaissance payload. In addition to reconnaissance, it was also used for research into radiation.