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Kosmos 15
	A Zenit reentry capsule
Names	Zenit 2-9
Mission type	Optical imaging reconnaissance; Radiation; Meteorology
Operator	Soviet space program
COSPAR ID	1963-011A
SATCAT no.	569
Mission duration	5 days
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft type	Zenit-2
Manufacturer	OKB-1
Launch mass	4730 kg
Start of mission
Launch date	22 April 1963, 08:24:00 GMT
Rocket	Vostok-2
Launch site	Baikonur 1/5
Contractor	OKB-1
End of mission
Disposal	Recovered
Landing date	27 April 1963
Landing site	Steppe in Kazakhstan
Orbital parameters
Reference system	Geocentric
Regime	Low Earth
Perigee altitude	160 km
Apogee altitude	358 km
Inclination	65.0°
Period	89.8 minutes
Epoch	22 April 1963
	Zenit programme; Zenit-2 ← Zenit 2-8 Zenit 2-10 → Kosmos (satellites) ← Kosmos 14 Kosmos 16 →

Kosmos 15 (Russian: Космос 15 meaning Cosmos 15) or Zenit-2 No.9 was a Soviet optical film-return reconnaissance satellite which was launched in 1963. A Zenit-2 spacecraft, Kosmos 15 was the ninth of eighty-one such satellites to be launched.^[3]^[4]

Spacecraft

Kosmos 15 was a Zenit-2 satellite, a first generation, low resolution, reconnaissance satellite derived from the Vostok spacecraft used for crewed flights, the satellites were developed by OKB-1. In addition to reconnaissance, it was also used for research into radiation in support of the Vostok programme. It had a mass of 4,730 kilograms (10,430 lb).^[1]

Mission

The Vostok-2 rocket, serial number T15000-08,^[5] was used to launch Kosmos 15. The launch took place at 08:24 GMT on 22 April 1963, using Site 1/5 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome.^[6] Following its successful arrival in orbit the spacecraft received its Kosmos designation, along with the International Designator 1963-011A and the Satellite Catalog Number 00569. In addition to reconnaissance, Kosmos 15 carried an experiment package to measure radiation levels in its environment and was also used for meteorological research.

Kosmos 15 was operated in a low Earth orbit. On 24 April 1963, it had a perigee of 160 kilometres (99 mi), an apogee of 358 kilometres (222 mi), with an inclination of 65.0°, and an orbital period of 89.8 minutes.^[2] Having spent five days in orbit, the spacecraft was deorbited on 27 April 1963. Its return capsule descended under parachute and was recovered by the Soviet forces in steppe in Kazakhstan.^[7]^[4]

References

^ ^a ^b "Cosmos 15: Display 1963-011A". nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov. NASA. 27 February 2020. Retrieved 25 April 2020. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
^ ^a ^b "Cosmos 15: Trajectory 1963-011A". nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov. NASA. 27 February 2020. Retrieved 25 April 2020. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
^ Krebs, Gunter. "Zenit-2 (11F61)". Gunter's Space Page. Archived from the original on 31 December 2011. Retrieved 13 December 2013.
^ ^a ^b Wade, Mark. "Zenit-2". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 23 May 2012. Retrieved 13 December 2013.
^ Wade, Mark. "Vostok 8A92". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 22 August 2016. Retrieved 13 December 2013.
^ McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 13 December 2013.
^ McDowell, Jonathan. "Satellite Catalog". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 13 December 2013.