Kosmos 2251

Kosmos-2251 (Russian: Космос-2251 meaning Cosmos 2251), was a Russian Strela-2M military communications satellite. It was launched into Low Earth orbit from Site 132/1 at the Plesetsk Cosmodrome at 04:17 UTC on 16 June 1993, by a Kosmos-3M carrier rocket.[3]·[4] The Strela satellites had a lifespan of 5 years, and the Russian government reported that Kosmos-2251 ceased functioning in 1995.[5] Russia was later criticised by The Space Review for leaving a defunct satellite in a congested orbit, rather than deorbiting it. In response, Russia noted that they were (and are)[6] not required to do so under international law.[7][8] In any case, the KAUR-1 satellites had no propulsion system, which is usually required for deorbiting.[9][10]

Kosmos 2251
A Strela-2M communication satellite, similar to Kosmos 2251.
Mission typeMilitary communication
OperatorVKS
COSPAR ID1993-036A
SATCAT no.22675
Mission duration5 years (nominal mission)
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft typeStrela-2M
BusKAUR-1[1]
ManufacturerReshetnev
Launch mass900 kg
Start of mission
Launch date16 June 1993, 04:17 UTC
RocketKosmos-3M
Launch sitePlesetsk, Site 132/1
End of mission
Last contact1995
Decay date10 February 2009
(destroyed in space)
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric[2]
RegimeLow Earth
Perigee altitude783 km
Apogee altitude821 km
Inclination74.0°
Period101.0 minutes
 

Destruction
Main article: 2009 satellite collision

At 16:56 UTC on 10 February 2009,[11] it collided with Iridium 33 (1997-051C), an Iridium satellite,[12] in the first major collision of two satellites in Earth orbit. The Iridium satellite, which was operational at the time of the collision, was destroyed, as was Kosmos-2251.[13] NASA reported that a large amount of debris was produced by the collision.[14][15]

See also

References
  1. Brian Weeden (10 November 2010). "2009 Iridium-Cosmos Collision Fact Sheet" (PDF). Secure World Foundation.
  2. https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/displayTrajectory.action?id=1993-036A - 27 February 2020
  3. Wade, Mark. "Strela-2M". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 10 July 2016. Retrieved 25 March 2019.
  4. Wade, Mark. "Kosmos-11k65". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 11 October 2016. Retrieved 11 February 2009.
  5. "First Satellite Collision Called Threat in Space". The Moscow Times. 13 February 2009.
  6. Chelsea Muñoz-Patchen (2018). "Regulating the Space Commons: Treating SpaceDebris as Abandoned Property in Violation of the Outer Space Treaty". Chicago Journal of International Law. 19: 233.
  7. Brian Weeden (23 February 2009). "Billiards in Space". The Space Review.
  8. Michael Listner (13 February 2012). "Iridium 33 and Cosmos 2251 three years later: where are we now?". The Space Review.
  9. Игорь Королев. Авария на $50 млн // Ведомости, № 26 (2296), 13 февраля 2009
  10. Brian Harvey; Olga Zakutnyaya (2011). Russian Space Probes: Scientific Discoveries and Future Missions. Springer Science & Business Media. ISBN 978-1441981509.
  11. Iannotta, Becky (11 February 2009). "U.S. Satellite Destroyed in Space Collision". Space.com. Retrieved 11 February 2009.
  12. "Office for Outer Space Affairs". United Nations. Archived from the original on 16 February 2009. Retrieved 12 February 2009. Reported as colliding with Iridum 33 (1997-051C) on 10/02/2009
  13. "Russian and US satellites collide". BBC News. 12 February 2009. Retrieved 12 February 2009. Russia has not commented on claims that the satellite was out of control.
  14. "2 orbiting satellites collide 500 miles up". Associated Press. 11 February 2009. Retrieved 11 February 2009.
  15. "U.S. Space debris environment and operational updates" (PDF). NASA. 7 February 2011. Retrieved 25 August 2010.
Wikinews has news coverage of the 2009 satellite collision:
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