Zenit (satellite)

For other uses, see Zenit.

Zenit (Russian: Зени́т, IPA: [zʲɪˈnʲit], Zenith) was a series of military photoreconnaissance satellites launched by the Soviet Union between 1961 and 1994. To conceal their nature, all flights were given the public Kosmos designation.

Zenit

Zenit re-entry capsule, showing camera ports
Manufacturer	OKB-1
Country of origin	Soviet Union
Operator	Soviet space program
Applications	Photo reconnaissance
Production
Status	Retired
Launched	688
Lost	21
Maiden launch	11 Dec 1961 Zenit 2-1
Last launch	7 Jun 1994 Kosmos 2281
Last retirement	8 Nov 2004 Zenit 8-103
Related spacecraft
Derived from	Vostok

Description

The basic design of the Zenit satellites was similar to the Vostok crewed spacecraft, sharing the return and service modules.^[1] It consisted of a spherical re-entry capsule 2.3 metres (7.5 ft) in diameter with a mass of around 2,400 kilograms (5,300 lb). This capsule contained the camera system, its film, recovery beacons, parachutes and a destruct charge. In orbit, this was attached to a service module that contained batteries, electronic equipment, an orientation system and a liquid-fuelled rocket engine that would slow the Zenit for re-entry, before the service module detached. The total length in orbit was around 5 metres (16 ft) and the total mass was between 4,600 and 4,740 kilograms (10,140 and 10,450 lb).^[1]

Unlike the American CORONA spacecraft, the return capsule carried both the film and the cameras and kept them in a temperature-controlled pressurised environment. This simplified the design and engineering of the camera system but added considerably to the mass of the satellite. An advantage was that cameras could be reused.^[1] The camera would either land on the ground or be recovered in midair by a modified Mil Mi-8 helicopter.^[2]

Early Zenits were launched using the Vostok rocket; later versions used the Voskhod and the Soyuz rockets. The first flights were launched from Baikonur Cosmodrome but subsequent launches also took place at Plesetsk Cosmodrome.

Most Zenits flew in a slightly elliptical orbit with a perigee of around 200 kilometres (120 miles) and an apogee between 250 and 350 kilometres (160 and 220 miles); the missions usually lasted between 8 and 15 days.

History

In 1956, the Soviet government issued a secret decree that authorised the development of "Object D" which led to the program to launch Sputnik 3 (Sputnik 1 was a simplified spin-off of the Object D program.) The text of the decree remains secret, but it apparently authorised another satellite program – "Object OD-1" – which was to be used for photo-reconnaissance from space.

By 1958, the OKB-1 design bureau was simultaneously working on Object OD-1 and Object OD-2 – an early design for the Vostok crewed spacecraft. The development of Object OD-1 was experiencing serious difficulties so the head of OKB-1, Sergei Korolev, initiated work to see if a design based on Object OD-2 could be used for an uncrewed photo-reconnaissance satellite. This may have been a political manoeuvre that would enable him to continue the crewed space program and avoid diverting more of OKB-1's resources into Object OD-1.^[1][3][4][5]

Despite bitter opposition from the military the Soviet government endorsed Korolev's approach and issued decrees on 22 and 25 May 1959 which ordered the development of three different spacecraft, all based on the same basic, Object OD-2, design. Spacecraft 1K would be a simplified prototype, 2K was to be a reconnaissance satellite and 3K was to be for crewed flights. The name Vostok was also initially used for all three of these craft. But in 1961 the name became publicly known as the name of Yuri Gagarin's spacecraft so the "Vostok 2" reconnaissance satellite was renamed "Zenit 2".^[6]

The first Zenit launch attempt took place on 11 December 1961, but there was a fault in the rocket's third stage and the spacecraft was destroyed using its destruct charge. The second attempt — publicly referred to as Kosmos 4 — was successfully launched on 26 April 1962 and re-entered three days later. However a failure in the orientation system meant few useful pictures were obtained; usable pictures had a resolution of about 5 to 7 meters. Launch #3 on 1 June 1962 failed dramatically when one of the 8A92 booster's strap-ons shut down at liftoff and fell onto the pad, exploding on impact. The rest of the launch vehicle crashed 300 meters away. This accident caused considerable damage to Site 1, delaying the flights of Vostok 3 and Vostok 4 by two months.

On 28 July 1962, Site 1 was back in service to host the next Zenit flight, which performed successfully. Testing continued over the next year largely without incident but on 10 July 1963, another launch accident occurred in practically identical fashion to the June 1962 failure. Once again, one of the strap-ons shut down at liftoff, separated from the booster, and exploded on impact with the pad while the rest of the launch vehicle crashed a few hundred feet away.

Examination of telemetry from the booster indicated that some sort of electrical failure occurred, but subsequent investigation took three months and finally concluded that a switch designed to cut power to the strap-ons at staging had malfunctioned, possibly due to liftoff-induced vibration. The electrical circuit in the 8A92 was redesigned and it never again experienced problems with the strap-ons shutting down at launch.^[7]

Many versions of the satellite were developed for different reconnaissance missions and flights continued until 1994.^[8][9]

Zenit variants

Zenit 2

Zenit 2 was the first version to be launched between 1961 and 1970 (there was no Zenit 1).^[10][11]

The arrangement of cameras varied, but most flights carried four cameras of 1000 mm focal length, and one of 200 mm focal length. The single lower resolution camera was intended to provide low-resolution pictures that would help give a context to the high-resolution pictures.^[1]

Each camera had 1500 frames of film and from 200 km (120 mi), each frame held an image of a 60 by 60 km (37 by 37 mi) square. The ground resolution was stated to be 10 to 15 m (33 to 49 ft) although some unofficial sources claim it was much better—one source claims the number of cars in a car park could be counted. The cameras were developed at the Krasnogorsk Optical-Mechanical Factory near Moscow. The Krasnogorsk factory, which had been producing a variety of optical equipment for the military since 1942, was also the manufacturer of the popular Zenit SLR cameras.^[1]

Zenit 2s also carried ELINT equipment called Kust-12M (bush) to receive NATO radar signals. The satellites carried a parabolic antenna, around 1 m (3 ft 3 in) in diameter, that is associated with this equipment. However, it is unclear if the antenna transmitted recorded signals to the ground or was for intercepting radar signals. In the latter case they would have been recorded on magnetic tape, to be retrieved after the return capsule landed.^[1][12]

There were 81 Zenit 2 launches. 58 were successful and 11 were partially successful. There were 12 failed missions, 5 because of a satellite malfunction and 7 because of a failure in the launch vehicle.

Zenit 2-1 Kosmos 4 Zenit 2-3 Kosmos 7 Kosmos 9 Kosmos 10 Kosmos 12 Kosmos 13 Kosmos 15 Kosmos 16 Kosmos 18 Zenit 2-12 Kosmos 20 Zenit 2-14 Kosmos 24 Kosmos 28 Kosmos 29

Kosmos 32 Kosmos 33 Kosmos 35 Kosmos 37 Kosmos 46 Kosmos 48 Kosmos 50 Kosmos 52 Kosmos 64 Kosmos 66 Kosmos 68 Zenit 2-29 Kosmos 78 Kosmos 98 Kosmos 99 Kosmos 104 Kosmos 105

Kosmos 107 Kosmos 112 Kosmos 115 Kosmos 117 Kosmos 120 Kosmos 124 Zenit 2-41 Kosmos 129 Kosmos 132 Kosmos 136 Kosmos 138 Kosmos 143 Kosmos 147 Kosmos 153 Kosmos 157 Kosmos 164 Kosmos 168

Zenit 2-52 Kosmos 177 Kosmos 180 Kosmos 181 Kosmos 193 Kosmos 195 Kosmos 199 Kosmos 205 Kosmos 210 Kosmos 216 Kosmos 223 Kosmos 231 Kosmos 235 Kosmos 240 Kosmos 247

Kosmos 253 Kosmos 255 Kosmos 258 Kosmos 263 Kosmos 266 Kosmos 273 Kosmos 278 Kosmos 281 Kosmos 287 Kosmos 290 Kosmos 301 Kosmos 309 Kosmos 325 Kosmos 326 Kosmos 344

Zenit 2M

Improvements included a new camera system and the addition of solar panels. As the spacecraft mass was increased to 6300 kg, the Vostok rocket was replaced by the Voskhod rocket and Soyuz rockets. In common with Zenit 2 satellites this also had an ELINT payload.^[12]

A total of 101 Zenit-2M satellites were launched between 1968 and 1979^[13][14][15]

Kosmos 208 Kosmos 228 Kosmos 243 Kosmos 293 Kosmos 306 Kosmos 313 Kosmos 318 Kosmos 329 Kosmos 350 Kosmos 353 Kosmos 363 Kosmos 366 Kosmos 368 Kosmos 377 Kosmos 384 Kosmos 392 Zenit 2M-17 Kosmos 403 Kosmos 410 Kosmos 428 Kosmos 431 Kosmos 439

Kosmos 443 Zenit 2M-24 Kosmos 473 Kosmos 477 Kosmos 484 Kosmos 490 Kosmos 493 Kosmos 512 Kosmos 517 Kosmos 518 Kosmos 525 Kosmos 537 Kosmos 547 Kosmos 552 Kosmos 555 Kosmos 561 Kosmos 575 Kosmos 578 Kosmos 583 Kosmos 596 Kosmos 599 Kosmos 629

Kosmos 635 Kosmos 640 Kosmos 653 Kosmos 658 Kosmos 669 Zenit 2M-50 Kosmos 685 Kosmos 692 Kosmos 696 Kosmos 702 Kosmos 721 Kosmos 728 Kosmos 731 Kosmos 741 Kosmos 747 Kosmos 751 Kosmos 769 Kosmos 776 Kosmos 780

Kosmos 784 Kosmos 799 Kosmos 809 Kosmos 813 Kosmos 819 Kosmos 834 Kosmos 840 Kosmos 848 Kosmos 856 Kosmos 865 Kosmos 879 Kosmos 889 Kosmos 898 Kosmos 904 Kosmos 914 Kosmos 922 Kosmos 935 Kosmos 947 Kosmos 950

Kosmos 966 Kosmos 973 Kosmos 984 Kosmos 992 Kosmos 995 Kosmos 1002 Kosmos 1004 Kosmos 1012 Kosmos 1032 Kosmos 1044 Kosmos 1060 Kosmos 1061 Kosmos 1070 Zenit 2M-95 Kosmos 1090 Kosmos 1102 Kosmos 1106 Kosmos 1118 Kosmos 1122

Zenit 4

Unlike Zenit 2, little information on Zenit 4 has been released. The Zenit 4 was intended for high-resolution photography and carried one camera of 3000 mm focal length as well as a 200 mm camera. The focal length of the main camera was greater than the diameter of the capsule so the camera made use of a mirror to fold the light path. The ground resolution is not publicly known but it is believed to have been 1–2 metre.

The Zenit 4 had a mass of 6300 kg — around 1800 kg more than the Zenit 2. So, instead of the Vostok rocket, it was launched by the heavier Voskhod rocket. A total of 76 Zenit-4 satellites were flown between 1963 and 1970.^[1][16][17]

Kosmos 22 Kosmos 30 Kosmos 34 Kosmos 45 Kosmos 59 Kosmos 65 Kosmos 67 Kosmos 69 Kosmos 77 Kosmos 79 Kosmos 85 Kosmos 91 Kosmos 92 Kosmos 94 Kosmos 109 Kosmos 113

Kosmos 114 Zenit 4-18 Kosmos 121 Kosmos 126 Kosmos 127 Kosmos 128 Kosmos 130 Kosmos 131 Kosmos 134 Kosmos 141 Kosmos 150 Kosmos 155 Kosmos 161 Kosmos 162 Zenit 4-31 Zenit 4-32

Kosmos 172 Kosmos 175 Kosmos 182 Kosmos 190 Kosmos 194 Kosmos 201 Kosmos 207 Kosmos 214 Kosmos 224 Kosmos 227 Kosmos 229 Kosmos 232 Kosmos 234 Kosmos 237 Kosmos 239 Kosmos 241

Kosmos 246 Kosmos 254 Kosmos 267 Kosmos 270 Kosmos 271 Kosmos 274 Kosmos 276 Kosmos 279 Kosmos 282 Kosmos 284 Kosmos 286 Kosmos 288 Kosmos 289 Kosmos 294

Kosmos 296 Kosmos 297 Kosmos 299 Kosmos 302 Kosmos 310 Kosmos 322 Kosmos 323 Kosmos 331 Kosmos 345 Kosmos 346 Kosmos 349 Kosmos 352 Zenit 4-75 Kosmos 355

Zenit 4 M

An improved version of the Zenit 4, the Zenit 4M carried a new camera, solar panels, and a restartable engine so the satellite's orbit could be altered during the course of its mission. The mission duration was 13 days.

A total of 61 Zenit-4M satellites were launched between 1968 and 1974.^[18][19]

Kosmos 251 Kosmos 264 Kosmos 280 Kosmos 333 Kosmos 360 Kosmos 361 Kosmos 370 Kosmos 376 Kosmos 386 Kosmos 390 Kosmos 396 Kosmos 399 Kosmos 401

Kosmos 406 Kosmos 420 Kosmos 424 Zenit 4M-17 Kosmos 429 Kosmos 430 Kosmos 432 Zenit 4M-21 Kosmos 441 Kosmos 442 Kosmos 452 Kosmos 454 Kosmos 456

Kosmos 463 Kosmos 464 Kosmos 466 Kosmos 471 Kosmos 474 Kosmos 478 Kosmos 483 Kosmos 486 Kosmos 491 Kosmos 492 Kosmos 495 Kosmos 499 Kosmos 503

Kosmos 513 Zenit 4M-41 Kosmos 519 Kosmos 522 Kosmos 538 Kosmos 543 Kosmos 548 Kosmos 551 Kosmos 560 Kosmos 563 Kosmos 572

Zenit 4M-51 Kosmos 577 Kosmos 579 Kosmos 581 Kosmos 584 Kosmos 598 Kosmos 600 Kosmos 603 Kosmos 609 Kosmos 632 Kosmos 667

Zenit 4 MK

These may have been versions of the Zenit 4 designed specifically to fly in lower orbits to improve image resolution. Some sources claim they were fitted with devices to compensate for aerodynamic drag and to withstand the effects of aerodynamic heating.

A total of 80 Zenit-4MK satellites were launched between 1969 and 1977.^[20][21]

Kosmos 317 Kosmos 328 Kosmos 364 Kosmos 383 Kosmos 427 Kosmos 438 Kosmos 488 Kosmos 515 Kosmos 527 Kosmos 550 Kosmos 554 Kosmos 556 Kosmos 559 Kosmos 587 Kosmos 597 Kosmos 602

Kosmos 607 Kosmos 612 Kosmos 625 Kosmos 630 Kosmos 636 Kosmos 639 Zenit 4MK-23 Kosmos 649 Kosmos 652 Kosmos 657 Kosmos 659 Kosmos 666 Kosmos 671 Kosmos 674 Kosmos 688 Kosmos 691

Kosmos 694 Kosmos 701 Kosmos 704 Kosmos 709 Kosmos 710 Kosmos 719 Kosmos 722 Kosmos 727 Kosmos 730 Kosmos 740 Kosmos 742 Kosmos 743 Kosmos 746 Kosmos 748 Kosmos 753 Kosmos 754

Kosmos 757 Kosmos 760 Kosmos 774 Kosmos 779 Kosmos 786 Kosmos 788 Kosmos 802 Kosmos 806 Kosmos 810 Kosmos 815 Kosmos 817 Kosmos 821 Kosmos 824 Kosmos 833 Kosmos 835 Kosmos 847

Kosmos 852 Kosmos 854 Kosmos 857 Kosmos 859 Kosmos 863 Kosmos 866 Kosmos 884 Kosmos 888 Kosmos 892 Zenit 4MK-74 Kosmos 897 Kosmos 902 Kosmos 907 Kosmos 908 Kosmos 915 Kosmos 920

Zenit 4 MKM

Intended to replace the 4MK design, the 4MKM may have been a low altitude variant of the later Zenit-6U and have similar equipment to it^[22]

Zenit-4MKM (Gerakl)^[23][24]

No.	Mission	Launch date (GMT)	Landing date	COSPAR ID	Orbit	Duration (in orbit)	Outcome
1	Kosmos 927	12 July 1977 09:00	25 July 1977	1977-063A	153 x 361 km	13 days	Success
2	Kosmos 932	20 July 1977 07:35	2 August 1977	1977-069A	150 x 358 km	13 days	Success
3	-	10 August 1977 10:40	-	-	(Suborbital)	-	Failure
4	Kosmos 938	24 August 1977 14:30	6 September 1977	1977-078A	181 x 340 km	13 days	Success
5	Kosmos 953	16 September 1977 14:30	29 September 1977	1977-089A	180 x 330 km	13 days	Success
6	Kosmos 957	30 September 1977 09:46	13 October 1977	1977-098A	171 x 361 km	13 days	Success
7	Kosmos 964	4 December 1977 12:00	17 December 1977	1977-110A	171 x 362 km	13 days	Success
8	Kosmos 969	20 December 1977 15:50	3 January 1978	1977-120A	180 x 317 km	14 days	Success
9	Kosmos 974	6 January 1978 15:50	19 January 1978	1978-001A	178 x 334 km	13 days	Success
10	Kosmos 986	24 January 1978 09:50	7 February 1978	1978-010A	172 x 318 km	14 days	Success
11	Kosmos 987	31 January 1978 14:50	14 February 1978	1978-013A	189 x 322 km	14 days	Success
12	Kosmos 989	14 February 1978 09:30	28 February 1978	1978-017A	169 x 318 km	14 days	Success
13	Kosmos 993	10 March 1978 10:42	23 March 1978	1978-027A	190 x 325 km	13 days	Success
14	Kosmos 999	30 March 1978 07:50	12 April 1978	1978-033A	174 x 352 km	13 days	Success
15	Kosmos 1003	20 April 1978 15:30	4 May 1978	1978-040A	178 x 328 km	14 days	Success
16	Kosmos 1007	16 May 1978 10:40	28 May 1978	1978-048A	168 x 350 km	13 days	Success
17	Kosmos 1021	10 June 1978 08:35	23 June 1978	1978-057A	173 x 313 km	13 days	Success
18	Kosmos 1022	12 June 1978 10:30	25 June 1978	1978-059A	171 x 344 km	13 days	Success
19	Kosmos 1029	29 August 1978 15:00	8 September 1978	1978-082A	194 x 316 km	10 days	Success
20	Kosmos 1031	9 September 1978 15:00	22 September 1978	1978-085A	182 x 329 km	13 days	Success
21	Kosmos 1042	6 October 1978 15:30	19 October 1978	1978-092A	179 x 299 km	13 days	Success
22	Kosmos 1047	15 November 1978 11:45	28 November 1978	1978-104A	171 x 354 km	13 days	Success
23	Kosmos 1049	21 November 1978 12:00	4 December 1978	1978-107A	169 x 338 km	13 days	Success
24	Kosmos 1059	7 December 1978 15:30	20 December 1978	1978-110A	180 x 338 km	13 days	Success
25	Kosmos 1068	26 December 1978 15:30	8 January 1979	1978-123A	191 x 389 km	13 days	Success
26	Kosmos 1071	13 January 1979 15:30	26 January 1979	1979-002A	179 x 339 km	13 days	Success
27	Kosmos 1073	30 January 1979 15:15	12 February 1979	1979-006A	182 x 328 km	13 days	Success
28	Kosmos 1078	22 February 1979 12:10	2 March 1979	1979-016A	168 x 280 km	8 days	Success
29	Kosmos 1080	14 March 1979 10:50	28 March 1979	1979-023A	169 x 294 km	14 days	Success
30	Kosmos 1098	15 May 1979 11:40	28 May 1979	1979-040A	170 x 354 km	13 days	Success
31	Kosmos 1113	10 July 1979 09:00	23 July 1979	1979-064A	173 x 330 km	13 days	Success
32	Kosmos 1117	25 July 1979 15:20	7 August 1979	1979-068A	177 x 325 km	13 days	Success
33	Kosmos 1120	11 August 1979 09:15	24 August 1979	1979-073A	170 x 362 km	13 days	Success
34	Kosmos 1128	14 September 1979 15:30	27 September 1979	1979-081A	173 x 328 km	13 days	Success
35	Kosmos 1148	28 December 1979 13:00	10 January 1980	1979-106A	170 x 340 km	13 days	Success
36	Kosmos 1165	21 February 1980 12:00	5 March 1980	1980-017A	170 x 350 km	13 days	Success
37	Kosmos 1170	1 April 1980 08:00	12 April 1980	1980-025A	178 x 379 km	11 days	Success
38	Kosmos 1173	17 April 1980 08:30	28 April 1980	1980-029A	174 x 352 km	11 days	Success
39	Kosmos 1214	10 October 1980 13:10	23 October 1980	1980-082A	170 x 347 km	13 days	Success

Zenit 4 MKT

Another variant of the Zenit-4 design equipped with a Priroda-3 camera, intended for the investigation of natural resources in the interests of the Soviet economy and international cooperation.^[25]

A total of 27 Zenit-4MKT satellites were launched between 1975 and 1985.^[26][27]

Kosmos 721 Kosmos 820 Zenit 4MKT-3 Kosmos 914 Kosmos 948 Kosmos 1010

Kosmos 1033 Kosmos 1099 Kosmos 1105 Kosmos 1108 Kosmos 1115 Kosmos 1123

Kosmos 1182 Kosmos 1201 Kosmos 1207 Kosmos 1212 Kosmos 1273

Kosmos 1276 Kosmos 1314 Kosmos 1353 Kosmos 1387 Kosmos 1406

Kosmos 1458 Kosmos 1495 Kosmos 1557 Kosmos 1597 Kosmos 1681

Zenit 4 MT

A special version of the Zenit 4M intended for topographical photography. It carried an SA-106 topographic camera, a laser altimeter and Doppler apparatus.

Zenit-4MT (Orion)^[28][29]

No.	Mission	Launch date (GMT)	Landing date	COSPAR ID	Orbit	Duration (in orbit)	Outcome
1	Kosmos 470	27 December 1971 14:04	6 January 1972	1971-118A	192 x 259 km	10 days	Success
2	Kosmos 502	13 July 1972 14:30	25 July 1972	1972-055A	203 x 262 km	12 days	Success
3	Kosmos 541	27 December 1972 10:30	8 January 1973	1972-105A	218 x 348 km	12 days	Success
4	Kosmos 576	27 June 1973 11:50	9 July 1973	1973-044A	204 x 332 km	12 days	Success
5	Kosmos 616	17 December 1973 12:00	28 December 1973	1973-102A	206 x 332 km	11 days	Success
6	Kosmos 664	29 June 1974 12:50	11 July 1974	1974-049A	205 x 341 km	12 days	Success
7	Kosmos 693	4 November 1974 10:40	16 November 1974	1974-088A	219 x 243 km	12 days	Success
8	Kosmos 720	21 March 1975 06:50	1 April 1975	1975-019A	212 x 273 km	11 days	Success
9	Kosmos 759	12 September 1975 05:30	23 September 1975	1975-084A	231 x 276 km	11 days	Success
10	Kosmos 811	31 March 1976 12:50	12 April 1976	1976-030A	206 x 338 km	12 days	Success
11	Kosmos 855	21 September 1976 11:40	3 October 1976	1976-095A	221 x 321 km	12 days	Success
12	Kosmos 916	10 June 1977 08:00	21 June 1977	1977-046A	255 x 304 km	11 days	Success
13	Kosmos 988	8 February 1978 12:15	20 February 1978	1978-015A	201 x 335 km	12 days	Success
14	Kosmos 1046	1 November 1978 12:00	13 November 1978	1978-102A	202 x 324 km	12 days	Success
15	Kosmos 1069	28 December 1978 16:30	10 January 1979	1978-124A	254 x 289 km	13 days	Success
16	Kosmos 1119	3 August 1979 10:45	15 August 1979	1979-071A	213 x 245 km	12 days	Success
17	Kosmos 1139	5 October 1979 11:30	18 October 1979	1979-088A	199 x 329 km	13 days	Success
18	Kosmos 1180	15 May 1980 05:35	26 May 1980	1980-038A	245 x 279 km	11 days	Success
19	Kosmos 1211	23 September 1980 10:30	4 October 1980	1980-077A	211 x 236 km	11 days	Success
20	Kosmos 1239	16 January 1981 12:00	28 January 1981	1981-004A	210 x 231 km	12 days	Success
21	Kosmos 1309	18 September 1981 09:30	1 October 1981	1981-092A	212 x 257 km	13 days	Success
22	Kosmos 1332	12 January 1982 12:30	25 January 1982	1982-002A	207 x 251 km	13 days	Success
23	Kosmos 1398	3 August 1982 11:30	13 August 1982	1982-077A	211 x 231 km	10 days	Success

Zenit 6U

A "universal" version of the Zenit, intended for both low-altitude, high-resolution missions and higher-altitude, general observation missions. All flights used the Soyuz launch vehicle. There were a total of 97 Zenit-6U satellites launched between 1976 and 1984.^[30][31]

Kosmos 867 Kosmos 896 Kosmos 934 Kosmos 958 Kosmos 1050 Kosmos 1095 Kosmos 1103 Kosmos 1107 Kosmos 1111 Kosmos 1126 Kosmos 1138 Zenit 6U-12 Kosmos 1142 Kosmos 1147 Kosmos 1149 Kosmos 1155 Kosmos 1166 Kosmos 1178 Kosmos 1183 Kosmos 1187

Kosmos 1189 Kosmos 1200 Kosmos 1202 Kosmos 1205 Kosmos 1210 Kosmos 1213 Kosmos 1216 Kosmos 1219 Kosmos 1221 Kosmos 1224 Kosmos 1227 Kosmos 1237 Kosmos 1245 Kosmos 1259 Kosmos 1262 Kosmos 1264 Kosmos 1265 Kosmos 1268 Kosmos 1272 Kosmos 1277

Kosmos 1279 Kosmos 1281 Kosmos 1283 Kosmos 1284 Kosmos 1297 Kosmos 1303 Kosmos 1307 Kosmos 1313 Kosmos 1316 Kosmos 1319 Kosmos 1329 Kosmos 1334 Kosmos 1338 Kosmos 1342 Kosmos 1343 Kosmos 1352 Zenit 6U-57 Kosmos 1368 Kosmos 1373 Zenit 6U-60

Kosmos 1381 Kosmos 1385 Kosmos 1396 Kosmos 1403 Kosmos 1404 Kosmos 1411 Kosmos 1416 Kosmos 1419 Kosmos 1421 Kosmos 1422 Kosmos 1425 Kosmos 1438 Kosmos 1444 Kosmos 1446 Kosmos 1449 Kosmos 1451 Kosmos 1460 Kosmos 1467 Kosmos 1469 Kosmos 1472

Kosmos 1482 Kosmos 1485 Kosmos 1488 Kosmos 1493 Kosmos 1497 Kosmos 1499 Kosmos 1505 Kosmos 1509 Kosmos 1512 Kosmos 1530 Kosmos 1533 Kosmos 1542 Kosmos 1545 Kosmos 1549 Kosmos 1551 Kosmos 1568 Kosmos 1573

Zenit 8

This was intended for military cartographic photography. It used a Soyuz launch vehicle and launches took place from both Baikonur and Plesetsk. It had a 15-day orbital life. Similar satellites were referred to using the "Resurs-DK No.1" designation.

A total of 102 Zenit-8 satellites were launched between 1984 and 1994, in addition to one sent into a suborbital trajectory during the maiden flight of the Soyuz-2 rocket in 2004.^{[32][33][34][35]}

Kosmos 1571 Kosmos 1580 Kosmos 1583 Kosmos 1584 Kosmos 1587 Kosmos 1592 Kosmos 1600 Kosmos 1609 Kosmos 1613 Kosmos 1623 Kosmos 1628 Kosmos 1632 Kosmos 1644 Kosmos 1648 Kosmos 1649 Kosmos 1659 Kosmos 1664 Kosmos 1665 Kosmos 1668 Kosmos 1671 Kosmos 1683

Kosmos 1685 Kosmos 1696 Kosmos 1702 Kosmos 1705 Kosmos 1715 Kosmos 1728 Kosmos 1730 Zenit 8-29 Kosmos 1740 Kosmos 1742 Kosmos 1747 Kosmos 1757 Kosmos 1760 Kosmos 1765 Kosmos 1772 Kosmos 1775 Kosmos 1781 Kosmos 1787 Kosmos 1790 Kosmos 1804 Kosmos 1813

Kosmos 1819 Kosmos 1822 Kosmos 1826 Kosmos 1837 Kosmos 1843 Kosmos 1845 Kosmos 1848 Kosmos 1863 Kosmos 1872 Kosmos 1874 Kosmos 1889 Kosmos 1895 Kosmos 1899 Kosmos 1905 Kosmos 1907 Kosmos 1915 Kosmos 1921 Kosmos 1923 Kosmos 1938 Kosmos 1941 Kosmos 1945

Kosmos 1952 Kosmos 1956 Kosmos 1962 Kosmos 1964 Kosmos 1967 Kosmos 1973 Kosmos 1976 Kosmos 1978 Kosmos 1981 Kosmos 1982 Kosmos 1983 Kosmos 1991 Kosmos 2000 Kosmos 2003 Kosmos 2006 Kosmos 2017 Kosmos 2019 Kosmos 2025 Kosmos 2028 Kosmos 2029

Kosmos 2032 Kosmos 2035 Kosmos 2036 Kosmos 2045 Kosmos 2048 Kosmos 2055 Kosmos 2062 Kosmos 2073 Kosmos 2083 Kosmos 2086 Kosmos 2099 Kosmos 2104 Kosmos 2120 Kosmos 2121 Kosmos 2136 Kosmos 2152 Kosmos 2207 Kosmos 2260 Kosmos 2281 Zenit 8-103

In popular culture

A Zenit satellite was mentioned in the movie Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One.

References

1. Peter A. Gorin (1997). "Zenit:Corona's Soviet Counterpart". In Robert A. McDonald (ed.). Corona Between the Sun and the Earth: the first NRO reconnaissance eye in space. Bethesda, MD: The American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing. pp. 84–107.
2. "[1.0] Mi-8 Variants".
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4. Peter A. Gorin (1997). "Zenit – The First Soviet Photo-Reconnaissance Satellite". Journal of the British Interplanetary Society. 50: 441.
5. Dwayne Day, ed. (1998). Eye in the Sky: Story of the Corona Spy Satellites. Smithsonian. ISBN 1-56098-773-1.
6. Mark Wade. "Zenit-2 satellite". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Retrieved 6 June 2024.
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19. Robert Christy. "Zenit-4M Missions". Zarya.info. Archived from the original on 28 September 2020. Retrieved 12 May 2013.
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