| Mission type | Military technology Micrometeorite |
|---|---|
| Harvard designation | 1962 Alpha Xi 1 |
| COSPAR ID | 1962-038A |
| SATCATno. | 00367 |
| Mission duration | 364 jours |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Spacecraft type | DS-K-8 |
| Manufacturer | Yuzhnoye |
| Launch mass | 337 kg[1] |
| Power | Batteries |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 18 August 1962 05:02:00 GMT |
| Rocket | Kosmos-2I 63S1 |
| Launch site | Kapustin Yar,Mayak-2 |
| Contractor | Yuzhnoye |
| End of mission | |
| Decay date | 17 August 1963 |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric[2] |
| Regime | Low Earth |
| Perigee altitude | 251 km |
| Apogee altitude | 591 km |
| Inclination | 49.0° |
| Period | 92.9 minutes |
| Epoch | 18 August 1962 |
Kosmos 8 (Russian:Космос 8 meaningCosmos 8), also known asDS-K-8 No.1 and occasionally in the West asSputnik 18 was a technology demonstrationsatellite which was launched by theSoviet Union in 1962. It was the eighth satellite to be designated under theKosmos system, and the third spacecraft launched as part of theDS programme to successfully reach orbit, afterKosmos 1 andKosmos 6. Its primary mission was to demonstrate the technologies ofSIGINT for future Soviet military satellites.
Kosmos 8 was the onlyDS-K-8 satellite to be launched.[3][4] It also carried a micrometeorite detector payload which discoveredmeteoroid flux.[3] It had a mass of 337 kilograms (743 lb).[1]
This satellite tested the Kust-8 SIGINT equipment in orbit.[5] It was launched aboard of the eighth flight of theKosmos-2I 63S1 rocket.[6] The launch was conducted fromMayak-2 atKapustin Yar, and occurred at 05:02:00GMT on 18 August 1962.[7] Kosmos 8 was placed into alow Earth orbit with aperigee of 251 kilometres (156 mi), anapogee of 591 kilometres (367 mi), aninclination of 49.0°, and anorbital period of 92.9 minutes.[2] Itdecayed on 17 August 1963, one day short of a year after its launch.[8]
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