DS satellites are a series of satellites made to be universal, and easily modifiable according to customer needs. After a first launch in 1962, almost two hundred satellites will be launched. Several generations of DS satellites will be developed, some used for scientific studies, while others will be used by the Red Army for radar calibration. After flying two demonstration series (DS-1 and DS-2), the DS satellites will have three universal versions (DS-U1, unstabilized and battery-powered, DS-U2, unstabilized and solar-powered, DS-U3, stabilized). Versions will also be produced to fly international experiments, leading to the Intercosmos program.

This flight flew a DS-K 40 satellite. Its primary mission was to demonstrate the technologies for future Soviet military satellites. It also carried a micrometeoroid research payload which discovered meteoroid flux. This satellite tested the Kust-8 SIGINT equipment in orbit. It decayed on 17 August 1963, one day short of a year after its launch. Cosmos 8 was the only DS-K-8 satellite to be launched.