Status
Success
Cosmos 1066
Launch Time
Sat Dec 23, 1978 08:39 UTC
Sat Dec 23, 1978 08:39 UTC
Rocket
Mission Details
Cosmos 1066
The Astrofizika (11F653) was a Soviet research satellite launched under the designation Kosmos 1066.
The exact nature of the satellites mission has not yet been established. The Astrofizika name suggested a possible astrophysics payload but no science results had been published.
It was based on the VNIIEM built Meteor-1 bus and is known, that it used two SPT-50 plasma thrusters for orbital maneuvers.
Recent report suggest, that it carried special optical instruments for the observation of artificially created "light sources" on Earth. It has been speculated, that the mission of the satellite was military, perhaps in connection with Laser tests.
Payloads: 1
Total Mass: 2,750.0 kg
Low Earth Orbit
Location
Site 43/3, Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russia
Stats
1978
125th orbital launch attempt
Vostok-2
107th mission
5th mission of 1978
96th successful mission
32nd consecutive successful mission