# Korabl-Sputnik 2

> Soviet artificial satellite, first to send animals into orbit and return safely

**Wikidata**: [Q823456](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q823456)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korabl-Sputnik_2)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/korabl-sputnik-2

## Summary
Korabl-Sputnik 2 was a Soviet artificial satellite launched on August 19, 1960. It is historically significant as the first spacecraft to send animals into orbit and return them safely to Earth. The mission served as a critical test flight for the Vostok program, paving the way for human spaceflight.

## Key Facts
- **Official Designation:** Korabl-Sputnik 2 (also known as Sputnik 5, Sputnik V, and Vostok-1K No.2).
- **Launch Date:** August 19, 1960.
- **Landing Date:** August 20, 1960.
- **Mission Outcome:** First successful mission to send animals into orbit and return them alive.
- **Operator:** Soviet space program (Academy of Sciences of the USSR).
- **Manufacturer:** S.P. Korolev Rocket and Space Corporation Energia.
- **Launch Vehicle:** Vostok-L rocket.
- **Launch Site:** Gagarin's Start.
- **Mass at Takeoff:** 4,600 kilograms.
- **Orbit Type:** Low Earth orbit (Geocentric).
- **Orbital Parameters:**
  - Apoapsis: 324 km
  - Periapsis: 287 km
  - Orbital Period: 90.72 minutes
  - Inclination: 64.95 degrees
  - Eccentricity: 0.002766
- **Program Affiliation:** Part of the Sputnik programme.
- **Sequence:** Preceded by Korabl-Sputnik 1; succeeded by Korabl-Sputnik 3.

## FAQs
### Q: What was the primary achievement of Korabl-Sputnik 2?
A: Korabl-Sputnik 2 was the first spacecraft to send animals into orbit and return them safely to Earth. This success proved that living organisms could survive a trip to orbit and re-entry, a vital step toward human spaceflight.

### Q: What rocket was used to launch Korabl-Sputnik 2?
A: The satellite was launched using a Vostok-L rocket. This vehicle was part of the wider Vostok rocket family utilized by the Soviet Union.

### Q: How long did the Korabl-Sputnik 2 mission last?
A: The mission was brief, launching on August 19, 1960, and successfully landing the very next day on August 20, 1960.

## Why It Matters
Korabl-Sputnik 2 represents a pivotal moment in the Space Race and the history of astronautics. Before this mission, orbital flight was largely a one-way journey for biological payloads. By successfully launching and—more importantly—recovering animals safely, the Soviet space program demonstrated that the challenges of re-entry and landing were surmountable. This mission provided the necessary data and confidence to proceed with launching humans into space, directly influencing the Vostok program that would soon carry the first human, Yuri Gagarin, into orbit. The mission validated the life-support systems and the structural integrity of the return capsule, transforming space exploration from a technological novelty into a potential venue for human discovery.

## Notable For
- **First Safe Return of Animals from Orbit:** It was the first spacecraft in history to successfully recover living beings from an orbital trajectory.
- **Testing Human Spaceflight Systems:** The mission functioned as a critical testbed for the Vostok spacecraft systems, specifically the life-support and re-entry modules.
- **High-Precision Orbital Insertion:** The satellite achieved a specific low Earth orbit with an eccentricity of just 0.002766, indicating a very stable, near-circular path necessary for controlled re-entry operations.
- **International Naming:** While designated Korabl-Sputnik 2 within the Soviet system, it is widely known internationally as Sputnik 5.

## Body

### Mission Profile and Objectives
Korabl-Sputnik 2 was an artificial satellite of the Earth developed under the Soviet Sputnik programme. Launched on August 19, 1960, from the Gagarin's Start site, the mission aimed to test the capabilities of the Vostok spacecraft design. The specific variant used was the Vostok-1K No.2. The spacecraft was operated by the Soviet space program under the administration of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR.

### Technical Specifications
The spacecraft had a total takeoff mass of 4,600 kilograms. It was inserted into a low Earth orbit with the following technical parameters:
- **Apoapsis (Farthest point):** 324 kilometres
- **Periapsis (Nearest point):** 287 kilometres
- **Orbital Period:** 90.72 minutes
- **Inclination:** 64.95 degrees

The launch was facilitated by a Vostok-L rocket. The mission concluded successfully on August 20, 1960, with a landing operation following a single day in orbit.

### Historical Context and Development
Manufactured by the S.P. Korolev Rocket and Space Corporation Energia, Korabl-Sputnik 2 was the successor to the earlier Korabl-Sputnik 1 test flight. It was subsequently followed by Korabl-Sputnik 3. The mission is distinguished from the generic identifier "Sputnik 5" in some databases, though it is widely recognized under that alias alongside names like Sputnik V.

## Schema Markup
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## References

1. Jonathan's Space Report
2. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013