# Kosmos 24

> soviet reconnaissance satellite (Zenit 2-15)

**Wikidata**: [Q972936](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q972936)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kosmos_24)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/kosmos-24

## Summary
Kosmos 24 was a Soviet reconnaissance satellite of the Zenit-2 series (Zenit 2-15) launched on 19 December 1963. Built by S.P. Korolev Rocket and Space Corporation Energia, it was placed into a low Earth orbit by a Vostok-2 launch vehicle from Gagarin's Start and re-entered the atmosphere on 28 December 1963.

## Key Facts
- Kosmos 24 was a Soviet reconnaissance satellite of the Zenit-2 class (Zenit 2-15).  
- Launch date: 1963-12-19 (rocket launch from Gagarin's Start at 09:28:58).  
- Atmospheric entry / orbital decay: 1963-12-28.  
- Launch vehicle: Vostok-2.  
- Manufacturer: S.P. Korolev Rocket and Space Corporation Energia.  
- Mass: 4,730 kilograms.  
- Orbit perigee (periapsis): 211 kilometres.  
- Orbit apogee (apoapsis): 408 kilometres.  
- Orbital inclination: 65 degrees.  
- Orbital period: 90.5 minutes.  
- COSPAR ID: 1963-052A; satellite catalog number (scn): 00712.  
- Start point (launch site): Gagarin's Start.  
- Instance of: Zenit-2 (soviet reconnaissance satellite series).

## FAQs
### Q: What was Kosmos 24?
A: Kosmos 24 was a Soviet Zenit-2 class reconnaissance satellite (Zenit 2-15) launched in December 1963 for reconnaissance purposes.

### Q: When was Kosmos 24 launched and when did it re-enter?
A: It was launched on 19 December 1963 and underwent atmospheric entry (orbital decay) on 28 December 1963.

### Q: What were the orbital characteristics of Kosmos 24?
A: Kosmos 24 operated in a low Earth orbit with a perigee of 211 km, an apogee of 408 km, an inclination of 65°, and an orbital period of 90.5 minutes.

## Why It Matters
Kosmos 24 is a representative example of the Soviet Union's early Zenit-2 reconnaissance satellites. As a Zenith-2-series vehicle launched and recovered within a short time window in December 1963, it illustrates the operational pattern and technical parameters of Soviet low Earth reconnaissance missions of that era. The satellite was manufactured by S.P. Korolev Rocket and Space Corporation Energia and launched by a Vostok-2 rocket from the historic Gagarin's Start, tying it to key Soviet spaceflight infrastructure and industry. Its measured orbital parameters (211 km × 408 km, 65° inclination, ~90.5-minute period) reflect typical low Earth reconnaissance profiles used to achieve coverage at mid-to-high latitudes. The mission’s brief on-orbit lifetime, concluding with atmospheric entry nine days after launch, is characteristic of many early reconnaissance satellites that performed time-limited missions in low orbits. As part of the Kosmos designation series and the wider Zenit program, Kosmos 24 contributes to the historical record of Cold War-era space reconnaissance capabilities and launch operations.

## Notable For
- Being a Zenit-2 class reconnaissance satellite (Zenit 2-15) in the Kosmos series.  
- Launch on 19 December 1963 from Gagarin's Start by a Vostok-2 launch vehicle.  
- Typical low Earth reconnaissance orbit: 211 km perigee, 408 km apogee, 65° inclination, 90.5-minute period.  
- Mass of 4,730 kg, reflecting the substantial size of early Soviet reconnaissance spacecraft.  
- Short mission duration ending with atmospheric entry on 28 December 1963.

## Body
### Overview
- Kosmos 24 is identified as a Soviet reconnaissance satellite of the Zenit-2 class, also referenced as Zenit 2-15.  
- It carries the COSPAR ID 1963-052A and the satellite catalog number (scn) 00712.  
- The mission appears under the Kosmos naming series used by the Soviet Union.

### Mission and timeline
- Launch event: 1963-12-19, liftoff from Gagarin's Start at 09:28:58 (qualifier recorded for the significant event).  
- Orbital decay / atmospheric entry: 1963-12-28.  
- The mission therefore operated in orbit between those recorded dates.

### Spacecraft specifications
- Class / instance: Zenit-2 reconnaissance satellite.  
- Mass: 4,730 kg.  
- Manufacturer: S.P. Korolev Rocket and Space Corporation Energia.

### Launch and orbital parameters
- Launch vehicle: Vostok-2.  
- Launch site (start point): Gagarin's Start.  
- Orbit type: Low Earth orbit.  
- Periapsis (perigee): 211 km.  
- Apoapsis (apogee): 408 km.  
- Orbital inclination: 65 degrees.  
- Orbital period: 90.5 minutes.

### Identifiers and records
- COSPAR ID: 1963-052A.  
- Satellite catalog number (scn): 00712.  
- Freebase ID: /m/0zrsqn1.  
- Wolfram Language entity code: Entity["Satellite", "00712"].

### Languages and documentation
- Wikipedia language entries exist for this satellite in: English, Hungarian, Macedonian, Polish, Russian, Serbo-Croatian (sh), and Serbian.

## References

1. Jonathan's Space Report