# Kosmos 27

> failed space mission

**Wikidata**: [Q1078275](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1078275)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kosmos_27)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/kosmos-27

## Summary
Kosmos 27 was a Soviet space mission launched on March 27, 1964, that failed to achieve its intended objective. Designed as a 3MV uncrewed probe and associated with the Venera program, the spacecraft was launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome but re-entered Earth's atmosphere just one day later on March 28, 1964.

## Key Facts
- **Mission Designation:** Kosmos 27 (COSPAR ID: 1964-014A).
- **Classification:** Instance of the 3MV Soviet uncrewed probe design.
- **Launch Date:** March 27, 1964, at 03:24:42.
- **Launch Site:** Gagarin's Start, Baikonur Cosmodrome.
- **Launch Vehicle:** Molniya rocket.
- **Orbital Parameters:** Achieved an apoapsis of 237 km and a periapsis of 192 km.
- **Orbital Metrics:** Maintained an orbital period of 88.7 minutes with an inclination of 64.8 degrees.
- **Orbital Eccentricity:** 0.002361.
- **Mission Outcome:** Failed mission; the object underwent atmospheric entry and orbit decay on March 28, 1964.
- **Associated Program:** Linked to the Venera program (commons category).

## FAQs
### Q: What was Kosmos 27?
A: Kosmos 27 was a Soviet uncrewed space probe launched on March 27, 1964. It was built using the 3MV design chassis and is associated with the Venera program, though it is officially designated as a failed space mission.

### Q: How long did Kosmos 27 remain in orbit?
A: The spacecraft had a very short lifespan, decaying and re-entering the atmosphere on March 28, 1964, exactly one day after its launch.

### Q: What rocket was used to launch Kosmos 27?
A: The mission was launched using a Molniya rocket from the Gagarin's Start launch site at the Baikonur Cosmodrome.

## Why It Matters
Kosmos 27 represents a specific class of Soviet space exploration efforts known as the 3MV series, which were technically ambitious uncrewed probes intended for deep space research. While the mission itself failed to leave Earth's orbit, falling back into the atmosphere within 24 hours, it serves as a historical data point in the early 1960s space race.

The mission is significant for classification historians because it illustrates the Soviet practice of naming failed planetary probes "Kosmos" to obscure their original interplanetary goals. Although the mission did not succeed, its launch using the Molniya rocket and its brief attainment of an orbit (with an inclination of 64.8 degrees) provide verifiable technical data on the launch capabilities and orbital mechanics of the era.

## Notable For
- **Short Duration:** The mission lasted less than two days, launching on March 27 and decaying on March 28, 1964.
- **Specific Launch Time:** The launch was recorded with high precision at 03:24:42.
- **3MV Design:** It is a documented instance of the 3MV class of uncrewed probes, a key technology in the Soviet space program.
- **Rapid Decay:** Despite being launched on a powerful Molniya rocket, the payload achieved only a low Earth orbit (192 km x 237 km) before rapid orbital decay.

## Body

### Mission Profile and Launch
Kosmos 27 was launched on March 27, 1964, utilizing a Molniya launch vehicle. The lift-off originated from "Gagarin's Start" (Launch Complex 1) at the Baikonur Cosmodrome. The precise time of the rocket launch event was recorded at 03:24:42.

### Technical Specifications
The entity is classified as an instance of the **3MV** class, a type of Soviet uncrewed probe. The specific orbital parameters achieved by the craft were:
*   **Apoapsis:** 237 kilometres
*   **Periapsis:** 192 kilometres
*   **Orbital Period:** 88.7 minutes
*   **Inclination:** 64.8 degrees
*   **Eccentricity:** 0.002361

### Mission Conclusion
The mission concluded abruptly on March 28, 1964. The significant event of "atmospheric entry" occurred on this date, resulting in the time of object orbit decay. Consequently, Kosmos 27 is officially recorded in the knowledge base as a "failed space mission."

## References

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