Kosmos 2251

Kosmos-2251 (Russian: Космос-2251 meaning Cosmos 2251) was a Russian Strela-2M military communications satellite. It was launched into Low Earth orbit from Site 132/1 at the Plesetsk Cosmodrome at 04:17 UTC on 16 June 1993, by a Kosmos-3M carrier rocket.^[3][4] The Strela satellites had a lifespan of 5 years, and the Russian government reported that Kosmos-2251 ceased functioning in 1995.^[5] Russia was later criticised by The Space Review for leaving a defunct satellite in a congested orbit, rather than deorbiting it. In response, Russia noted that they were (and are)^[6] not required to do so under international law.^[7][8] In any case, the KAUR-1 satellites had no propulsion system, which is usually required for deorbiting.^[9][10]

Kosmos 2251

A Strela-2M communication satellite, similar to Kosmos 2251.
Mission type	Military communication
Operator	VKS
COSPAR ID	1993-036A
SATCAT no.	22675
Mission duration	5 years (nominal mission)
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft type	Strela-2M
Bus	KAUR-1[1]
Manufacturer	Reshetnev
Launch mass	900 kg
Start of mission
Launch date	16 June 1993, 04:17 UTC
Rocket	Kosmos-3M
Launch site	Plesetsk, Site 132/1
End of mission
Last contact	1995
Decay date	10 February 2009 (destroyed in space)
Orbital parameters
Reference system	Geocentric[2]
Regime	Low Earth
Perigee altitude	783 km
Apogee altitude	821 km
Inclination	74.0°
Period	101.0 minutes

Destruction

Main article: 2009 satellite collision

At 16:56 UTC on 10 February 2009,^[11] it collided with Iridium 33 (1997-051C), an Iridium satellite,^[12] in the first major collision of two satellites in Earth orbit. The Iridium satellite, which was operational at the time of the collision, was destroyed, as was Kosmos-2251.^[13] NASA reported that a large amount of debris was produced by the collision.^[14][15]

See also

• Kessler syndrome