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Kosmos-2251

Kosmos 2251
Strela-2M.jpg
A Strela-2M communication satellite, similar to Kosmos 2251
Mission type Communication
Operator VKS
COSPAR ID 1993-036A
SATCAT no. 22675
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft type Strela-2M
Manufacturer Reshetnev
Launch mass 900 kilograms (2,000 lb)
Start of mission
Launch date 16 June 1993, 04:17 UTC (1993-06-16UTC04:17Z)
Rocket Kosmos-3M
Launch site Plesetsk 132/1
End of mission
Destroyed 10 February 2009
Orbital parameters
Reference system Geocentric
Regime Low Earth
Perigee 778 kilometres (483 mi)
Apogee 803 kilometres (499 mi)
Inclination 74.00 degrees
Period 100.70 minutes

Kosmos-2251, (Russian: Космос-2251 meaning Cosmos 2251), was a Russian Strela-2M 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. It had no propulsion system.

At 16:56 UTC on 10 February 2009, it collided with Iridium 33, an Iridium satellite, 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.NASA reported that a large amount of debris was produced by the collision.



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