Kosmos 2251
A Strela-2M communication satellite, similar to Kosmos 2251
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| 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 |
| 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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