Cosmos 2281

Russia

Launch data:

Designation	23119 / 94032A
Launch date	07 Jun 1994 at 07:20 UT
Launch site	Plesetsk
Launch vehicle	Soyuz-U
Mission	Military photo reconnaissance
Satellite type	Zenit-8 #102, Oblik #
Earth orbit on:
Perigee/Apogee	192/265 km
Inclination	82.6°
Period	88.7 min

The number 2281 had earlier been assigned to an identical spacecraft that was launched on May 26 but failed to attain orbit.

This flight could be similar to Cosmos 2207 in 1992. The first Vostok based spy satellites were the Zenit 2 series. The first one to reach orbit, in 1962, was given the code name Cosmos 0004. The Zenit derived spy satellites have now been almost entirely phased out in favour of a newer bus called Yantar'.

End of life

Decay

30 Jun 1994

Ref: #15, #207 - update: 6.10.02