Kosmos 2251

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title: "Kosmos 2251" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["communications-satellites-in-low-earth-orbit", "spacecraft-launched-in-1993", "satellite-collisions", "kosmos-satellites", "satellites-formerly-orbiting-earth", "derelict-satellites-orbiting-earth", "spacecraft-that-broke-apart-in-space"] description: "Defunct Russian military communications satellite, operational from 1993 to 1995" topic_path: "general/communications-satellites-in-low-earth-orbit" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kosmos_2251" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Defunct Russian military communications satellite, operational from 1993 to 1995 ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox spaceflight"]

Field	Value
name	Kosmos 2251
image	Strela-2M.jpg
image_caption	A Strela-2M communication satellite, similar to Kosmos 2251.
mission_type	Military communication
operator	VKS
COSPAR_ID	1993-036A
SATCAT	22675
mission_duration	5 years (nominal mission)
spacecraft_type	Strela-2M
manufacturer	Reshetnev
launch_mass	900 kg
spacecraft_bus	KAUR-1
launch_date	16 June 1993, 04:17 UTC
launch_rocket	Kosmos-3M
launch_site	Plesetsk, Site 132/1
last_contact	1995
decay_date	10 February 2009
(destroyed in space)
orbit_reference	Geocentric
orbit_regime	Low Earth
orbit_periapsis	783 km
orbit_apoapsis	821 km
orbit_inclination	74.0°
orbit_period	101.0 minutes
apsis	gee
::

| name = Kosmos 2251 | image = Strela-2M.jpg | image_caption = A Strela-2M communication satellite, similar to Kosmos 2251.

| mission_type = Military communication | operator = VKS | website = | COSPAR_ID = 1993-036A | SATCAT = 22675 | mission_duration = 5 years (nominal mission)

| spacecraft_type = Strela-2M | manufacturer = Reshetnev | dry_mass = | launch_mass = 900 kg | power =

| spacecraft_bus = KAUR-1 | launch_date = 16 June 1993, 04:17 UTC | launch_rocket = Kosmos-3M | launch_site = Plesetsk, Site 132/1 | launch_contractor =

| disposal_type = | deactivated = | last_contact = 1995 | decay_date = 10 February 2009 (destroyed in space)

| orbit_reference = Geocentric | orbit_regime = Low Earth | orbit_periapsis = 783 km | orbit_apoapsis = 821 km | orbit_inclination = 74.0° | orbit_period = 101.0 minutes | apsis = gee

Kosmos-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. The Strela satellites had a lifespan of 5 years, and the Russian government reported that Kosmos-2251 ceased functioning in 1995. 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) not required to do so under international law. In any case, the KAUR-1 satellites had no propulsion system, which is usually required for deorbiting.

Destruction

Main article: 2009 satellite collision

At 16:56 UTC on 10 February 2009, it collided with Iridium 33 (1997-051C), 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.

References

References

1. Brian Weeden. (November 10, 2010). "2009 Iridium-Cosmos Collision Fact Sheet". Secure World Foundation.
2. https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/displayTrajectory.action?id=1993-036A - 27 February 2020
3. Wade, Mark. "Strela-2M". [[Encyclopedia Astronautica]].
4. Wade, Mark. "Kosmos-11k65". Encyclopedia Astronautica.
5. (February 13, 2009). "First Satellite Collision Called Threat in Space". The Moscow Times.
6. Chelsea Muñoz-Patchen. (2018). "Regulating the Space Commons: Treating SpaceDebris as Abandoned Property in Violation of the Outer Space Treaty". Chicago Journal of International Law.
7. Brian Weeden. (February 23, 2009). "Billiards in Space". The Space Review.
8. Michael Listner. (February 13, 2012). "Iridium 33 and Cosmos 2251 three years later: where are we now?". The Space Review.
9. ''Игорь Королев''. Авария на $50 млн // Ведомости, № 26 (2296), 13 февраля 2009
10. (2011). "Russian Space Probes: Scientific Discoveries and Future Missions". Springer Science & Business Media.
11. Iannotta, Becky. (11 February 2009). "U.S. Satellite Destroyed in Space Collision". [[Space.com]].
12. "Office for Outer Space Affairs". [[United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs.
13. (12 February 2009). "Russian and US satellites collide". [[BBC News]].
14. (11 February 2009). "2 orbiting satellites collide 500 miles up". [[Associated Press]].
15. (7 February 2011). "U.S. Space debris environment and operational updates". [[NASA]].

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::