Kosmos 33
# Kosmos 33

Kosmos 33 (Russian: Космос 33 meaning Cosmos 33) or Zenit-2 No.20 was a Soviet, first generation, low resolution, optical film-return reconnaissance satellite launched in 1964. A Zenit-2 spacecraft, Kosmos 33 was the nineteenth of eighty-one such satellites to be launched and had a mass of 4,730 kilograms (10,430 lb).

Kosmos 33 was launched by a Vostok-2 rocket, serial number G15001-05, flying from Site 31/6 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome. The launch took place at 10:19 GMT on 23 June 1964, and following its successful arrival in orbit the spacecraft received its Kosmos designation; along with the International Designator 1964-033A and the Satellite Catalog Number 00816.

Kosmos 33 was operated in a low Earth orbit; at an epoch of 23 June 1964 it had a perigee of 209 kilometres (130 mi), an apogee of 293 kilometres (182 mi), inclination of 65.0° and an orbital period of 89.4 minutes. On 1 July 1964, after 8 days in orbit, the satellite was deorbited with its return capsule descending by parachute for recovery by Soviet forces.

