Kosmos 117


Kosmos 117 or Zenit-2 No.39 was a Soviet optical film-return reconnaissance satellite launched in 1966. A Zenit-2 spacecraft, Kosmos 117 was the thirty-eighth of eighty-one such satellites to be launched and had a mass of.
Kosmos 117 was launched by a Vostok-2 rocket, serial number N15001-01, flying from Site 31/6 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome. The launch took place at 11:02 GMT on 6 May 1966, and following its successful arrival in orbit the spacecraft received its Kosmos designation; along with the International Designator 1966-037A and the Satellite Catalog Number 02163.
Kosmos 117 was operated in a low Earth orbit, at an epoch of 6 May 1966, it had a perigee of, an apogee of, an inclination of 65., and an orbital period of 89.5 minutes. After eight days in orbit, Kosmos 117 was deorbited, with its return capsule descending under parachute and landing at 08:24 GMT on 14 May 1966 and recovered by Soviet force.