COSMOS 1023
NORAD 10961
Payload
LEO
1978-063A
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🛰️ Orbital Parameters
Perigee
754 km
Apogee
779 km
Inclination
74.1°
Period
100.2 min
Mean Motion
14.37593858 rev/day
TLE Epoch
2026-05-08 19:00:00 UTC
📐 Computed Orbital Characteristics
Avg. Altitude767 km
Orbital Velocity26,903 km/h
Velocity7.47 km/s
Orbital Period100 minutes
Orbits / Day14.38
Eccentricity0.0018
Semi-Major Axis7,138 km
Est. Orbital Lifetime~25–100 years
🚀 Launch & Identity
Country / Operator
🇷🇺 Russia (CIS)
Launch Date
1978-06-21
Launch Site
PKMTR
Int'l Designator
1978-063A
Object Type
Payload
RCS Size
Large (>1 m²)
📖 About This Object
COSMOS 1023 is an active satellite operated by Russia (CIS), launched on 1978-06-21 from PKMTR. With over 48 years in orbit, it has far exceeded many satellites’ design lifetimes. It orbits in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at altitudes between 754 km and 779 km with an inclination of 74.1°. It travels at approximately 26,903 km/h (7.47 km/s), completing one full orbit every 100 minutes — that’s roughly 14.38 orbits per day. At its current altitude, the estimated orbital lifetime before atmospheric re-entry is ~25–100 years. Orbital Radar tracks COSMOS 1023 in real time using the latest two-line element set (TLE) data, providing live position, altitude, speed and orbital path updated continuously.
🌍 Orbit Context
COSMOS 1023 occupies the mid-LEO band between 600 and 1,000 km, where atmospheric drag is minimal but radiation exposure remains low. This altitude range balances orbital longevity (decades to centuries) with reasonable ground coverage, making it popular for remote sensing constellations, scientific instruments and weather satellites. Debris concerns are significant here because objects persist far longer than in lower orbits.
🔗 Cosmos (Military/Government) Series
This satellite carries the Cosmos designation, used by Russia (and formerly the Soviet Union) as a generic identifier for military and government spacecraft. The Cosmos series encompasses reconnaissance, signals intelligence (SIGINT), early warning, navigation, communications and scientific payloads. Many Cosmos satellites have classified missions with limited publicly available information.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
COSMOS 1023 orbits in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at altitudes between 754 km (perigee) and 779 km (apogee), with an average altitude of approximately 767 km. It completes one orbit every 100 minutes, travelling at approximately 26,903 km/h (16,717 mph).
COSMOS 1023 is operated by Russia (CIS). It is catalogued by the U.S. Space Surveillance Network under NORAD ID 10961. You can track COSMOS 1023 in real time on Orbital Radar’s live tracker.
COSMOS 1023 was launched on 1978-06-21 from PKMTR. At its current altitude, the estimated remaining orbital lifetime is: ~25–100 years.
Yes — Orbital Radar tracks COSMOS 1023 (NORAD ID 10961) using the latest TLE (two-line element set) data from Space-Track and CelesTrak. Open the live tracker to see its current position, altitude, speed and orbital path updated in real time.
COSMOS 1023 travels at approximately 26,903 km/h (16,717 mph) — roughly 7.47 km/s. It completes 14.38 orbits per day, meaning the crew or instruments aboard (if any) would experience approximately 29 sunrises and sunsets every 24 hours.