COSMOS 1066
NORAD 11165
Payload
LEO
1978-121A
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🛰️ Orbital Parameters
Perigee
817 km
Apogee
888 km
Inclination
81.2°
Period
102.0 min
Mean Motion
14.12099043 rev/day
TLE Epoch
2026-05-08 20:00:00 UTC
📐 Computed Orbital Characteristics
Avg. Altitude853 km
Orbital Velocity26,742 km/h
Velocity7.43 km/s
Orbital Period102 minutes
Orbits / Day14.12
Eccentricity0.0049
Semi-Major Axis7,224 km
Est. Orbital Lifetime~100–500 years
🚀 Launch & Identity
Country / Operator
🇷🇺 Russia (CIS)
Launch Date
1978-12-23
Launch Site
PKMTR
Int'l Designator
1978-121A
Object Type
Payload
RCS Size
Large (>1 m²)
📖 About This Object
COSMOS 1066 is an active satellite operated by Russia (CIS), launched on 1978-12-23 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 817 km and 888 km with an inclination of 81.2°. It travels at approximately 26,742 km/h (7.43 km/s), completing one full orbit every 102 minutes — that’s roughly 14.12 orbits per day. At its current altitude, the estimated orbital lifetime before atmospheric re-entry is ~100–500 years. Orbital Radar tracks COSMOS 1066 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 1066 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 1066 orbits in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at altitudes between 817 km (perigee) and 888 km (apogee), with an average altitude of approximately 853 km. It completes one orbit every 102 minutes, travelling at approximately 26,742 km/h (16,617 mph).
COSMOS 1066 is operated by Russia (CIS). It is catalogued by the U.S. Space Surveillance Network under NORAD ID 11165. You can track COSMOS 1066 in real time on Orbital Radar’s live tracker.
COSMOS 1066 was launched on 1978-12-23 from PKMTR. At its current altitude, the estimated remaining orbital lifetime is: ~100–500 years.
Yes — Orbital Radar tracks COSMOS 1066 (NORAD ID 11165) 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 1066 travels at approximately 26,742 km/h (16,617 mph) — roughly 7.43 km/s. It completes 14.12 orbits per day, meaning the crew or instruments aboard (if any) would experience approximately 28 sunrises and sunsets every 24 hours.