COSMOS 1266
NORAD 12409
Payload
LEO
1981-037A
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🛰️ Orbital Parameters
Perigee
889 km
Apogee
964 km
Inclination
64.8°
Period
103.5 min
Mean Motion
13.90613341 rev/day
TLE Epoch
2026-05-08 20:00:00 UTC
📐 Computed Orbital Characteristics
Avg. Altitude927 km
Orbital Velocity26,606 km/h
Velocity7.39 km/s
Orbital Period104 minutes
Orbits / Day13.91
Eccentricity0.0051
Semi-Major Axis7,298 km
Est. Orbital Lifetime~100–500 years
🚀 Launch & Identity
Country / Operator
🇷🇺 Russia (CIS)
Launch Date
1981-04-21
Launch Site
Baikonur, Kazakhstan
Int'l Designator
1981-037A
Object Type
Payload
RCS Size
Large (>1 m²)
📖 About This Object
COSMOS 1266 is an active satellite operated by Russia (CIS), launched on 1981-04-21 from Baikonur, Kazakhstan. With over 45 years in orbit, it has far exceeded many satellites’ design lifetimes. It orbits in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at altitudes between 889 km and 964 km with an inclination of 64.8°. It travels at approximately 26,606 km/h (7.39 km/s), completing one full orbit every 104 minutes — that’s roughly 13.91 orbits per day. At its current altitude, the estimated orbital lifetime before atmospheric re-entry is ~100–500 years. Orbital Radar tracks COSMOS 1266 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 1266 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 1266 orbits in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at altitudes between 889 km (perigee) and 964 km (apogee), with an average altitude of approximately 927 km. It completes one orbit every 104 minutes, travelling at approximately 26,606 km/h (16,532 mph).
COSMOS 1266 is operated by Russia (CIS). It is catalogued by the U.S. Space Surveillance Network under NORAD ID 12409. You can track COSMOS 1266 in real time on Orbital Radar’s live tracker.
COSMOS 1266 was launched on 1981-04-21 from Baikonur, Kazakhstan, the world’s first and largest operational space launch facility, located in Kazakhstan. At its current altitude, the estimated remaining orbital lifetime is: ~100–500 years.
Yes — Orbital Radar tracks COSMOS 1266 (NORAD ID 12409) 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 1266 travels at approximately 26,606 km/h (16,532 mph) — roughly 7.39 km/s. It completes 13.91 orbits per day, meaning the crew or instruments aboard (if any) would experience approximately 28 sunrises and sunsets every 24 hours.