COSMOS 2251
NORAD 22675
Payload
LEO
1993-036A
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🛰️ Orbital Parameters
Perigee
763 km
Apogee
799 km
Inclination
74.0°
Period
100.5 min
Mean Motion
14.33236624 rev/day
TLE Epoch
2026-03-17 14:00:00 UTC
📐 Computed Orbital Characteristics
Avg. Altitude781 km
Orbital Velocity26,876 km/h
Velocity7.47 km/s
Orbital Period100 minutes
Orbits / Day14.33
Eccentricity0.0025
Semi-Major Axis7,152 km
Est. Orbital Lifetime~25–100 years
🚀 Launch & Identity
Country / Operator
🇷🇺 Russia (CIS)
Launch Date
1993-06-16
Launch Site
PKMTR
Int'l Designator
1993-036A
Object Type
Payload
RCS Size
Large (>1 m²)
📖 About This Object
COSMOS 2251 is an active satellite operated by Russia (CIS), launched on 1993-06-16 from PKMTR. With over 33 years in orbit, it has far exceeded many satellites’ design lifetimes. It orbits in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at altitudes between 763 km and 799 km with an inclination of 74.0°. It travels at approximately 26,876 km/h (7.47 km/s), completing one full orbit every 100 minutes — that’s roughly 14.33 orbits per day. At its current altitude, the estimated orbital lifetime before atmospheric re-entry is ~25–100 years. Orbital Radar tracks COSMOS 2251 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 2251 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–Iridium Collision Debris
This debris object was created by the first accidental hypervelocity collision between two intact satellites — Cosmos 2251 (defunct, Russia) and Iridium 33 (active, USA) — on 10 February 2009 at approximately 790 km altitude. The collision occurred at a relative velocity of about 11.7 km/s and produced over 2,300 trackable fragments, many of which remain in orbit.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
COSMOS 2251 orbits in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at altitudes between 763 km (perigee) and 799 km (apogee), with an average altitude of approximately 781 km. It completes one orbit every 100 minutes, travelling at approximately 26,876 km/h (16,700 mph).
COSMOS 2251 is operated by Russia (CIS). It is catalogued by the U.S. Space Surveillance Network under NORAD ID 22675. You can track COSMOS 2251 in real time on Orbital Radar’s live tracker.
COSMOS 2251 was launched on 1993-06-16 from PKMTR. At its current altitude, the estimated remaining orbital lifetime is: ~25–100 years.
Yes — Orbital Radar tracks COSMOS 2251 (NORAD ID 22675) 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 2251 travels at approximately 26,876 km/h (16,700 mph) — roughly 7.47 km/s. It completes 14.33 orbits per day, meaning the crew or instruments aboard (if any) would experience approximately 29 sunrises and sunsets every 24 hours.