science

Kosmos 104

Kosmos 104 is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Kosmos 104 rather than just read about it. In short: Kosmos 104 (Космос 104 meaning Cosmos 104) or Zenit-2 No.33 was a Soviet first-generation low-resolution optical film–return reconnaissance satellite launched in 1966. A Zenit-2 spacecraft, Kosmos 104 was the thirty-second of eighty-one such satellites to be launched and had a mass of 4,730 kilograms (10,430 lb).

Key takeaways

Kosmos 104 belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Kosmos 104 to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Kosmos 104 from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Kosmos 104 (Космос 104 meaning Cosmos 104) or Zenit-2 No.33 was a Soviet first-generation low-resolution optical film–return reconnaissance satellite launched in 1966. A Zenit-2 spacecraft, Kosmos 104 was the thirty-second of eighty-one such satellites to be launched and had a mass of 4,730 kilograms (10,430 lb). Kosmos 104 was launched by a Vostok-2 rocket from Site 31/6 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome. The launch took place at 08:24 GMT on 7 January 1966; however, the program was not completely met. The spacecraft was put into an incorrect orbit by malfunctions in the booster rocket's second and third stages. The spacecraft received a Kosmos designation, along with the International Designator 1966-001A and the Satellite Catalog Number 01903. Despite the problem during its launch, Kosmos 104 was able to complete most of its imaging mission. Its orbit, at an epoch of 7 January 1966, had a perigee of 193 kilometres (120 mi), an apogee of 380 kilometres (240 mi) inclination of 65.0° and a period of 90.2 minutes. On 15 January 1966, after eight days in orbit, the satellite was deorbited with its return capsule descending by parachute for a successful recovery by Soviet force.

References

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Kosmos 104

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Kosmos 104 claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Kosmos 104 before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Kosmos 104 ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Kosmos 104

In research: Kosmos 104 appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Kosmos 104 in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Kosmos 104 is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics 1966 in the Soviet Union, Kosmos satellites, Satellite launch anomalies, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Kosmos 104 outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Kosmos 104 in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Kosmos 104 means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Kosmos 104 out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Kosmos 104 in simple terms?

Why does Kosmos 104 matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Kosmos 104?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Kosmos 104.