Kosmos-3M

11K65M

Mission Profile

Kosmos-3M was a workhorse Soviet and Russian two-stage orbital launch vehicle derived from the R-14 intermediate-range ballistic missile, renowned for exceptional reliability over more than three decades of service. Standing 32.4 meters tall with a liftoff mass of 109,000 kg and generating 1,474 kN of thrust, it could deliver 1,500 kg to low Earth orbit. From its inaugural flight in May 1967 through retirement in the early 2000s, the Kosmos-3M launched hundreds of military reconnaissance, navigation, and early-warning satellites as well as international payloads, earning a reputation as one of the most dependable orbital launchers in history. Its versatility and low cost made it a fixture of the Soviet and early Russian space program.