Zenit-8 (Oblik) [GDK]Zenit-6U (Argon) similar
Official name COSMOS 1509
Alternative name Cosmos-1509
Cospar ID 1983-112A
Norad ID 14490
Launch date 1983-11-17
Launch site PKMTR
Launch vehicle Soyuz-U
Country/Organization USSR
Type application Reconnaissance, photo (film return type)
Operator GRU
RCS size LARGE
Decay date 1983-12-01
Shape Sphere + Cyl
Mass (kg) 6243.81
Diameter (m) 2.4
Height (m) 6.49
Span (m^2) 6.49
Lifetime 14 days
Contractors TsSKB
Propulsion 11D82M; S5.120 (maneuver module)
Configuration Zenit bus
Power Batteries

The Zenit-6U, also known as Argon or 11F645, was a soviet optical reconnaissance satellite of the Vostok-based Zenit-family to replace the earlier Zenit-2M (Gektor), Zenit-4M (Rotor), Zenit-4MK (Germes) and Zenit-4MKM (Gerakl) series.

Zenit-6U was both used for both low-altitude, high-resolution missions and higher-altitude area surveillance missions. The satellites consisted of the Vostok-based service and reentry modules and featured an additional maneuvering engine, which was jettisoned before reentry. The spherical reentry module returned both the cameras and the film to earth at the end of the mission. The lifetime of the battery powered spacecraft was typically 12 to 14 days.

97 satellites of this type were launched between 1976 and 1984. The return capsules could be reused several times.

Satellite COSPAR Date LS Launch Vehicle Remarks
COSMOS 867 1976-111A 1976-11-23 PKMTR Soyuz-U
COSMOS 896 1977-016A 1977-03-03 PKMTR Soyuz-U
COSMOS 934 1977-072A 1977-07-27 PKMTR Soyuz-U
COSMOS 958 1977-100A 1977-10-11 PKMTR Soyuz-U
COSMOS 1050 1978-108A 1978-11-28 PKMTR Soyuz-U
COSMOS 1095 1979-034A 1979-04-20 PKMTR Soyuz-U
COSMOS 1103 1979-045A 1979-05-31 PKMTR Soyuz-U
COSMOS 1107 1979-055A 1979-06-15 PKMTR Soyuz-U
COSMOS 1111 1979-061A 1979-06-29 PKMTR Soyuz-U
COSMOS 1126 1979-079A 1979-08-31 PKMTR Soyuz-U
COSMOS 1138 1979-085A 1979-09-28 PKMTR Soyuz-U
COSMOS 1142 1979-092A 1979-10-22 PKMTR Soyuz-U
COSMOS 1147 1979-102A 1979-12-12 PKMTR Soyuz-U
COSMOS 1149 1980-001A 1980-01-09 PKMTR Soyuz-U
COSMOS 1155 1980-009A 1980-02-07 PKMTR Soyuz-U
COSMOS 1166 1980-020A 1980-03-04 PKMTR Soyuz-U
COSMOS 1178 1980-036A 1980-05-07 PKMTR Soyuz-U
COSMOS 1183 1980-042A 1980-05-28 PKMTR Soyuz-U
COSMOS 1187 1980-048A 1980-06-12 PKMTR Soyuz-U
COSMOS 1189 1980-054A 1980-06-26 PKMTR Soyuz-U
COSMOS 1200 1980-059A 1980-07-09 PKMTR Soyuz-U
COSMOS 1202 1980-065A 1980-07-24 PKMTR Soyuz-U
COSMOS 1205 1980-068A 1980-08-12 PKMTR Soyuz-U
COSMOS 1210 1980-076A 1980-09-19 PKMTR Soyuz-U
COSMOS 1213 1980-080A 1980-10-03 PKMTR Soyuz-U
COSMOS 1216 1980-084A 1980-10-16 PKMTR Soyuz-U
COSMOS 1219 1980-088A 1980-10-31 PKMTR Soyuz-U
COSMOS 1221 1980-090A 1980-11-12 PKMTR Soyuz-U
COSMOS 1224 1980-096A 1980-12-01 PKMTR Soyuz-U
COSMOS 1227 1980-101A 1980-12-16 PKMTR Soyuz-U
COSMOS 1237 1981-001A 1981-01-06 PKMTR Soyuz-U
COSMOS 1245 1981-014A 1981-02-13 PKMTR Soyuz-U
COSMOS 1259 1981-026A 1981-03-17 TTMTR Soyuz-U
COSMOS 1262 1981-032A 1981-04-07 PKMTR Soyuz-U
COSMOS 1264 1981-035A 1981-04-15 TTMTR Soyuz-U
COSMOS 1265 1981-036A 1981-04-16 PKMTR Soyuz-U
COSMOS 1268 1981-040A 1981-04-28 TTMTR Soyuz-U
COSMOS 1272 1981-047A 1981-05-21 TTMTR Soyuz-U
COSMOS 1277 1981-056A 1981-06-17 TTMTR Soyuz-U
COSMOS 1279 1981-062A 1981-07-01 TTMTR Soyuz-U
COSMOS 1281 1981-064A 1981-07-07 PKMTR Soyuz-U
COSMOS 1283 1981-067A 1981-07-17 PKMTR Soyuz-U
COSMOS 1284 1981-068A 1981-07-29 PKMTR Soyuz-U
COSMOS 1297 1981-079A 1981-08-18 PKMTR Soyuz-U
COSMOS 1303 1981-086A 1981-09-04 TTMTR Soyuz-U
COSMOS 1307 1981-090A 1981-09-15 PKMTR Soyuz-U
COSMOS 1313 1981-099A 1981-10-01 TTMTR Soyuz-U
COSMOS 1316 1981-104A 1981-10-15 TTMTR Soyuz-U
COSMOS 1319 1981-112A 1981-11-13 TTMTR Soyuz-U
COSMOS 1329 1981-118A 1981-12-04 TTMTR Soyuz-U
COSMOS 1334 1982-005A 1982-01-20 PKMTR Soyuz-U
COSMOS 1338 1982-011A 1982-02-16 PKMTR Soyuz-U
COSMOS 1342 1982-018A 1982-03-05 PKMTR Soyuz-U
COSMOS 1343 1982-021A 1982-03-17 PKMTR Soyuz-U
COSMOS 1352 1982-035A 1982-04-21 TTMTR Soyuz-U
COSMOS 1368 1982-046A 1982-05-21 TTMTR Soyuz-U
COSMOS 1373 1982-053A 1982-06-02 TTMTR Soyuz-U
COSMOS 1381 1982-062A 1982-06-18 TTMTR Soyuz-U
COSMOS 1385 1982-068A 1982-07-06 PKMTR Soyuz-U
COSMOS 1396 1982-075A 1982-07-27 PKMTR Soyuz-U
COSMOS 1403 1982-085A 1982-09-01 TTMTR Soyuz-U
COSMOS 1404 1982-086A 1982-09-01 PKMTR Soyuz-U
COSMOS 1411 1982-098A 1982-09-30 PKMTR Soyuz-U
COSMOS 1416 1982-101A 1982-10-14 TTMTR Soyuz-U
COSMOS 1419 1982-108A 1982-11-02 TTMTR Soyuz-U
COSMOS 1421 1982-112A 1982-11-18 TTMTR Soyuz-U
COSMOS 1422 1982-114A 1982-12-03 PKMTR Soyuz-U
COSMOS 1425 1982-119A 1982-12-23 TTMTR Soyuz-U2
COSMOS 1438 1983-005A 1983-01-27 TTMTR Soyuz-U
COSMOS 1444 1983-014A 1983-03-02 PKMTR Soyuz-U
COSMOS 1446 1983-018A 1983-03-16 TTMTR Soyuz-U2
COSMOS 1449 1983-024A 1983-03-31 PKMTR Soyuz-U
COSMOS 1451 1983-029A 1983-04-08 PKMTR Soyuz-U
COSMOS 1460 1983-043A 1983-05-06 TTMTR Soyuz-U
COSMOS 1467 1983-052A 1983-05-31 PKMTR Soyuz-U
COSMOS 1469 1983-057A 1983-06-14 PKMTR Soyuz-U
COSMOS 1472 1983-068A 1983-07-05 PKMTR Soyuz-U
COSMOS 1482 1983-071A 1983-07-13 TTMTR Soyuz-U
COSMOS 1485 1983-076A 1983-07-26 PKMTR Soyuz-U
COSMOS 1488 1983-082A 1983-08-09 PKMTR Soyuz-U
COSMOS 1493 1983-087A 1983-08-23 PKMTR Soyuz-U
COSMOS 1497 1983-095A 1983-09-09 PKMTR Soyuz-U
COSMOS 1499 1983-097A 1983-09-17 PKMTR Soyuz-U
COSMOS 1505 1983-107A 1983-10-21 PKMTR Soyuz-U
COSMOS 1509 1983-112A 1983-11-17 PKMTR Soyuz-U
COSMOS 1512 1983-119A 1983-12-07 PKMTR Soyuz-U
COSMOS 1530 1984-002A 1984-01-11 PKMTR Soyuz-U
COSMOS 1533 1984-006A 1984-01-26 TTMTR Soyuz-U2
COSMOS 1542 1984-025A 1984-03-07 TTMTR Soyuz-U2
COSMOS 1545 1984-030A 1984-03-21 PKMTR Soyuz-U
COSMOS 1549 1984-040A 1984-04-19 PKMTR Soyuz-U
COSMOS 1551 1984-044A 1984-05-11 PKMTR Soyuz-U
COSMOS 1568 1984-054A 1984-06-01 PKMTR Soyuz-U
COSMOS 1573 1984-061A 1984-06-19 PKMTR Soyuz-U