Kosmos 303

Kosmos 303
Mission type ABM radar target
COSPAR ID 1969-090A
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft type DS-P1-Yu
Manufacturer Yuzhnoye
Launch mass 325 kilograms (717 lb)
Start of mission
Launch date 18 October 1969, 10:00:03 (1969-10-18UTC10:00:03Z) UTC
Rocket Kosmos-2I 63SM
Launch site Plesetsk 133/1
End of mission
Decay date 23 January 1970 (1970-01-24)
Orbital parameters
Reference system Geocentric
Regime Low Earth
Perigee 259 kilometres (161 mi)
Apogee 426 kilometres (265 mi)
Inclination 71 degrees
Period 91.4 minutes

Kosmos 303 (Russian: Космос 303 meaning Cosmos 303), known before launch as DS-P1-Yu No.28, was a Soviet satellite which was launched in 1969 as part of the Dnepropetrovsk Sputnik programme. It was a 325-kilogram (717 lb) spacecraft, which was built by the Yuzhnoye Design Bureau, and was used as a radar calibration target for anti-ballistic missile tests.[1]

Launch

Kosmos 303 was launched from Site 133/1 at the Plesetsk Cosmodrome,[2] atop a Kosmos-2I 63SM carrier rocket. The launch occurred on 18 October 1969 at 10:00:03 UTC, and resulted in the successful deployment of Kosmos 303 into low Earth orbit.[3] Upon reaching orbit, it was assigned its Kosmos designation, and received the International Designator 1969-090A.

Kosmos 303 was operated in an orbit with a perigee of 259 kilometres (161 mi), an apogee of 426 kilometres (265 mi), 71 degrees of inclination, and an orbital period of 91.4 minutes.[1][4] It remained in orbit until it decayed and reentered the atmosphere on 23 January 1970.[4] It was the twenty-fifth of seventy nine DS-P1-Yu satellites to be launched,[1] and the twenty-third of seventy two to successfully reach orbit.[5]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Wade, Mark. "DS-P1-Yu". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Retrieved 14 August 2009.
  2. ↑ McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 14 August 2009.
  3. ↑ Wade, Mark. "Kosmos 2". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Retrieved 14 August 2009.
  4. 1 2 McDowell, Jonathan. "Satellite Catalog". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 14 August 2009.
  5. ↑ Krebs, Gunter. "DS-P1-Yu (11F618)". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 14 August 2009.
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