Kosmos 221 (Russian: Космос 221 meaning Cosmos 221), also known as DS-P1-Yu No.14, was a Soviet satellite which was used as a radar calibration target for tests of anti-ballistic missiles. It was built by the Yuzhnoye Design Bureau, and launched in 1968 as part of the Dnepropetrovsk Sputnik programme.[1] It had a mass of 400 kilograms (880 lb).[1]
Kosmos 221 was launched from Site 86/4 at Kapustin Yar,[2] atop a Kosmos-2I 63SM carrier rocket. The launch occurred on 24 May 1968 at 07:04:50 GMT, and resulted in Kosmos 221's successful deployment into low Earth orbit.[3] Upon reaching orbit, it was assigned its Kosmos designation, and received the International Designator 1968-043A.
Kosmos 221 was operated in an orbit with a perigee of 218 kilometres (135 mi), an apogee of 2,086 kilometres (1,296 mi), an inclination of 48.4°, and an orbital period of 108.3 minutes.[1][4] It remained in orbit until it decayed and reentered the atmosphere on 31 August 1969.[4] It was the thirteenth of seventy nine DS-P1-Yu satellites to be launched,[1] and the twelfth of seventy two to successfully reach orbit.[5]
See also
References
- ^ a b c d Wade, Mark. "DS-P1-Yu". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 2 June 2012. Retrieved 10 August 2009.
- ^ McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 10 August 2009.
- ^ Wade, Mark. "Kosmos 2". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 18 June 2012. Retrieved 10 August 2009.
- ^ a b McDowell, Jonathan. "Satellite Catalog". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 10 August 2009.
- ^ Krebs, Gunter. "DS-P1-Yu (11F618)". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 10 August 2009.
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