Kosmos 268

Kosmos 268
Mission typeABM radar target
COSPAR ID1969-020A Edit this at Wikidata
SATCAT no.03773Edit this on Wikidata
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft typeDS-P1-Yu
ManufacturerYuzhnoye
Launch mass250 kilograms (550 lb)
Start of mission
Launch date5 March 1969, 13:04:55 (1969-03-05UTC13:04:55Z) UTC
RocketKosmos-2I 63SM
Launch siteKapustin Yar 86/4
End of mission
Decay date9 May 1970 (1970-05-10)
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric
RegimeLow Earth
Perigee altitude212 kilometres (132 mi)
Apogee altitude2,063 kilometres (1,282 mi)
Inclination48.4 degrees
Period108 minutes

Kosmos 268 (Russian: Космос 268 meaning Cosmos 268), known before launch as DS-P1-Yu No.18, was a Soviet satellite which was used as a radar calibration target for tests of anti-ballistic missiles. It was a 250-kilogram (550 lb) spacecraft, which was built by the Yuzhnoye Design Bureau, and launched in 1969 as part of the Dnepropetrovsk Sputnik programme.[1]

Launch

Kosmos 268 was launched from Site 86/4 at Kapustin Yar,[2] atop a Kosmos-2I 63SM carrier rocket. The launch occurred on 5 March 1969 at 13:04:55 UTC, and resulted in Kosmos 268's successful deployment into low Earth orbit.[3] Upon reaching orbit, it was assigned its Kosmos designation, and received the International Designator 1969-020A.

Kosmos 268 was operated in an orbit with a perigee of 212 kilometres (132 mi), an apogee of 2,063 kilometres (1,282 mi), 48.4 degrees of inclination, and an orbital period of 108 minutes.[1][4] It remained in orbit until it decayed and reentered the atmosphere on 9 May 1970.[4] It was the nineteenth of seventy nine DS-P1-Yu satellites to be launched,[1] and the eighteenth of seventy two to successfully reach orbit.[5]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c Wade, Mark. "DS-P1-Yu". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 2 June 2012. Retrieved 13 August 2009.
  2. ^ McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 13 August 2009.
  3. ^ Wade, Mark. "Kosmos 2". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 18 June 2012. Retrieved 13 August 2009.
  4. ^ a b McDowell, Jonathan. "Satellite Catalog". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 13 August 2009.
  5. ^ Krebs, Gunter. "DS-P1-Yu (11F618)". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 13 August 2009.


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