Kosmos 204

Summary

Kosmos 204 (Russian: Космос 204 meaning Cosmos 204), also known as DS-P1-I No.3 was a satellite which was used as a radar target for anti-ballistic missile tests. It was launched by the Soviet Union in 1968 as part of the Dnepropetrovsk Sputnik programme.[3] and had a mass of 400 kilograms (880 lb).[1]

Kosmos 204
Mission typeABM radar target
COSPAR ID1968-015A Edit this at Wikidata
SATCAT no.03139
Mission duration362 days
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft typeDS-P1-I
ManufacturerYuzhnoye
Launch mass400 kg[1]
Start of mission
Launch date5 March 1968, 18:28:00 GMT
RocketKosmos-2I 63SM
Launch sitePlesetsk Site 133/3
ContractorYuzhnoye
End of mission
Decay date2 March 1969
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric[2]
RegimeLow Earth
Perigee altitude204 km
Apogee altitude844 km
Inclination70.0°
Period95.9 minutes
Epoch5 March 1968
 

It was launched aboard a Kosmos-2I 63SM rocket,[4] from Site 133/1 at Plesetsk. The launch occurred at 18:28:00 GMT on 5 March 1968.[5]

Kosmos 204 was placed into a low Earth orbit with a perigee of 204 kilometres (127 mi), an apogee of 844 kilometres (524 mi), an inclination of 70.0°, and an orbital period of 95.9 minutes.[2] It decayed from orbit on 2 March 1969.[6]

Kosmos 204 was the third of nineteen DS-P1-I satellites to be launched. Of these, all reached orbit successfully except the seventh, launched out of sequence.[7]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b "Cosmos 204: Display 1968-015A". nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov. NASA. 27 February 2020. Retrieved 19 April 2020.   This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  2. ^ a b "Cosmos 204: Trajectory 1968-015A". nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov. NASA. 27 February 2020. Retrieved 19 April 2020.
  3. ^ Wade, Mark. "DS-P1-I". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 30 November 2009. Retrieved 28 May 2009.
  4. ^ McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 28 May 2009.
  5. ^ Wade, Mark. "Kosmos 2". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 18 June 2012. Retrieved 28 May 2009.
  6. ^ McDowell, Jonathan. "Satellite Catalog". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 28 May 2009.
  7. ^ Wade, Mark. "DS". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 31 March 2009. Retrieved 28 May 2009.