Kosmos 245
Encyclopedia
Kosmos 245 known before launch as DS-P1-Yu #16, was a Soviet
satellite
which was used as a radar calibration target for tests of anti-ballistic missile
s. It was built by the Yuzhnoye Design Bureau
, and launched in 1968 as part of the Dnepropetrovsk Sputnik
programme. It had a mass of 325 kilograms (716.5 lb).
Kosmos 245 was launched from Site 133/1
at the Plesetsk Cosmodrome
, atop a Kosmos-2I
63SM carrier rocket. The launch occurred on 3 October 1968 at 12:58:59 GMT, and resulted in Kosmos 245's successful deployment into low Earth orbit
. Upon reaching orbit, it was assigned its Kosmos
designation, and received the International Designator
1968-083A.
Kosmos 245 was operated in an orbit with a perigee
of 260 kilometres (161.6 mi), an apogee
of 443 kilometres (275.3 mi), 70.9 degrees of inclination
, and an orbital period
of 91.6 minutes. It remained in orbit until it decayed
and reentered the atmosphere on 15 January 1969. It was the sixteenth of seventy nine DS-P1-Yu satellites to be launched, and the fifteenth of seventy two to successfully reach orbit.
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
satellite
Satellite
In the context of spaceflight, a satellite is an object which has been placed into orbit by human endeavour. Such objects are sometimes called artificial satellites to distinguish them from natural satellites such as the Moon....
which was used as a radar calibration target for tests of anti-ballistic missile
Anti-ballistic missile
An anti-ballistic missile is a missile designed to counter ballistic missiles .A ballistic missile is used to deliver nuclear, chemical, biological or conventional warheads in a ballistic flight trajectory. The term "anti-ballistic missile" describes any antimissile system designed to counter...
s. It was built by the Yuzhnoye Design Bureau
Yuzhnoye Design Bureau
Yuzhnoye Design Bureau , located in Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine, is a designer of satellites and rockets, and formerly of Soviet intercontinental ballistic missiles established by Mikhail Yangel. Yuzhnoye's OKB designation was OKB-586....
, and launched in 1968 as part of the Dnepropetrovsk Sputnik
Dnepropetrovsk Sputnik
Dnepropetrovsk Sputnik , also known as DS, was a series of satellites launched by the Soviet Union between 1961 and 1982. DS satellites were used for a number of missions, including technological and scientific research, and radar tracking targets for anti-satellite weapons and anti-ballistic...
programme. It had a mass of 325 kilograms (716.5 lb).
Kosmos 245 was launched from Site 133/1
Plesetsk Cosmodrome Site 133
Site 133, also known as Raduga , is a launch complex at the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in Russia. It is used by Rockot, and previously Kosmos carrier rockets. It consists of a single pad, originally designated 133/1, and later 133/3....
at the Plesetsk Cosmodrome
Plesetsk Cosmodrome
Plesetsk Cosmodrome is a Russian spaceport, located in Arkhangelsk Oblast, about 800 km north of Moscow and approximately 200 km south of Arkhangelsk.-Overview:...
, atop a Kosmos-2I
Kosmos-2I
Kosmos-2I is the designation applied to two Soviet carrier rockets, members of the R-12 family, which were used to orbit satellites between 1961 and 1977. They were superseded by the R-14 derived Kosmos-3 and Kosmos-3M.-References:* http://www.astronautix.com/lvs/koss63s1.htm*...
63SM carrier rocket. The launch occurred on 3 October 1968 at 12:58:59 GMT, and resulted in Kosmos 245's successful deployment into low Earth orbit
Low Earth orbit
A low Earth orbit is generally defined as an orbit within the locus extending from the Earth’s surface up to an altitude of 2,000 km...
. Upon reaching orbit, it was assigned its Kosmos
Cosmos (satellite)
Kosmos is a designation given to a large number of satellites operated by the Soviet Union and subsequently Russia. Kosmos 1, the first spacecraft to be given a Kosmos designation, was launched on March 16, 1962....
designation, and received the International Designator
International Designator
The International Designator, also known as COSPAR designation, and in the United States as NSSDC ID, is an international naming convention for satellites...
1968-083A.
Kosmos 245 was operated in an orbit with a perigee
Apsis
An apsis , plural apsides , is the point of greatest or least distance of a body from one of the foci of its elliptical orbit. In modern celestial mechanics this focus is also the center of attraction, which is usually the center of mass of the system...
of 260 kilometres (161.6 mi), an apogee
Apsis
An apsis , plural apsides , is the point of greatest or least distance of a body from one of the foci of its elliptical orbit. In modern celestial mechanics this focus is also the center of attraction, which is usually the center of mass of the system...
of 443 kilometres (275.3 mi), 70.9 degrees of inclination
Inclination
Inclination in general is the angle between a reference plane and another plane or axis of direction.-Orbits:The inclination is one of the six orbital parameters describing the shape and orientation of a celestial orbit...
, and an orbital period
Orbital period
The orbital period is the time taken for a given object to make one complete orbit about another object.When mentioned without further qualification in astronomy this refers to the sidereal period of an astronomical object, which is calculated with respect to the stars.There are several kinds of...
of 91.6 minutes. It remained in orbit until it decayed
Orbital decay
Orbital decay is the process of prolonged reduction in the altitude of a satellite's orbit.This can be due to drag produced by an atmosphere due to frequent collisions between the satellite and surrounding air molecules. The drag experienced by the object is larger in the case of increased solar...
and reentered the atmosphere on 15 January 1969. It was the sixteenth of seventy nine DS-P1-Yu satellites to be launched, and the fifteenth of seventy two to successfully reach orbit.