| Major contractors | Yuzhnoye |
|---|---|
| Bus | DS-U2-GF |
| Mission type | Solar |
| Launch date | 26 December 1968 09:45:01 GMT |
| Carrier rocket | Kosmos-2I 63SM |
| Launch site | Kapustin Yar Site 86/4 |
| Orbital decay | 18 July 1969 |
| COSPAR ID | 1968-119A |
| Mass | 352 kilograms (780 lb)[1] |
| Orbital elements | |
| Regime | Low Earth |
| Inclination | 48.4° |
| Apoapsis | 747 kilometres (464 mi) |
| Periapsis | 255 kilometres (158 mi) |
| Orbital period | 94.6 minutes |
Kosmos 262 (Russian: Космос 262 meaning Cosmos 262), also known as DS-U2-GF #1, was a Soviet satellite which was launched in 1968 as part of the Dnepropetrovsk Sputnik programme. It was a 352-kilogram (780 lb) spacecraft,[1] which was built by the Yuzhnoye Design Bureau, and was used to study the Sun.[1]
A Kosmos-2I 63SM carrier rocket was used to launch Kosmos 262 into low Earth orbit. The launch occurred at 09:45:01 GMT on 26 December 1968, and resulted in the successful insertion of the satellite into orbit.[2] It took place from Site 86/4 at Kapustin Yar.[3] Upon reaching orbit, the satellite was assigned its Kosmos designation, and received the International Designator 1968-119A.[4] The North American Aerospace Defense Command assigned it the catalogue number 03629.
Kosmos 262 was the only DS-U2-GF satellite to be launched.[5] It was operated in an orbit with a perigee of 255 kilometres (158 mi), an apogee of 747 kilometres (464 mi), 48.4 degrees of inclination, and an orbital period of 94.6 minutes.[6] It completed operations on 3 May 1969, before decaying from orbit and reentering the atmosphere on 18 July.[6]