Kosmos 163

Kosmos 163
Mission type Micrometeroid research
COSPAR ID 1967-056A
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft type DS-U2-MP
Manufacturer Yuzhnoye
Launch mass 280 kilograms (620 lb)[1]
Start of mission
Launch date 5 June 1967, 05:03:00 UTC
Rocket Kosmos-2I 63SM
Launch site Kapustin Yar 86/1
End of mission
Decay date 11 October 1967
Orbital parameters
Reference system Geocentric
Regime Low Earth
Perigee 251 kilometres (156 mi)
Apogee 549 kilometres (341 mi)
Inclination 48.4 degrees
Period 92.56 minutes

Kosmos 163 (Russian: Космос 163 meaning Cosmos 163), also known as DS-U2-MP No.2, was a Soviet satellite which was launched in 1967 as part of the Dnepropetrovsk Sputnik programme. It was a 280-kilogram (620 lb) spacecraft,[1] which was built by the Yuzhnoye Design Bureau, and was used to investigate micrometeoroids and particles of dust in space.[2]

A Kosmos-2I 63SM carrier rocket was used to launch Kosmos 163 into low Earth orbit. The launch took place from Site 86/1 at Kapustin Yar.[3] The launch occurred at 05:03:00 UTC on 5 June 1967, and resulted in the successful insertion of the satellite into orbit.[4] Upon reaching orbit, the satellite was assigned its Kosmos designation, and received the International Designator 1967-056A.[5] The North American Aerospace Defense Command assigned it the catalogue number 02832.

Kosmos 163 was the second of two DS-U2-MP satellites to be launched, after Kosmos 135.[2][6] It was operated in an orbit with a perigee of 251 kilometres (156 mi), an apogee of 549 kilometres (341 mi), 48.4 degrees of inclination, and an orbital period of 92.56 minutes.[7] It decayed from its orbit and reentered the atmosphere on 11 October 1967.[7]

See also

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 "World Civil Satellites 1957-2006". Space Security Index. Retrieved 2009-12-23.
  2. 2.0 2.1 Wade, Mark. "DS-U2-MP". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Retrieved 2009-12-23.
  3. McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 2009-12-23.
  4. Wade, Mark. "Kosmos 2". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Retrieved 2009-12-23.
  5. "Cosmos 163". NSSDC Master Catalog. US National Space Science Data Center. Retrieved 2009-12-23.
  6. Krebs, Gunter. "DS-U2-MP". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2009-12-23.
  7. 7.0 7.1 McDowell, Jonathan. "Satellite Catalog". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 2009-12-23.