Kosmos 262

Kosmos 262
Mission type Solar
COSPAR ID 1968-119A
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft type DS-U2-GF
Manufacturer Yuzhnoye
Launch mass 352 kilograms (776 lb)[1]
Start of mission
Launch date 26 December 1968, 09:45:01 (1968-12-26UTC09:45:01Z) UTC
Rocket Kosmos-2I 63SM
Launch site Kapustin Yar 86/4
End of mission
Decay date 18 July 1969 (1969-07-19)
Orbital parameters
Reference system Geocentric
Regime Low Earth
Perigee 255 kilometres (158 mi)
Apogee 747 kilometres (464 mi)
Inclination 48.4 degrees
Period 94.6 minutes

Kosmos 262 (Russian: Космос 262 meaning Cosmos 262), also known as DS-U2-GF No.1, was a Soviet satellite which was launched in 1968 as part of the Dnepropetrovsk Sputnik programme. It was a 352-kilogram (776 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 UTC 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]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Wade, Mark. "DS-U2-GF". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Retrieved 26 December 2009.
  2. Wade, Mark. "Kosmos 2". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Retrieved 26 December 2009.
  3. McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 26 December 2009.
  4. "Cosmos 262". NSSDC Master Catalog. US National Space Science Data Center. Retrieved 26 December 2009.
  5. Krebs, Gunter. "DS-U2-GF". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 26 December 2009.
  6. 1 2 McDowell, Jonathan. "Satellite Catalog". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 26 December 2009.


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