Kosmos 421
Kosmos 421 (Russian: Космос 421 meaning Cosmos 421), known before launch as DS-P1-Yu No.48, was a Soviet satellite which was launched in 1971 as part of the Dnepropetrovsk Sputnik programme. It was a 325-kilogram (717 lb) spacecraft, which was built by the Yuzhnoye Design Bureau, and was used as a radar calibration target for anti-ballistic missile tests.[1]
| Mission type | ABM radar target |
|---|---|
| COSPAR ID | 1971-044A |
| SATCAT no. | 05232 |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Spacecraft type | DS-P1-Yu |
| Manufacturer | Yuzhnoye |
| Launch mass | 325 kilograms (717 lb) |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 19 May 1971, 10:20:00 UTC |
| Rocket | Kosmos-2I 63SM |
| Launch site | Plesetsk 133/1 |
| End of mission | |
| Decay date | 8 November 1971 |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric |
| Regime | Low Earth |
| Perigee altitude | 266 kilometres (165 mi) |
| Apogee altitude | 445 kilometres (277 mi) |
| Inclination | 70.9 degrees |
| Period | 91.65 minutes |
Launch
Kosmos 421 was successfully launched into low Earth orbit on 19 May 1971, with the rocket lifting-off at 10:20:00 UTC.[2] The launch took place from Site 133/1 at the Plesetsk Cosmodrome,[3] and used a Kosmos-2I 63SM carrier rocket.
Orbit
Upon reaching orbit, it was assigned its Kosmos designation, and received the International Designator 1971-044A.[4]
Kosmos 421 was the forty-second of seventy nine DS-P1-Yu satellites to be launched,[1] and the thirty-eighth of seventy two to successfully reach orbit.[5] It was operated in an orbit with a perigee of 266 kilometres (165 mi), an apogee of 445 kilometres (277 mi), 70.9 degrees of inclination, and an orbital period of 91.65 minutes.[1][6] It remained in orbit until it decayed and reentered the atmosphere on 8 November 1971.[6]
See also
References
- Wade, Mark. "DS-P1-Yu". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 2 June 2012. Retrieved 15 August 2009.
- Wade, Mark. "Kosmos 2". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 18 June 2012. Retrieved 15 August 2009.
- McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 15 August 2009.
- "Cosmos 421". NSSDC Master Catalog. US National Space Science Data Center. Retrieved 15 August 2009.
- Krebs, Gunter. "DS-P1-Yu (11F618)". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 15 August 2009.
- McDowell, Jonathan. "Satellite Catalog". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 15 August 2009.