Kosmos 408

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Kosmos 408
Mission typeABM radar target
COSPAR ID1971-037A Edit this at Wikidata
SATCAT no.05177Edit this on Wikidata
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft typeDS-P1-Yu
ManufacturerYuzhnoye
Launch mass250 kilograms (550 lb)
Start of mission
Launch date24 April 1971, 11:15:02 (1971-04-24UTC11:15:02Z) UTC
RocketKosmos-2I 63SM
Launch sitePlesetsk 133/1
End of mission
Decay date29 December 1971 (1971-12-30)
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric
RegimeLow Earth
Perigee altitude197 kilometres (122 mi)
Apogee altitude1,383 kilometres (859 mi)
Inclination81.8 degrees
Period100.66 minutes
 

Kosmos 408 (Russian: Космос 408 meaning Cosmos 408), known before launch as DS-P1-Yu No.37, was a Soviet satellite which was launched in 1971 as part of the Dnepropetrovsk Sputnik programme. It was a 250-kilogram (550 lb) spacecraft, which was built by the Yuzhnoye Design Bureau, and was used as a radar calibration target for anti-ballistic missile tests.[1]

Launch[edit]

Kosmos 408 was successfully launched into low Earth orbit on 24 April 1971, with the rocket lifting off at 11:15:02 UTC.[2] The launch took place from Site 133/1 at the Plesetsk Cosmodrome,[3] and used a Kosmos-2I 63SM carrier rocket.

Orbit[edit]

Upon reaching orbit, it was assigned its Kosmos designation, and received the International Designator 1971-037A.[4]

Kosmos 408 was the forty-first of seventy nine DS-P1-Yu satellites to be launched,[1] and the thirty-seventh of seventy two to successfully reach orbit.[5] It was operated in an orbit with a perigee of 197 kilometres (122 mi), an apogee of 1,383 kilometres (859 mi), 81.8 degrees of inclination, and an orbital period of 100.66 minutes.[1][6] It remained in orbit until it decayed and reentered the atmosphere on 29 December 1971.[6]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c Wade, Mark. "DS-P1-Yu". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 2 June 2012. Retrieved 15 August 2009.
  2. ^ Wade, Mark. "Kosmos 2". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 18 June 2012. Retrieved 15 August 2009.
  3. ^ McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 15 August 2009.
  4. ^ "Cosmos 408". NSSDC Master Catalog. US National Space Science Data Center. Retrieved 15 August 2009.
  5. ^ Krebs, Gunter. "DS-P1-Yu (11F618)". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 15 August 2009.
  6. ^ a b McDowell, Jonathan. "Satellite Catalog". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 15 August 2009.