Kosmos 215

Kosmos 215

Major contractors	Yuzhnoye
Bus	DS-U1-A
Mission type	Scientific
Launch date	18 April 1968 22:29:52 GMT
Carrier rocket	Kosmos-2I 63SM
Launch site	Kapustin Yar Site 86/4
Orbital decay	30 June 1968
COSPAR ID	1968-033A
Mass	385 kilograms (850 lb)[1]
Orbital elements
Regime	Low Earth
Inclination	48.4°
Apoapsis	350 kilometres (220 mi)
Periapsis	248 kilometres (154 mi)
Orbital period	90.5 minutes

Kosmos 215 (Russian: Космос 215 meaning Cosmos 215), also known as DS-U1-A #1, was a Soviet satellite which was launched in 1968 as part of the Dnepropetrovsk Sputnik programme. It was a 385-kilogram (850 lb) spacecraft,^[1] which was built by the Yuzhnoye Design Bureau, and was used to study radiation and conduct optical observations of the Earth's atmosphere. It was equipped with eight telescopes for optical observation,^[1] and one for ultraviolet astronomy.^[2] It was primarily used to study the Sun, although several other X-ray emissions were detected.

A Kosmos-2I 63SM carrier rocket was used to launch Kosmos 215 into low Earth orbit. The launch took place from Site 86/4 at Kapustin Yar.^[3] It occurred at 22:29:52 GMT on 18 April 1968, and resulted in the successfully insertion of the satellite into orbit.^[4] Upon reaching orbit, the satellite was assigned its Kosmos designation, and received the International Designator 1968-033A.^[5][6] The North American Aerospace Defense Command assigned it the catalogue number 03205.

Kosmos 215 performed ultraviolet photometry of 36 A and B stars from parallel telescopes and two UV photometers with maximum responses at 274.0 and 227.5 nanometres.^[7] Its x-ray telescope was used to measure radiation between 0.05 and 0.5 nanometres.^[8]

Kosmos 215 was the only DS-U1-A satellite to be launched,^[9] and the fourth DS-U1 across all variants. It was operated in an orbit with a perigee of 248 kilometres (154 mi), an apogee of 350 kilometres (220 mi), 48.4 degrees of inclination, and an orbital period of 90.5 minutes.^[10] It completed operations on 6 June 1968.^[11] On 30 June 1968, it decayed from orbit and reentered the atmosphere.^[10]

See also

• 1968 in spaceflight

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} Wade, Mark. "DS-U1-A". Encyclopedia Astronautica. http://www.astronautix.com/craft/dsu1a.htm. Retrieved 2009-11-16. 
2. ^ "The Cosmos series". http://heasarc.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/heasarc/missions/cosmos.html. 
3. ^ McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Page. http://planet4589.org/space/log/launchlog.txt. Retrieved 2009-11-16. 
4. ^ Wade, Mark. "Kosmos 2". Encyclopedia Astronautica. http://www.astronautix.com/lvs/kosmos2.htm. Retrieved 2009-11-16. 
5. ^ "Cosmos 215". NSSDC Master Catalog. US National Space Science Data Center. http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/masterCatalog.do?sc=1968-033A. Retrieved 2009-11-16. 
6. ^ "COSMOS 215 Satellite details 1968-033A NORAD 3205". http://www.n2yo.com/satellite/?s=3205. 
7. ^ Zvereva AM, Eerme KA (1976). "Results of stellar ultraviolet photometry aboard the Cosmos 215 satellite". Krymskaia Astrofizicheskaia Observatoriia, Izvestiia. 55: 200–7. Bibcode 1976IzKry..55..200Z. 
8. ^ "The Spokesman-Review - Jun 10, 1968". http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1314&dat=19680610&id=eacRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=f-kDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7586,3524937. 
9. ^ Krebs, Gunter. "DS-U1-A". Gunter's Space Page. http://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/ds-u1-a.htm. Retrieved 2009-11-16. 
10. ^ ^{a b} McDowell, Jonathan. "Satellite Catalog". Jonathan's Space Page. http://www.planet4589.org/space/log/satcat.txt. Retrieved 2009-11-16. 
11. ^ "World Civil Satellites 1957-2006". Space Security Index. http://www.spacesecurity.org/files/WorldCivilSats2006.xls. Retrieved 2009-11-16.