Kosmos 615
Kosmos 615 (Russian: Космос 615 meaning Cosmos 615), also known as DS-P1-I No.13 was a satellite which was used as a radar target for anti-ballistic missile tests. It was launched by the Soviet Union in 1973 as part of the Dnepropetrovsk Sputnik programme.[1]
| Mission type | ABM radar target |
|---|---|
| COSPAR ID | 1973-099A |
| SATCAT no. | 06971 |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Spacecraft type | DS-P1-I |
| Manufacturer | Yuzhnoye |
| Launch mass | 400 kilograms (880 lb) |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 13 December 1973, 11:10:03 UTC |
| Rocket | Kosmos-2I 63SM |
| Launch site | Plesetsk 133/1 |
| End of mission | |
| Decay date | 17 December 1975 |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric |
| Regime | Low Earth |
| Perigee altitude | 270 kilometres (170 mi) |
| Apogee altitude | 834 kilometres (518 mi) |
| Inclination | 71 degrees |
| Period | 95.7 minutes |
Launch
It was launched aboard a Kosmos-2I 63SM rocket,[2] from Site 133/1 at Plesetsk. The launch occurred at 11:10:03 UTC on 13 December 1973.[3]
Orbit
Kosmos 615 was placed into a low Earth orbit with a perigee of 270 kilometres (170 mi), an apogee of 834 kilometres (518 mi), 71 degrees of inclination, and an orbital period of 95.7 minutes.[1] It decayed from orbit on 17 December 1975.[4]
Kosmos 615 was the thirteenth of nineteen DS-P1-I satellites to be launched.[1] Of these, all reached orbit successfully except the seventh.[5]
See also
References
- Wade, Mark. "DS-P1-I". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 30 November 2009. Retrieved 28 May 2009.
- McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 28 May 2009.
- Wade, Mark. "Kosmos 2". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 8 July 2012. Retrieved 28 May 2009.
- McDowell, Jonathan. "Satellite Catalog". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 28 May 2009.
- Wade, Mark. "DS". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 31 March 2009. Retrieved 28 May 2009.