| Mission type | ABM radar target | 
|---|---|
| COSPAR ID | 1968-015A | 
| SATCAT no. | 03139 | 
| Mission duration | 362 days | 
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Spacecraft type | DS-P1-I | 
| Manufacturer | Yuzhnoye | 
| Launch mass | 400 kg[1] | 
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 5 March 1968, 18:28:00 GMT | 
| Rocket | Kosmos-2I 63SM | 
| Launch site | Plesetsk Site 133/3 | 
| Contractor | Yuzhnoye | 
| End of mission | |
| Decay date | 2 March 1969 | 
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric[2] | 
| Regime | Low Earth | 
| Perigee altitude | 204 km | 
| Apogee altitude | 844 km | 
| Inclination | 70.0° | 
| Period | 95.9 minutes | 
| Epoch | 5 March 1968 | 
Kosmos 204 (Russian: Космос 204 meaning Cosmos 204), also known as DS-P1-I No.3 was a satellite which was used as a radar target for anti-ballistic missile tests. It was launched by the Soviet Union in 1968 as part of the Dnepropetrovsk Sputnik programme.[3] and had a mass of 400 kilograms (880 lb).[1]
It was launched aboard a Kosmos-2I 63SM rocket,[4] from Site 133/1 at Plesetsk. The launch occurred at 18:28:00 GMT on 5 March 1968.[5]
Kosmos 204 was placed into a low Earth orbit with a perigee of 204 kilometres (127 mi), an apogee of 844 kilometres (524 mi), an inclination of 70.0°, and an orbital period of 95.9 minutes.[2] It decayed from orbit on 2 March 1969.[6]
Kosmos 204 was the third of nineteen DS-P1-I satellites to be launched. Of these, all reached orbit successfully except the seventh, launched out of sequence.[7]
See also
References
- 1 2  "Cosmos 204: Display 1968-015A". nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov. NASA. 27 February 2020. Retrieved 19 April 2020.  This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- 1 2 "Cosmos 204: Trajectory 1968-015A". nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov. NASA. 27 February 2020. Retrieved 19 April 2020.
- ↑ 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 18 June 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.