Kosmos 369 (Russian: Космос 369 meaning Cosmos 369), known before launch as DS-P1-Yu No.42, was a Soviet satellite which was launched in 1970 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]

Kosmos 369
Mission typeABM radar target
COSPAR ID1970-081A Edit this at Wikidata
SATCAT no.04573Edit this on Wikidata
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft typeDS-P1-Yu
ManufacturerYuzhnoye
Launch mass325 kilograms (717 lb)
Start of mission
Launch date8 October 1970, 15:10:03 (1970-10-08UTC15:10:03Z) UTC
RocketKosmos-2I 63SM
Launch sitePlesetsk 133/1
End of mission
Decay date22 January 1971 (1971-01-23)
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric
RegimeLow Earth
Perigee altitude256 kilometres (159 mi)
Apogee altitude454 kilometres (282 mi)
Inclination70.9 degrees
Period91.6 minutes

Launch

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The launch of Kosmos 369 took place from Site 133/1 at the Plesetsk Cosmodrome,[2] and used a Kosmos-2I 63SM carrier rocket. The launch occurred at 15:10:03 UTC on 8 October 1970, and successfully deployed Kosmos 369 into low Earth orbit.[3] Upon reaching orbit, it was assigned its Kosmos designation, and received the International Designator 1970-081A.[4]

Orbit

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Kosmos 369 was the thirty-sixth of seventy nine DS-P1-Yu satellites to be launched,[1] and the thirty-third of seventy two to successfully reach orbit.[5] It was operated in an orbit with a perigee of 256 kilometres (159 mi), an apogee of 454 kilometres (282 mi), 70.9 degrees of inclination, and an orbital period of 91.6 minutes.[1][6] It remained in orbit until it decayed and reentered the atmosphere on 22 January 1971.[6]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Wade, Mark. "DS-P1-Yu". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 2 June 2012. Retrieved 15 August 2009.
  2. ^ McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 15 August 2009.
  3. ^ Wade, Mark. "Kosmos 2". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 18 June 2012. Retrieved 15 August 2009.
  4. ^ "Cosmos 369". 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.