Kosmos 388 (Russian: Космос 388 meaning Cosmos 388), known before launch as DS-P1-Yu No.43, 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 388
Mission typeABM radar target
COSPAR ID1970-112A Edit this at Wikidata
SATCAT no.04811Edit this on Wikidata
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft typeDS-P1-Yu
ManufacturerYuzhnoye
Launch mass325 kilograms (717 lb)
Start of mission
Launch date18 December 1970, 09:39:13 (1970-12-18UTC09:39:13Z) UTC
RocketKosmos-2I 63SM
Launch sitePlesetsk 133/1
End of mission
Decay date10 May 1971 (1971-05-11)
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric
RegimeLow Earth
Perigee altitude263 kilometres (163 mi)
Apogee altitude479 kilometres (298 mi)
Inclination70.9 degrees
Period92 minutes

Launch

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Kosmos 388 was successfully launched into low Earth orbit on 18 December 1970, with the rocket lifting off at 09:39:13 UTC.[2] The launch took place from Site 133/1 at the Plesetsk Cosmodrome,[3] and used a Kosmos-2I 63SM carrier rocket. Upon reaching orbit, it was assigned its Kosmos designation, and received the International Designator 1970-112A.[4]

Orbit

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Kosmos 388 was the thirty-eighth of seventy nine DS-P1-Yu satellites to be launched,[1] and the thirty-fifth of seventy two to successfully reach orbit.[5] It was operated in an orbit with a perigee of 263 kilometres (163 mi), an apogee of 479 kilometres (298 mi), 70.9 degrees of inclination, and an orbital period of 92 minutes.[1][6] It remained in orbit until it decayed and reentered the atmosphere on 10 May 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. ^ 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 388". 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.