Kosmos 173 (Russian: Космос 173 meaning Cosmos 173), also known as DS-P1-Yu No.8 was a Soviet satellite which was used as a radar calibration target for tests of anti-ballistic missiles. It was a 325 kilograms (717 lb) spacecraft,[1] was built by the Yuzhnoye, and launched in 1967 as part of the Dnepropetrovsk Sputnik programme.[3]

Kosmos 173
Mission typeABM radar target
COSPAR ID1967-081A Edit this at Wikidata
SATCAT no.02921
Mission duration117 days
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft typeDS-P1-Yu
ManufacturerYuzhnoye
Launch mass325 kg[1]
Start of mission
Launch date24 August 1967, 04:59:49 GMT
RocketKosmos-2I 63SM
Launch sitePlesetsk, 133/1
ContractorYuzhnoye
End of mission
Decay date17 December 1967
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric[2]
RegimeLow Earth
Perigee altitude277 km
Apogee altitude480 km
Inclination71.0°
Period92.3 minutes
Epoch24 August 1967

A Kosmos-2I 63SM carrier rocket was used to launch Kosmos 173 from Site 133/1 at Plesetsk Cosmodrome.[4] The launch occurred at 04:59:49 GMT on 24 August 1967, and resulted in Kosmos 173's successful deployment into low Earth orbit.[5]

Kosmos 173 was operated in an orbit with a perigee of 277 kilometres (172 mi), an apogee of 480 kilometres (300 mi), an inclination of 71.0°, and an orbital period of 92.3 minutes.[2] It remained in orbit until it decayed and reentered the atmosphere on 17 December 1967.[6] It was the ninth of seventy nine DS-P1-Yu satellites to be launched,[3] and the eighth of seventy two to successfully reach orbit.[7]

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ a b "Cosmos 173: Display 1967-081A". nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov. NASA. 27 February 2020. Retrieved 18 April 2020.   This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  2. ^ a b "Cosmos 173:Trajectory 1967-081A". nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov. NASA. 27 February 2020. Retrieved 18 April 2020.   This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  3. ^ a b Wade, Mark. "DS-P1-Yu". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 2 June 2012. Retrieved 9 August 2009.
  4. ^ McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 9 August 2009.
  5. ^ Wade, Mark. "Kosmos 2". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 18 June 2012. Retrieved 9 August 2009.
  6. ^ McDowell, Jonathan. "Satellite Catalog". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 9 August 2009.
  7. ^ Krebs, Gunter. "DS-P1-Yu (11F618)". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 9 August 2009.