Kosmos 215

Kosmos 215 (Russian: Космос 215 meaning Cosmos 215), also known as DS-U1-A No.1, was a Soviet satellite which was launched in 1968 as part of the Dnepropetrovsk Sputnik programme. It was a 385-kilogram (849 lb) spacecraft,[1] which was built by the Yuzhnoye Design Bureau, and was used to study radiation and conduct optical observations of the atmosphere of the Earth. It was equipped with eight telescopes,[1][2] including one for ultraviolet astronomy.[3] It was primarily used to study the Sun, although several other X-ray emissions were detected.

Kosmos 215
Mission typeScientific
COSPAR ID1968-033A
SATCAT no.03205
Mission duration73 days
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft typeDS-U1-A
ManufacturerYuzhnoye
Launch mass400 kg
Start of mission
Launch date18 April 1968, 22:29:52 GMT
RocketKosmos-2I 63SM
Launch siteKapustin Yar, Site 86/4
ContractorYuzhnoye
End of mission
Last contact6 June 1968
Decay date30 June 1968
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric
RegimeLow Earth
Perigee altitude255 km
Apogee altitude403 km
Inclination48.5°
Period91.1 minutes
Epoch18 April 1968
 

A Kosmos-2I 63SM carrier rocket was used to launch Kosmos 215 into low Earth orbit. The launch took place from Site 86/4 at Kapustin Yar.[4] It occurred at 22:29:52 GMT on 18 April 1968, and resulted in the successfully insertion of the satellite into orbit.[5] Upon reaching orbit, the satellite was assigned its Kosmos designation, and received the International Designator 1968-033A.[6][7] The North American Air Defense Command assigned it the catalogue number 03205.

Kosmos 215 performed ultraviolet photometry of 36 A and B stars from parallel telescopes and two UV photometers with maximum responses at 274.0 and 227.5 nanometres.[8] Its X-ray telescope was used to measure radiation between 0.05 and 0.5 nanometres.[2]

Kosmos 215 was the only DS-U1-A satellite to be launched,[9] and the fourth DS-U1 across all variants. It was operated in an orbit with a perigee of 255 kilometres (158 mi), an apogee of 403 kilometres (250 mi), an inclination of 48.5°, and an orbital period of 91.1 minutes.[10] It completed operations on 6 June 1968.[11] On 30 June 1968, it decayed from orbit and reentered the atmosphere.[10]

See also

References
  1. Wade, Mark. "DS-U1-A". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 8 January 2010. Retrieved 16 November 2009.
  2. "The Spokesman-Review - Jun 10, 1968".
  3. "The Cosmos series".
  4. McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 16 November 2009.
  5. Wade, Mark. "Kosmos 2". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 8 July 2012. Retrieved 16 November 2009.
  6. "Cosmos 215". This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain. NASA. 27 February 2020. Retrieved 20 April 2020.CS1 maint: others (link)
  7. "COSMOS 215 Satellite details 1968-033A NORAD 3205".
  8. Zvereva AM, Eerme KA (1976). "Results of stellar ultraviolet photometry aboard the Cosmos 215 satellite". Krymskaia Astrofizicheskaia Observatoriia, Izvestiia. 55: 200–7. Bibcode:1976IzKry..55..200Z.
  9. Krebs, Gunter. "DS-U1-A". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 16 November 2009.
  10. McDowell, Jonathan. "Satellite Catalog". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 16 November 2009.
  11. "World Civil Satellites 1957-2006". Space Security Index. Archived from the original on 18 July 2011. Retrieved 16 November 2009.

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