Kosmos 461

Kosmos 461 (Russian: Космос 461 meaning Cosmos 461), also known as DS-U2-MT No.1, was a Soviet satellite which was launched in 1971 as part of the Dnepropetrovsk Sputnik programme. It was a 680-kilogram (1,500 lb) spacecraft,[1] which was built by the Yuzhnoye Design Bureau, and was used to investigate micrometeoroids and conduct gamma ray astronomy.[2]

Kosmos 461
Mission typeAstronomy
Micrometeoroids
COSPAR ID1971-105A
SATCAT no.05643
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft typeDS-U2-MT
ManufacturerYuzhnoye
Launch mass680 kilograms (1,500 lb)[1]
Start of mission
Launch date2 December 1971, 17:30:00 (1971-12-02UTC17:30Z) UTC
RocketKosmos-3M
Launch sitePlesetsk 132/1
End of mission
Decay date21 February 1979 (1979-02-22)
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric
RegimeLow Earth
Perigee altitude486 kilometres (302 mi)
Apogee altitude508 kilometres (316 mi)
Inclination69.2 degrees
Period94.55 minutes
 

Launch

A Kosmos-3M carrier rocket, serial number 47119-109, was used to launch Kosmos 461 into low Earth orbit. The launch took place from Site 132/1 at the Plesetsk Cosmodrome.[3] The launch occurred at 17:30:00 UTC on 2 December 1971, and resulted in the successful insertion of the satellite into orbit.[4]

Orbit

Upon reaching orbit, the satellite was assigned its Kosmos designation, and received the International Designator 1971-105A.[5] The North American Aerospace Defense Command assigned it the catalogue number 05643.

Kosmos 461 was the only DS-U2-MT satellite to be launched.[2][6] It was operated in an orbit with a perigee of 486 kilometres (302 mi), an apogee of 508 kilometres (316 mi), 69.2 degrees of inclination, and an orbital period of 94.55 minutes.[7] It completed operations on 14 December 1972,[1] before decaying from orbit and reentering the atmosphere on 21 February 1979.[7]

See also

References
  1. "World Civil Satellites 1957-2006". Space Security Index. Archived from the original on 18 July 2011. Retrieved 26 December 2009.
  2. Wade, Mark. "DS-U2-MT". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 5 January 2009. Retrieved 26 December 2009.
  3. McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 26 December 2009.
  4. Wade, Mark. "Kosmos 3". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Retrieved 26 December 2009.
  5. "Cosmos 461". NSSDC Master Catalog. US National Space Science Data Center. Retrieved 26 December 2009.
  6. Krebs, Gunter. "DS-U2-MT". Gunter's Space Page. Archived from the original on 29 August 2012. Retrieved 26 December 2009.
  7. McDowell, Jonathan. "Satellite Catalog". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 26 December 2009.


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