Kosmos 347
Encyclopedia
Kosmos 347 known before launch as DS-P1-Yu #35, was a Soviet
satellite
which was launched in 1970 as part of the Dnepropetrovsk Sputnik
programme. It was a 250 kilograms (551.2 lb) spacecraft, which was built by the Yuzhnoye Design Bureau
, and was used as a radar calibration target for anti-ballistic missile
tests.
Kosmos 347 was launched from Site 86/4 at Kapustin Yar
, atop a Kosmos-2I
63SM carrier rocket. The launch occurred on 12 June 1970 at 09:30:02 GMT, and resulted in the successful deployment of Kosmos 347 into low Earth orbit
. Upon reaching orbit, it was assigned its Kosmos
designation, and received the International Designator
1970-043A.
Kosmos 347 was the thirty-third of seventy nine DS-P1-Yu satellites to be launched, and the thirtieth of seventy two to successfully reach orbit. It was operated in an orbit with a perigee
of 214 kilometres (133 mi), an apogee
of 1970 kilometres (1,224.1 mi), 48.4 degrees of inclination
, and an orbital period
of 107.1 minutes. It remained in orbit until it decayed
and reentered the atmosphere on 7 November 1971.
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
satellite
Satellite
In the context of spaceflight, a satellite is an object which has been placed into orbit by human endeavour. Such objects are sometimes called artificial satellites to distinguish them from natural satellites such as the Moon....
which was launched in 1970 as part of the Dnepropetrovsk Sputnik
Dnepropetrovsk Sputnik
Dnepropetrovsk Sputnik , also known as DS, was a series of satellites launched by the Soviet Union between 1961 and 1982. DS satellites were used for a number of missions, including technological and scientific research, and radar tracking targets for anti-satellite weapons and anti-ballistic...
programme. It was a 250 kilograms (551.2 lb) spacecraft, which was built by the Yuzhnoye Design Bureau
Yuzhnoye Design Bureau
Yuzhnoye Design Bureau , located in Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine, is a designer of satellites and rockets, and formerly of Soviet intercontinental ballistic missiles established by Mikhail Yangel. Yuzhnoye's OKB designation was OKB-586....
, and was used as a radar calibration target for anti-ballistic missile
Anti-ballistic missile
An anti-ballistic missile is a missile designed to counter ballistic missiles .A ballistic missile is used to deliver nuclear, chemical, biological or conventional warheads in a ballistic flight trajectory. The term "anti-ballistic missile" describes any antimissile system designed to counter...
tests.
Kosmos 347 was launched from Site 86/4 at Kapustin Yar
Kapustin Yar
Kapustin Yar is a Russian rocket launch and development site in Astrakhan Oblast, between Volgograd and Astrakhan. Known today as Znamensk , it was established 13 May 1946 and in the beginning used technology, material, and scientific support from defeated Germany...
, atop a Kosmos-2I
Kosmos-2I
Kosmos-2I is the designation applied to two Soviet carrier rockets, members of the R-12 family, which were used to orbit satellites between 1961 and 1977. They were superseded by the R-14 derived Kosmos-3 and Kosmos-3M.-References:* http://www.astronautix.com/lvs/koss63s1.htm*...
63SM carrier rocket. The launch occurred on 12 June 1970 at 09:30:02 GMT, and resulted in the successful deployment of Kosmos 347 into low Earth orbit
Low Earth orbit
A low Earth orbit is generally defined as an orbit within the locus extending from the Earth’s surface up to an altitude of 2,000 km...
. Upon reaching orbit, it was assigned its Kosmos
Cosmos (satellite)
Kosmos is a designation given to a large number of satellites operated by the Soviet Union and subsequently Russia. Kosmos 1, the first spacecraft to be given a Kosmos designation, was launched on March 16, 1962....
designation, and received the International Designator
International Designator
The International Designator, also known as COSPAR designation, and in the United States as NSSDC ID, is an international naming convention for satellites...
1970-043A.
Kosmos 347 was the thirty-third of seventy nine DS-P1-Yu satellites to be launched, and the thirtieth of seventy two to successfully reach orbit. It was operated in an orbit with a perigee
Apsis
An apsis , plural apsides , is the point of greatest or least distance of a body from one of the foci of its elliptical orbit. In modern celestial mechanics this focus is also the center of attraction, which is usually the center of mass of the system...
of 214 kilometres (133 mi), an apogee
Apsis
An apsis , plural apsides , is the point of greatest or least distance of a body from one of the foci of its elliptical orbit. In modern celestial mechanics this focus is also the center of attraction, which is usually the center of mass of the system...
of 1970 kilometres (1,224.1 mi), 48.4 degrees of inclination
Inclination
Inclination in general is the angle between a reference plane and another plane or axis of direction.-Orbits:The inclination is one of the six orbital parameters describing the shape and orientation of a celestial orbit...
, and an orbital period
Orbital period
The orbital period is the time taken for a given object to make one complete orbit about another object.When mentioned without further qualification in astronomy this refers to the sidereal period of an astronomical object, which is calculated with respect to the stars.There are several kinds of...
of 107.1 minutes. It remained in orbit until it decayed
Orbital decay
Orbital decay is the process of prolonged reduction in the altitude of a satellite's orbit.This can be due to drag produced by an atmosphere due to frequent collisions between the satellite and surrounding air molecules. The drag experienced by the object is larger in the case of increased solar...
and reentered the atmosphere on 7 November 1971.