Kosmos 262

Kosmos 262 (Russian: Космос 262 meaning Cosmos 262), also known as DS-U2-GF No.1, was a Soviet satellite which was launched in 1968 as part of the Dnepropetrovsk Sputnik programme. It was a 352-kilogram (776 lb) spacecraft,[1] which was built by the Yuzhnoye Design Bureau, and was used to study the Sun.[1]

Kosmos 262
Mission typeSolar
COSPAR ID1968-119A
SATCAT no.03629Edit this on Wikidata
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft typeDS-U2-GF
ManufacturerYuzhnoye
Launch mass352 kilograms (776 lb)[1]
Start of mission
Launch date26 December 1968, 09:45:01 (1968-12-26UTC09:45:01Z) UTC
RocketKosmos-2I 63SM
Launch siteKapustin Yar 86/4
End of mission
Decay date18 July 1969 (1969-07-19)
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric
RegimeLow Earth
Perigee altitude255 kilometres (158 mi)
Apogee altitude747 kilometres (464 mi)
Inclination48.4 degrees
Period94.6 minutes
 

A Kosmos-2I 63SM carrier rocket was used to launch Kosmos 262 into low Earth orbit. The launch occurred at 09:45:01 UTC on 26 December 1968, and resulted in the successful insertion of the satellite into orbit.[2] It took place from Site 86/4 at Kapustin Yar.[3] Upon reaching orbit, the satellite was assigned its Kosmos designation, and received the International Designator 1968-119A.[4] The North American Aerospace Defense Command assigned it the catalogue number 03629.

Kosmos 262 was the first satellite to study VUV (Vacuum Ultraviolet light). The satellite was also first to study soft X-Ray radiation from the stars, the Sun and the Earth's upper atmosphere. The craft used three 16-channel photometers. The results were made public in October 1969.[5]

Kosmos 262 was the only DS-U2-GF satellite to be launched.[6] It was operated in an orbit with a perigee of 255 kilometres (158 mi), an apogee of 747 kilometres (464 mi), 48.4 degrees of inclination, and an orbital period of 94.6 minutes.[7] It completed operations on 3 May 1969, before decaying from orbit and reentering the atmosphere on 18 July.[7]

See also

References
  1. Wade, Mark. "DS-U2-GF". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 5 January 2009. Retrieved 26 December 2009.
  2. Wade, Mark. "Kosmos 2". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 18 June 2012. Retrieved 26 December 2009.
  3. McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 26 December 2009.
  4. "Cosmos 262". NSSDC Master Catalog. US National Space Science Data Center. Retrieved 26 December 2009.
  5. Janes Spaceflight Directory (1987) ISBN 0 7106-0838 1 p206
  6. Krebs, Gunter. "DS-U2-GF". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 26 December 2009.
  7. McDowell, Jonathan. "Satellite Catalog". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 26 December 2009.


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