Kosmos 257

Kosmos 257 (Russian: Космос 257 meaning Cosmos 257), known before launch as DS-P1-Yu No.17, was a Soviet satellite which was used as a radar calibration target for tests of anti-ballistic missiles. It was built by the Yuzhnoye Design Bureau, and launched in 1968 as part of the Dnepropetrovsk Sputnik programme.[1] It had a mass of 325 kilograms (717 lb).[1]

Kosmos 257
Mission typeABM radar target
COSPAR ID1968-107A
SATCAT no.03578
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft typeDS-P1-Yu
ManufacturerYuzhnoye
Launch mass325 kilograms (717 lb)
Start of mission
Launch date3 December 1968, 14:52:21 (1968-12-03UTC14:52:21Z) UTC
RocketKosmos-2I 63SM
Launch sitePlesetsk 133/1
End of mission
Decay date5 March 1969 (1969-03-06)
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric
RegimeLow Earth
Perigee altitude261 kilometres (162 mi)
Apogee altitude396 kilometres (246 mi)
Inclination70.9 degrees
Period91.10 minutes
 

Kosmos 257 was launched from Site 133/1 at Plesetsk,[2] atop a Kosmos-2I 63SM carrier rocket. The launch occurred on 3 December 1968 at 14:52:21 UTC, and resulted in Kosmos 257's successful deployment into low Earth orbit.[3] Upon reaching orbit, it was assigned its Kosmos designation, and received the International Designator 1968-107A.

Kosmos 257 was operated in an orbit with a perigee of 261 kilometres (162 mi), an apogee of 396 kilometres (246 mi), 70.9 degrees of inclination, and an orbital period of 91.10 minutes.[1][4] It remained in orbit until it decayed and reentered the atmosphere on 5 March 1969.[4] It was the seventeenth of seventy nine DS-P1-Yu satellites to be launched,[1] and the sixteenth of seventy two to successfully reach orbit.[5]

See also

References
  1. Wade, Mark. "DS-P1-Yu". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 18 May 2012. Retrieved 11 August 2009.
  2. McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 11 August 2009.
  3. Wade, Mark. "Kosmos 2". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 8 July 2012. Retrieved 11 August 2009.
  4. McDowell, Jonathan. "Satellite Catalog". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 11 August 2009.
  5. Krebs, Gunter. "DS-P1-Yu (11F618)". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 11 August 2009.


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