Kosmos 51

Kosmos 51 (Russian: Космос 51 meaning Cosmos 51), also known as DS-MT No.3 was a technology demonstration satellite which was launched by the Soviet Union in 1964 as part of the Dnepropetrovsk Sputnik programme. Its primary mission was to demonstrate an electric gyrodyne orientation system.[3] It also carried a scientific research package as a secondary payload, which was used to study cosmic rays and the luminosity of the stellar background.

Kosmos 51
Mission typeTechnology
Cosmic ray
OperatorVNIIEM
COSPAR ID1964-080A
SATCAT no.00947
Mission duration340 days
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft typeDS-MT
ManufacturerYuzhnoye
Launch mass350 kg [1]
Start of mission
Launch date9 December 1964
23:02:00 GMT
RocketKosmos-2I 63S1
Launch siteKapustin Yar, Site 86/1
ContractorYuzhnoye
End of mission
Decay date14 November 1965
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric [2]
RegimeLow Earth
Perigee altitude262 km
Apogee altitude533 km
Inclination48.8°
Period92.5 minutes
Epoch9 December 1964
 

It was launched aboard a Kosmos-2I 63S1 rocket[4] from Site 86/1 at Kapustin Yar. The launch occurred at 23:02 GMT on 9 December 1964.[5]

Kosmos 51 was placed into a low Earth orbit with a perigee of 262 kilometres (163 mi), an apogee of 533 kilometres (331 mi), 48.8° of inclination, and an orbital period of 92.5 minutes. It decayed from orbit on 14 November 1965.[6] Kosmos 51 was the last of three DS-MT satellites to be launched. The first was lost in a launch failure on 1 June 1963, and the second was launched as Kosmos 31 on 6 June 1964.[7]

See also

References
  1. https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/display.action?id=1964-080A - 27 February 2020
  2. https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/displayTrajectory.action?id=1964-080A - 27 February 2020
  3. Wade, Mark. "DS-MT". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 5 January 2009. Retrieved 26 May 2009.
  4. McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 26 May 2009.
  5. Wade, Mark. "Kosmos 2". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 8 July 2012. Retrieved 26 May 2009.
  6. McDowell, Jonathan. "Satellite Catalog". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 26 May 2009.
  7. Wade, Mark. "DS". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 31 March 2009. Retrieved 26 May 2009.
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