Kosmos 348

Kosmos 348 (Russian: Космос 348 meaning Cosmos 348), also known as DS-U2-GK No.2, was a Soviet satellite which was launched in 1970 as part of the Dnepropetrovsk Sputnik programme. It was a 357-kilogram (787 lb) spacecraft,[1] which was built by the Yuzhnoye Design Bureau, and was used to study the density of air in the upper atmosphere, and investigate aurorae.[1]

Kosmos 348
Mission typeAeronomy
Auroral
COSPAR ID1970-044A
SATCAT no.04413
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft typeDS-U2-GK
ManufacturerYuzhnoye
Launch mass357 kilograms (787 lb)[1]
Start of mission
Launch date13 June 1970, 04:59:57 (1970-06-13UTC04:59:57Z) UTC
RocketKosmos-2I 63SM
Launch sitePlesetsk 133/1
End of mission
Decay date25 July 1970 (1970-07-26)
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric
RegimeLow Earth
Perigee altitude199 kilometres (124 mi)
Apogee altitude589 kilometres (366 mi)
Inclination71 degrees
Period92.4 minutes
 

Launch

A Kosmos-2I 63SM carrier rocket was used to launch Kosmos 348 into low Earth orbit. The launch took place from Site 133/1 at the Plesetsk Cosmodrome,[2] with liftoff occurring at 04:59:57 UTC on 13 June 1970. Kosmos 348 was successfully inserted into orbit.[3] Upon reaching orbit, the satellite was assigned its Kosmos designation, and received the International Designator 1970-044A.[4] The North American Aerospace Defense Command assigned it the catalogue number 04413.

Orbit

Kosmos 348 was the second of two DS-U2-GK satellites to be launched.[1][5] It was operated in an orbit with a perigee of 199 kilometres (124 mi), an apogee of 589 kilometres (366 mi), 71 degrees of inclination, and an orbital period of 92.4 minutes.[6] It decayed from orbit within a few weeks of its launch, reentering the atmosphere on 25 July 1970.[6]

References
  1. Wade, Mark. "DS-U2-GK". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 8 January 2010. Retrieved 26 December 2009.
  2. McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 26 December 2009.
  3. Wade, Mark. "Kosmos 2". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 8 July 2012. Retrieved 26 December 2009.
  4. "Cosmos 348". NSSDC Master Catalog. US National Space Science Data Center. Retrieved 26 December 2009.
  5. Krebs, Gunter. "DS-U2-GK". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 26 December 2009.
  6. McDowell, Jonathan. "Satellite Catalog". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 26 December 2009.


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