Kosmos 25 (Russian: Космос 25 meaning Cosmos 25), also known as DS-P1 No.4 was a prototype radar target satellite for anti-ballistic missile tests, which was launched by the Soviet Union in 1964 as part of the Dnepropetrovsk Sputnik programme. Its primary mission was to demonstrate the necessary technologies for radar tracking of spacecraft, which would allow future satellites to function as targets.[3]

Kosmos 25
Mission typeABM Radar target
Technology
COSPAR ID1964-010A Edit this at Wikidata
SATCAT no.00757
Mission duration268 days
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft typeDS-P1
ManufacturerYuzhnoye
Launch mass355 kg[1]
Start of mission
Launch date27 February 1964, 13:26:00 GMT
RocketKosmos-2I 63S1
Launch siteKapustin Yar, Mayak-2
ContractorYuzhnoye
End of mission
Decay date21 November 1964
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric[2]
RegimeLow Earth
Perigee altitude255 km
Apogee altitude526 km
Inclination49.0°
Period92.3 minutes
Epoch27 February 1964

It was launched aboard a Kosmos-2I 63S1 rocket,[4] from Mayak-2 at Kapustin Yar. The launch occurred at 13:26 GMT on 27 February 1964.[5]

Kosmos 25 was placed into a low Earth orbit with a perigee of 255 kilometres (158 mi), an apogee of 526 kilometres (327 mi), 49.0° of inclination, and an orbital period of 92.3 minutes.[3] It decayed from orbit on 21 November 1964.[6]

Kosmos 25 was a prototype DS-P1 satellite, the last of four to be launched.[3] Of these, it was the third to successfully reach orbit after Kosmos 6 and Kosmos 19.[7] It was succeeded by the first operational DS-P1 satellite, Kosmos 36.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/display.action?id=1964-010A - 27 February 2020
  2. ^ https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/displayTrajectory.action?id=1964-010A - 27 February 2020
  3. ^ a b c Wade, Mark. "DS-P1". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 9 July 2012. 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 18 June 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.