Kosmos 356 (Russian: Космос 356 meaning Cosmos 356), also known as DS-U2-MG 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 investigate the magnetic poles of the Earth.[1]

Kosmos 356
Mission typeMagnetospheric
COSPAR ID1970-059A Edit this at Wikidata
SATCAT no.04487Edit this on Wikidata
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft typeDS-U2-MG
ManufacturerYuzhnoye
Launch mass357 kilograms (787 lb)[1]
Start of mission
Launch date10 August 1970, 19:59:55 (1970-08-10UTC19:59:55Z) UTC
RocketKosmos-2I 63SM
Launch sitePlesetsk 133/1
End of mission
Decay date2 October 1970 (1970-10-03)
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric
RegimeLow Earth
Perigee altitude226 kilometres (140 mi)
Apogee altitude548 kilometres (341 mi)
Inclination81.9 degrees
Period92.3 minutes

Launch

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A Kosmos-2I 63SM carrier rocket was used to launch Kosmos 356 into low Earth orbit. The launch took place from Site 133/1 at the Plesetsk Cosmodrome.[2] The launch occurred at 19:59:55 UTC on 10 August 1970, and resulted in the successful insertion of the satellite into orbit.[3] Upon reaching orbit, the satellite was assigned its Kosmos designation, and received the International Designator 1970-059A.[4] The North American Aerospace Defense Command assigned it the catalogue number 04487.

Orbit

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Kosmos 356 was the second of two DS-U2-MG satellites to be launched, after Kosmos 321.[1][5] It was operated in an orbit with a perigee of 226 kilometres (140 mi), an apogee of 548 kilometres (341 mi), 81.9 degrees of inclination, and an orbital period of 92.3 minutes,[6] before decaying from orbit and reentering the atmosphere on 2 October 1970.[6]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Wade, Mark. "DS-U2-MG". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 5 January 2009. 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 18 June 2012. Retrieved 26 December 2009.
  4. ^ "Cosmos 356". NSSDC Master Catalog. US National Space Science Data Center. Retrieved 26 December 2009.
  5. ^ Krebs, Gunter. "DS-U2-MG". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 26 December 2009.
  6. ^ a b McDowell, Jonathan. "Satellite Catalog". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 26 December 2009.