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Kosmos 324
Mission typeABM radar target
COSPAR ID 1970-014A Edit this at Wikidata
SATCAT no.04338 Edit this on Wikidata
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft type DS-P1-Yu
Manufacturer Yuzhnoye
Launch mass325 kilograms (717 lb)
Start of mission
Launch date27 February 1970, 17:24:55 (1970-02-27UTC17:24:55Z) UTC
Rocket Kosmos-2I 63SM
Launch site Plesetsk 133/1
End of mission
Decay date23 May 1970 (1970-05-24)
Orbital parameters
Reference system Geocentric
Regime Low Earth
Perigee altitude258 kilometres (160 mi)
Apogee altitude387 kilometres (240 mi)
Inclination71 degrees
Period91 minutes
 

Kosmos 324 ( Russian: Космос 324 meaning Cosmos 324), known before launch as DS-P1-Yu No.32, was a Soviet satellite which was launched in 1970 as part of the Dnepropetrovsk Sputnik programme. It was a 325-kilogram (717 lb) spacecraft, which was built by the Yuzhnoye Design Bureau, and was used as a radar calibration target for anti-ballistic missile tests. [1]

Launch

Kosmos 324 was launched from Site 133/1 at the Plesetsk Cosmodrome, [2] atop a Kosmos-2I 63SM carrier rocket. The launch occurred on 27 February 1970 at 17:24:55 UTC, and resulted in the successful deployment of Kosmos 324 into low Earth orbit. [3] Upon reaching orbit, it was assigned its Kosmos designation, and received the International Designator 1970-014A.

Orbit

Kosmos 324 was the thirtieth of seventy nine DS-P1-Yu satellites to be launched, [1] and the twenty-eighth of seventy two to successfully reach orbit. [4] It was operated in an orbit with a perigee of 258 kilometres (160 mi), an apogee of 387 kilometres (240 mi), 71 degrees of inclination, and an orbital period of 91 minutes. [1] [5] It remained in orbit until it decayed and reentered the atmosphere on 23 May 1970. [5]

References

  1. ^ a b c Wade, Mark. "DS-P1-Yu". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 2 June 2012. Retrieved 14 August 2009.
  2. ^ McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 14 August 2009.
  3. ^ Wade, Mark. "Kosmos 2". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 18 June 2012. Retrieved 14 August 2009.
  4. ^ Krebs, Gunter. "DS-P1-Yu (11F618)". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 14 August 2009.
  5. ^ a b McDowell, Jonathan. "Satellite Catalog". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 14 August 2009.