DS-U1-A Credit - Yuzhnoye

Studied the optical characteristics of the atmosphere. Radiation observatory; 8 telescopes.

Typical orbit: 255 km x 403 km at 48 degrees inclination. Mass: 385 kg (848 lb). Associated Launch Vehicle: Kosmos 11K63.

• 1965 June 22 - Scientific Kosmos satellites approved. - Launch Vehicle: Kosmos 11K63.

  Ministry of General Machine Building (MOM) Decree 'On Preparations in 1965-66 of 18 Small Unifunctional Earth Satellites for Carrying out Scientific Investigations-creation of small scientific satellites at OKB-586' was issued.

• 1968 April 18 - Cosmos 215 - Program: DS. Launch Site: Kapustin Yar. Launch Vehicle: Kosmos 11K63. Mass: 385 kg (848 lb). Perigee: 255 km (158 mi). Apogee: 403 km (250 mi). Inclination: 48.40 deg. Period: 91.00 min.

  Studied the optical characteristics of the atmosphere. Radiation observatory; eight telescopes.

• Krebs, Gunter, Gunter's Space Page, University of Frankfurt, 1996. Accessed at: http://www.skyrocket.de/space.

• Siddiqi, Asif A, The Soviet Space Race With Apollo, University Press of Florida, 2003. ISBN: 0813026288. The definitive history of the Soviet manned space program in the 1960's to the early 1970's. Originally published as the the latter part of 'Challenge to Apollo' by NASA in 2000 as NASA SP-2000-4408. More at amazon.com...

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• Agapov, V, Novosti Kosmonavtiki, "K zapusku pervovo ISZ serii 'DS'", 1997, Issue 6.