Kosmos 123

Kosmos 123 (Russian: Космос 123 meaning Cosmos 123), also known as DS-P1-Yu No.5 was a Soviet satellite which was used as a radar calibration target for tests of anti-ballistic missiles.^[3] It was built by the Yuzhnoye Design Bureau, and launched in 1966 as part of the Dnepropetrovsk Sputnik programme.^[4]

Kosmos 123

Mission type	ABM radar target
COSPAR ID	1966-061A
SATCAT no.	02295
Mission duration	155 days
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft type	DS-P1-Yu
Manufacturer	Yuzhnoye
Launch mass	325 kg[1]
Start of mission
Launch date	8 July 1966, 05:31:00 GMT
Rocket	Kosmos-2I 63S1
Launch site	Kapustin Yar, Site 86/1
Contractor	Yuzhnoye
End of mission
Decay date	10 December 1966
Orbital parameters
Reference system	Geocentric[2]
Regime	Low Earth
Perigee altitude	256 km
Apogee altitude	512 km
Inclination	48.8°
Period	92.2 minutes
Epoch	8 July 1966
Kosmos (satellites) ← Kosmos 122 Kosmos 124 →

A Kosmos-2I 63S1 carrier rocket was used to launch Kosmos 123.^[5] The launch occurred from Site 86/1 at Kapustin Yar, at 05:31 GMT on 8 July 1966.^[6] and following its successful arrival in orbit the spacecraft received its Kosmos designation; along with the International Designator 1966-061A^[1] and the Satellite Catalog Number 02295.

Kosmos 123 separated from the carrier rocket into a low Earth orbit with a perigee of 256 kilometres (159 mi), an apogee of 512 kilometres (318 mi), an inclination of 48.8°, and an orbital period of 92.2 minutes.^[2] It decayed from orbit on 10 December 1966.^[7] Kosmos 123 was the sixth of seventy-nine DS-P1-Yu satellites to be launched,^[4] and the fifth of seventy-two to successfully reach orbit.

See also

• Spaceflight portal

• 1966 in spaceflight