Kosmos 242

Kosmos 242 (Russian: Космос 242 meaning Cosmos 242), also known as DS-P1-I No.4 was a satellite which was used as a radar target for anti-ballistic missile tests. It was launched by the Soviet Union in 1968 as part of the Dnepropetrovsk Sputnik programme.^[1]

Kosmos 242

Mission type	ABM radar target
COSPAR ID	1968-079A
SATCAT no.	03414
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft type	DS-P1-I
Manufacturer	Yuzhnoye
Launch mass	325 kilograms (717 lb)
Start of mission
Launch date	20 September 1968, 14:39:59 (1968-09-20UTC14:39:59Z) UTC
Rocket	Kosmos-2I 63SM
Launch site	Plesetsk 133/1
End of mission
Decay date	13 November 1968 (1968-11-14)
Orbital parameters
Reference system	Geocentric
Regime	Low Earth
Perigee altitude	272 kilometres (169 mi)
Apogee altitude	406 kilometres (252 mi)
Inclination	71 degrees
Period	91.3 minutes

It was launched aboard a Kosmos-2I 63SM rocket,^[2] from Site 133/1 at Plesetsk. The launch occurred at 14:39:59 UTC on 20 September 1968.^[3]

Kosmos 242 was placed into a low Earth orbit with a perigee of 272 kilometres (169 mi), an apogee of 406 kilometres (252 mi), 71 degrees of inclination, and an orbital period of 91.3 minutes.^[1] It decayed from orbit on 13 November 1968.^[4]

Kosmos 242 was the fourth of nineteen DS-P1-I satellites to be launched.^[1] Of these, all reached orbit successfully except the seventh.^[5]

See also

• Spaceflight portal

• 1968 in spaceflight