| 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 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]
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.
- ^ a b "Cosmos 123: Display 1966-061A". nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov. NASA. 27 February 2020. Retrieved 31 March 2020.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ a b "Cosmos 112: Trajectory 1966-021A". nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov. NASA. 27 February 2020. Retrieved 31 March 2020.
- ^ Krebs, Gunter. "DS-P1-Yu (11F618)". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 9 August 2009.
- ^ a b Wade, Mark. "DS-P1-Yu". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 2 June 2012. Retrieved 9 August 2009.
- ^ McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 9 August 2009.
- ^ Wade, Mark. "Kosmos 2". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 18 June 2012. Retrieved 9 August 2009.
- ^ McDowell, Jonathan. "Satellite Catalog". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 9 August 2009.
