| Mission type | Technology Cosmic ray |
|---|---|
| Operator | VNIIEM |
| COSPAR ID | 1964-028A |
| SATCAT no. | 00803 |
| Mission duration | 136 days |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Spacecraft type | DS-MT |
| Manufacturer | Yuzhnoye |
| Launch mass | 325 kg[1] |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 6 June 1964, 06:00:00 GMT |
| Rocket | Kosmos-2I 63S1 |
| Launch site | Kapustin Yar, Mayak-2 |
| End of mission | |
| Decay date | 20 October 1964 |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric[2] |
| Regime | Low Earth |
| Perigee altitude | 222 km |
| Apogee altitude | 492 km |
| Inclination | 49.0° |
| Period | 91.6 minutes |
| Epoch | 6 juin 1964 |
Kosmos 31 (Russian: Космос 31 meaning Cosmos 31), also known as DS-MT No.2 was a technology demonstration satellite which was launched by the Soviet Union in 1964 as part of the Dnepropetrovsk Sputnik programme. Its primary mission was to demonstrate an electric gyrodyne orientation system.[3] It also carried a scientific research package as a secondary payload, which was used to study cosmic rays.[3]
It was launched aboard a Kosmos-2I 63S1 rocket[4] from Mayak-2 at Kapustin Yar. The launch occurred at 06:00 GMT on 6 June 1964.[5]
Kosmos 31 was placed into a low Earth orbit with a perigee of 222 kilometres (138 mi), an apogee of 492 kilometres (306 mi), 49.0° of inclination, and an orbital period of 91.6 minutes. It decayed from orbit on 20 October 1964.[6] Kosmos 31 was the second of three DS-MT satellites to be launched. The first, DS-MT No.1, was lost in a launch failure on 1 June 1963, and the third will be Kosmos 51, which will be launched on 9 December 1964.[7]
- ^ https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/display.action?id=1964-028A - 27 February 2020
- ^ https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/displayTrajectory.action?id=1964-028A - 27 February 2020
- ^ a b Wade, Mark. "DS-MT". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 5 January 2009. Retrieved 26 May 2009.
- ^ McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 26 May 2009.
- ^ Wade, Mark. "Kosmos 2". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 18 June 2012. Retrieved 26 May 2009.
- ^ McDowell, Jonathan. "Satellite Catalog". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 26 May 2009.
- ^ Wade, Mark. "DS". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 31 March 2009. Retrieved 26 May 2009.