Kosmos 461

Kosmos 461
Mission typeAstronomy
Micrometeoroids
COSPAR ID1971-105A Edit this at Wikidata
SATCAT no.05643Edit this on Wikidata
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft typeDS-U2-MT
ManufacturerYuzhnoye
Launch mass680 kilograms (1,500 lb)[1]
Start of mission
Launch date2 December 1971, 17:30:00 (1971-12-02UTC17:30Z) UTC
RocketKosmos-3M
Launch sitePlesetsk 132/1
End of mission
Decay date21 February 1979 (1979-02-22)
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric
RegimeLow Earth
Perigee altitude486 kilometres (302 mi)
Apogee altitude508 kilometres (316 mi)
Inclination69.2 degrees
Period94.55 minutes

Kosmos 461 (Russian: Космос 461 meaning Cosmos 461), also known as DS-U2-MT No.1, was a Soviet satellite which was launched in 1971 as part of the Dnepropetrovsk Sputnik programme. It was a 680-kilogram (1,500 lb) spacecraft,[1] which was built by the Yuzhnoye Design Bureau, and was used to investigate micrometeoroids and conduct gamma ray astronomy.[2]

  1. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference WCS was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Wade, Mark. "DS-U2-MT". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 5 January 2009. Retrieved 26 December 2009.