| Mission type | Solar research |
|---|---|
| COSPAR ID | 1966-011A |
| SATCAT no. | 02002 |
| Mission duration | 283 days |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Spacecraft type | DS-U1-G |
| Manufacturer | Yuzhnoye |
| Launch mass | 355 kg[1] |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 11 February 1966, 18:00:00 GMT |
| Rocket | Kosmos-2I 63S1 |
| Launch site | Kapustin Yar, Site 86/1 |
| Contractor | Yuzhnoye |
| End of mission | |
| Decay date | 21 November 1966 |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric[2] |
| Regime | Low Earth |
| Perigee altitude | 219 km |
| Apogee altitude | 855 km |
| Inclination | 48.9° |
| Period | 95.3 minutes |
| Epoch | 11 February 1966 |
Kosmos 108 (Russian: Космос 108 meaning Cosmos 108), also known as DS-U1-G No.1, was a Soviet satellite which was launched in 1966 as part of the Dnepropetrovsk Sputnik programme. It was a 355 kilograms (783 lb) spacecraft, which was built by the Yuzhnoye Design Office and was used to study the effects of solar activity on the upper atmosphere.[3]
A Kosmos-2I 63S1 carrier rocket was used to launch Kosmos 108 into low Earth orbit. The launch took place from Site 86/1 at Kapustin Yar.[4] The launch occurred at 18:00 GMT on 11 February 1966, and resulted in the successfully insertion of the satellite into low Earth orbit.[5] Upon reaching orbit, the satellite was assigned its Kosmos designation, and received the International Designator 1966-011A.[6] The North American Air Defense Command assigned it the catalogue number 02002.
Kosmos 108 was the first of two DS-U1-G satellites to be launched, the other being Kosmos 196 (19 December 1967).[7] It was operated in an orbit with a perigee of 219 kilometres (136 mi), an apogee of 855 kilometres (531 mi), an inclination of 48.9°, and an orbital period of 95.3 minutes. It completed operations on 26 February 1966.[8] On 21 November 1966, it decayed from orbit and reentered the atmosphere.[9]
