Kosmos 481
| Mission type | ABM radar target |
|---|---|
| COSPAR ID | 1972-020A |
| SATCAT no. | 05906 |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Spacecraft type | DS-P1-Yu |
| Manufacturer | Yuzhnoye |
| Launch mass | 375 kilograms (827 lb) |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 25 March 1972, 10:39:59 UTC |
| Rocket | Kosmos-2I 63SM |
| Launch site | Plesetsk 133/1 |
| End of mission | |
| Decay date | 2 September 1972 |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric |
| Regime | Low Earth |
| Perigee altitude | 262 kilometres (163 mi) |
| Apogee altitude | 478 kilometres (297 mi) |
| Inclination | 71 degrees |
| Period | 92 minutes |
Kosmos 481 (Russian: Космос 481 meaning Cosmos 481), known before launch as DS-P1-Yu No.46, was a Soviet satellite which was launched in 1972 as part of the Dnepropetrovsk Sputnik programme. It was a 375-kilogram (827 lb) spacecraft, which was built by the Yuzhnoye Design Bureau, and was used as a radar calibration target for anti-ballistic missile tests.