Resurs F-1 Credit - © Oliver Haßa

A decree of 5 May 1977 authorized development of three earth resource satellites. The Ministry of Defense was tasked with developing these systems, even though they did not contribute directly to any military mission. Despite this political decision, the orders were followed. One of these was Resurs-F, which became Fram, based on the Vostok bus. Remote sensing. Investigation of the natural resources of the earth in the interests of various branches of the national economy of the USSR and international cooperation. Western description: Earth resources, close look. Missions: Cosmos 1951, Cosmos 1957, Cosmos 1968, Resurs-F1. Transmission frequencies observed in West: 231.5 PCM-FM. See Resurs F1-17F40 for a full technical description.

When Soviet officials decided to make the Foton spacecraft available to foreign commercial users, the similar Resurs-F1 Earth observation spacecraft was also offered for payloads of 15-30 kg. Working through the Kayser-Threde firm, several European sponsors had taken advantage of these more frequent flight opportunities: COSIMA 2 (Crystallization of Organic Substances in Microgravity for Application) on Resurs-F 5 (September, 1989), COSIMA 3 on Resurs-F 6 (May, 1990), and CASIMIR (Catalyst Studies for Industry through Microgravity Research) on Resurs-F 9 (September, 1990). Although mission durations could be increased to 25 days as compared to the 16- day flights of Foton, Resurs-F1 spacecraft were subject to attitude control adjustments and orbital maneuvers which had a deleterious effect on microgravity experiments. Despite contracts for future microgravity experiments, none of the three Resurs-F missions of 1993- 1994 carried such secondary payloads.

Typical orbit: 210 km circular orbit, 82.4 deg inclination. Mass: 6,300 kg (13,800 lb). Associated Launch Vehicle: Soyuz 11A511U.

• 1988 July 27 - Resurs-F1 14F43 - Program: Resurs. Launch Site: Plesetsk. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz 11A511U. FAILURE: Failure.

• 1988 July 7 - Cosmos 1957 - Program: Resurs. Launch Site: Plesetsk. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz 11A511U. Mass: 6,300 kg (13,800 lb). Perigee: 179 km (111 mi). Apogee: 225 km (139 mi). Inclination: 82.60 deg. Period: 88.50 min.

  Investigation of the natural resources of the earth in the interests of various branches of the national economy of the USSR and international cooperation.

• 1988 May 31 - Cosmos 1951 - Program: Resurs. Launch Site: Plesetsk. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz 11A511U. Mass: 6,300 kg (13,800 lb). Perigee: 173 km (107 mi). Apogee: 241 km (149 mi). Inclination: 82.30 deg. Period: 88.60 min. Duration: 14.00 days.

  Investigation of the natural resources of the earth in the interests of various branches of the national economy of the USSR and international cooperation.

• 1988 September 9 - Cosmos 1968 - Program: Resurs. Launch Site: Plesetsk. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz 11A511U. Mass: 6,300 kg (13,800 lb). Perigee: 177 km (109 mi). Apogee: 230 km (140 mi). Inclination: 82.30 deg. Period: 88.60 min. Duration: 14.00 days.

  Investigation of the natural resources of the earth in the interests of various branches of the national economy of the USSR and international cooperation.

• 1989 July 18 - Resurs F-03 - Program: Resurs. Launch Site: Plesetsk. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz 11A511U. Mass: 6,300 kg (13,800 lb). Perigee: 178 km (110 mi). Apogee: 214 km (132 mi). Inclination: 82.60 deg. Period: 88.40 min. Duration: 21.00 days.

  Deployed Pion 3 & 4. Resurs-F: Investigation of the natural resources of the earth in the interests of various branches of the Soviet economy and international cooperation. Satellite carries two passive separable 'Pion' probes to investigate upper atmospheric density.

• 1989 June 27 - Resurs F-02 - Program: Resurs. Launch Site: Plesetsk. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz 11A511U. Mass: 6,300 kg (13,800 lb). Perigee: 255 km (158 mi). Apogee: 269 km (167 mi). Inclination: 82.60 deg. Period: 89.80 min. Duration: 14.00 days.

  Investigation of the natural resources of the earth in the interests of various branches of the national economy of the USSR and international cooperation.

• 1989 May 25 - Resurs F-01 - Program: Resurs. Launch Site: Plesetsk. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz 11A511U. Mass: 6,300 kg (13,800 lb). Perigee: 174 km (108 mi). Apogee: 232 km (144 mi). Inclination: 82.30 deg. Period: 88.60 min. Duration: 23.00 days.

  Deployed Pion 1 & 2. Resurs-F: Investigation of the natural resources of the earth in the interests of various branches of the Soviet economy and international cooperation. Satellite carries two passive separable 'Pion' probes to investigate upper atmospheric density.

• 1989 September 6 - Resurs F-05 - Program: Resurs. Launch Site: Plesetsk. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz 11A511U. Mass: 6,300 kg (13,800 lb). Perigee: 176 km (109 mi). Apogee: 229 km (142 mi). Inclination: 82.30 deg. Period: 88.60 min. Duration: 16.00 days.

  Carried W. German microgravity experiment. Investigation of the natural resources of the Earth in the interests of the Soviet economy and international cooperation; and the conduct of biotechnological experiments under a commercial agreement with the firm Interspace (Federal Republic of Germany).

• 1990 August 16 - Resurs F-08 - Program: Resurs. Launch Site: Plesetsk. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz 11A511U. Mass: 6,300 kg (13,800 lb). Perigee: 176 km (109 mi). Apogee: 229 km (142 mi). Inclination: 82.30 deg. Period: 88.50 min. Duration: 16.00 days.

  Investigation of the natural resources of the Earth in the interests of various branches of the national economy of the USSR; solution of problems relating to ecology and international cooperation.

• 1990 May 29 - Resurs F-06 - Program: Resurs. Launch Site: Plesetsk. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz 11A511U. Mass: 6,300 kg (13,800 lb). Perigee: 175 km (108 mi). Apogee: 231 km (143 mi). Inclination: 82.40 deg. Period: 88.60 min. Duration: 16.00 days.

  Also carried German microgravity experiment. Investigation of the natural resources of the Earth in the interests of various branches of the national economy of the USSR; solution of problems relating to ecology and international cooperation. In accordance with a commercial agreement, apparatus belo nging to the Federal Republic of Germany is also being carried for the purpose of conducting biotechnological experiments.

• 1990 September 7 - Resurs F-09 - Program: Resurs. Launch Site: Plesetsk. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz 11A511U. Mass: 6,300 kg (13,800 lb). Perigee: 177 km (109 mi). Apogee: 238 km (147 mi). Inclination: 82.50 deg. Period: 88.70 min. Duration: 14.00 days.

  Carried German microgravity experiment. Investigation of the natural resources of the Earth in the interests of various branches of the national economy of the USSR; solution of problems relating to ecology and international cooperation.

• 1991 July 23 - Resurs F-12 - Program: Resurs. Launch Site: Plesetsk. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz 11A511U. Mass: 6,300 kg (13,800 lb). Perigee: 178 km (110 mi). Apogee: 230 km (140 mi). Inclination: 82.40 deg. Period: 88.60 min. Duration: 16.00 days.

  Investigation of the natural resources of the earth in the interests of the various branches of the national economy of the USSR, and solution of problems relating to the environment and to international cooperation.

• 1991 June 28 - Resurs F-11 - Program: Resurs. Launch Site: Plesetsk. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz 11A511U. Mass: 6,300 kg (13,800 lb). Perigee: 253 km (157 mi). Apogee: 268 km (166 mi). Inclination: 82.30 deg. Period: 89.70 min. Duration: 23.00 days.

  Investigation of the natural resources of the Earth in the interests of various branches of the national economy of the USSR; solution of problems relating to ecology and international cooperation.

• 1992 August 19 - Resurs F-16 - Program: Resurs. Launch Site: Plesetsk. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz 11A511U. Mass: 6,300 kg (13,800 lb). Perigee: 178 km (110 mi). Apogee: 226 km (140 mi). Inclination: 82.60 deg. Period: 88.60 min. Duration: 16.00 days.

  Carried US Dept. of Defense experiment. Investigation of the natural resources of the Earth in the interests of the various branches of the national economy and solution of problems relating to the environment and to international cooperation (the satellite's equipment included two Pion passive satellites for the investigation of the upper atmosphere).

• 1992 June 23 - Resurs F-15 - Program: Resurs. Launch Site: Plesetsk. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz 11A511U. Mass: 6,300 kg (13,800 lb). Perigee: 177 km (109 mi). Apogee: 226 km (140 mi). Inclination: 82.30 deg. Period: 88.50 min. Duration: 16.00 days.

  Capsule reentered 7/9/92. Investigation of the natural resources of the Earth in the interests of the various branches of the national economy.

• 1992 November 15 - Resurs-500 - Program: Resurs. Launch Site: Plesetsk. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz 11A511U. Mass: 6,300 kg (13,800 lb). Perigee: 177 km (109 mi). Apogee: 237 km (147 mi). Inclination: 82.60 deg. Period: 88.60 min. Duration: 6.00 days.

  Carried descent module with greetings to American people. Delivery of a humanitarian cargo (messages to the American people, promotional materials of Russian and foreign firms, etc.) to the United States of America in connection with the 500th anniversary of the discovery of America by Columbus.

• 1993 August 24 - Resurs F-19 - Program: Resurs. Launch Site: Plesetsk. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz 11A511U. Mass: 6,300 kg (13,800 lb). Perigee: 174 km (108 mi). Apogee: 236 km (146 mi). Inclination: 82.60 deg. Period: 88.60 min. Duration: 17.00 days.

  Investigation of the natural resources of the Earth in the interests of various branches of the national economy; solution of problems relating to ecology and international cooperation.

• 1993 June 25 - Resurs F-18 - Program: Resurs. Launch Site: Plesetsk. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz 11A511U. Mass: 6,300 kg (13,800 lb). Perigee: 173 km (107 mi). Apogee: 240 km (140 mi). Inclination: 82.60 deg. Period: 88.60 min. Duration: 17.00 days.

  Investigation of the natural resources of the Earth in the interests of various branches of the national economy; solution of problems relating to ecology and international cooperation.

• Voevodin, Sergey A, VSA072 - Space Apparatus, "Sergey A. Voevodin's Reports", . Accessed at: http://home.attbi.com/~rusaerog/spacecraft.html.

• JPL Mission and Spacecraft Library, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, 1997. Accessed at: http://msl.jpl.nasa.gov/home.html.

• McDowell, Jonathan, Jonathan's Space Home Page, Harvard University, 1997-present. Jonathan McDowell's complete on-line listing of all objects orbited and over 20,000 rocket launches Accessed at: http://www.planet4589.org/jsr.html.

• Krebs, Gunter, Gunter's Space Page, University of Frankfurt, 1996. Accessed at: http://www.skyrocket.de/space.

• McDowell, Jonathan, Launch Log, October 1998. Jonathan McDowell's complete on-line listing of all objects orbited since Sputnik. Accessed at: http://hea-www.harvard.edu/~jcm/space/log/launch.html.

• USAF Satellite Database, USAF Institute of Technology, 1995. Accessed at: ftp://archive.afit.af.mil/pub/space/.