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Yantar 1K
Other Designations: Spin-2. Article Number: 11F660. Manufacturer's Designation: Kometa. Code Name: Siluet. Class: Surveillance. Type: Military. Destination: Surveillance Orbit. Nation: Russia. Agency: MOM. Manufacturer: Kozlov.

Version of the Yantar photo satellite for topographic mapping on behalf of the Red Army.

The Yantar-1KF system was intended to build up high precision maps based on information from the Zenit-4MT. However it became impossible to keep the spacecraft within the weight that the Soyuz-U launch vehicle could lift. It would require a Proton or Zenit vehicle. Therefore the spacecraft was cancelled.

A complete design revision beginning in 1973 led to a production version of the Yantar photo satellite for topographic mapping for the Army General Staff. The revised satellite was developed in accordance with a resolution of 3 February 1977. Camera development began in the 1980's and flight trials began in 1981. The Yantar-1KFT was equipped with the Yakhont-1 TK-350 topographic camera and an APO-Oktan-8 objective, a product of the Byelorussia Optical Camera Company. These provided a focal length of 350 mm, with photo negative size of 300 x 450 mm, covering an area of 200 x 300 km with a resolution of 10 m and a scale of 1:660,000. The camera was designed for exceptional geometric precision for cartographic purposes and each image overlapped the next by 60% to 80% to allow stereoscopic pairs to be made. Closeup images were made by the KVR-1000 camera with a focal length of 1000 mm, a negative size of 180 x 180 mm covering an area of 40 km x 40 km at 1:50,000 scale and 2 m resolution. Western description: Fourth generation topographic. Typical orbital profile: inclination 64.9 degrees with an altitude of 207-270 km. Designed duration: 40 days. First flight: Cosmos 1246. Last flight: Cosmos 2284. Transmission frequencies observed in West: 150.3 PCM-FM; 400.8 CW.

Typical orbit: 237 km circular orbit, 66.6 deg inclination. Mass: 6,600 kg (14,500 lb).

Yantar-1KFT Chronology
  • 1971 March 26 - Yantar-1FKT development authorised. - Launch Vehicle: Soyuz.
    Central Committee of the Communist Party and Council of Soviet Ministers Decree 182-63 'On development of the Yantar-1KFT reconnaissance and cartographic satellite and the 11A511K launcher' was issued.

  • 1976 May 31 - Yantar-1KFT development approved. -
    Decree 409-147 'On Creation of Yantar-1KFT Space Complex for Solving Goals of Cartography--development of the Yantar-1KFT reconnaissance satellite' was issued.

  • 1981 February 18 - Cosmos 1246 - Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: LC31. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz. Mass: 6,600 kg (14,500 lb). Perigee: 193 km (119 mi). Apogee: 263 km (163 mi). Inclination: 64.90 deg. Period: 89.10 min. Duration: 23.00 days.
    Military topographic / cartographic satellite.

  • 1982 May 28 - Cosmos 1370 - Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: LC1. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz. Mass: 6,600 kg (14,500 lb). Perigee: 195 km (121 mi). Apogee: 273 km (169 mi). Inclination: 64.90 deg. Period: 89.20 min. Duration: 44.00 days.
    Military topographic / cartographic satellite.

  • 1983 December 27 - Cosmos 1516 - Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: LC1. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz. Mass: 6,600 kg (14,500 lb). Perigee: 194 km (120 mi). Apogee: 274 km (170 mi). Inclination: 64.90 deg. Period: 89.20 min. Duration: 49.00 days.
    Military topographic / cartographic satellite.

  • 1984 November 14 - Cosmos 1608 - Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: LC1. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz. Mass: 6,600 kg (14,500 lb). Perigee: 195 km (121 mi). Apogee: 248 km (154 mi). Inclination: 70.00 deg. Period: 88.90 min. Duration: 33.00 days.
    Military topographic / cartographic satellite.

  • 1985 August 8 - Cosmos 1673 - Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: LC1. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz. Mass: 6,600 kg (14,500 lb). Perigee: 195 km (121 mi). Apogee: 271 km (168 mi). Inclination: 64.80 deg. Period: 89.20 min. Duration: 42.00 days.
    Military topographic / cartographic satellite.

  • 1986 October 6 - Cosmos 1784 - Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: LC1. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz. Mass: 6,600 kg (14,500 lb). Perigee: 190 km (110 mi). Apogee: 283 km (175 mi). Inclination: 64.80 deg. Period: 89.20 min. Duration: 36.00 days.
    Military topographic / cartographic satellite.

  • 1987 July 8 - Cosmos 1865 - Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: LC1. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz. Mass: 6,600 kg (14,500 lb). Perigee: 192 km (119 mi). Apogee: 297 km (184 mi). Inclination: 64.80 deg. Period: 89.40 min. Duration: 37.00 days.
    Military topographic / cartographic satellite.

  • 1987 November 14 - Cosmos 1896 - Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: LC1. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz. Mass: 6,600 kg (14,500 lb). Perigee: 206 km (128 mi). Apogee: 263 km (163 mi). Inclination: 64.80 deg. Period: 89.20 min. Duration: 41.00 days.
    Military topographic / cartographic satellite.

  • 1988 May 18 - Cosmos 1944 - Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: LC1. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz. Mass: 6,600 kg (14,500 lb). Perigee: 196 km (121 mi). Apogee: 288 km (178 mi). Inclination: 64.80 deg. Period: 89.30 min. Duration: 36.00 days.
    Military topographic / cartographic satellite.

  • 1988 December 29 - Cosmos 1986 - Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: LC1. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz. Mass: 6,600 kg (14,500 lb). Perigee: 193 km (119 mi). Apogee: 289 km (179 mi). Inclination: 64.80 deg. Period: 89.30 min. Duration: 44.00 days.
    Topographic mapping for the Army General Staff.

  • 1989 May 24 - Cosmos 2021 - Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: LC1. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz. Mass: 6,600 kg (14,500 lb). Perigee: 204 km (126 mi). Apogee: 280 km (170 mi). Inclination: 69.90 deg. Period: 89.40 min. Duration: 43.00 days.
    Topographic mapping for the Army General Staff.

  • 1990 May 15 - Cosmos 2078 - Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: LC1. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz. Mass: 6,600 kg (14,500 lb). Perigee: 196 km (121 mi). Apogee: 280 km (170 mi). Inclination: 70.00 deg. Period: 89.30 min. Duration: 44.00 days.
    Topographic mapping for the Army General Staff.

  • 1991 February 15 - Cosmos 2134 - Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: LC1. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz. Mass: 6,600 kg (14,500 lb). Perigee: 190 km (110 mi). Apogee: 306 km (190 mi). Inclination: 64.70 deg. Period: 89.50 min. Duration: 45.00 days.
    Topographic mapping for the Army General Staff.

  • 1991 December 17 - Cosmos 2174 - Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: LC31. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz. Mass: 6,600 kg (14,500 lb). Perigee: 193 km (119 mi). Apogee: 306 km (190 mi). Inclination: 64.90 deg. Period: 89.50 min. Duration: 44.00 days.
    Topographic mapping for the Army General Staff.

  • 1992 April 29 - Cosmos 2185 - Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: LC1. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz. Mass: 6,600 kg (14,500 lb). Perigee: 209 km (129 mi). Apogee: 274 km (170 mi). Inclination: 70.00 deg. Period: 89.30 min. Duration: 43.00 days.
    Topographic mapping for the Army General Staff.

  • 1993 April 27 - Cosmos 2243 - Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: LC31. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz. Mass: 6,600 kg (14,500 lb). Perigee: 189 km (117 mi). Apogee: 233 km (144 mi). Inclination: 70.40 deg. Period: 88.70 min. Duration: 9.00 days.
    Topographic mapping for the Army General Staff. Mission normally would have run 44 days.

  • 1994 July 29 - Cosmos 2284 - Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: LC31. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz. Mass: 6,600 kg (14,500 lb). Perigee: 211 km (131 mi). Apogee: 274 km (170 mi). Inclination: 70.30 deg. Period: 89.35 min. Duration: 44.00 days.
    Topographic mapping for the Army General Staff. Landed September 11 1994.

  • 1996 May 14 - Kometa - Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: LC31. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz. FAILURE: Shroud broke up at T+49 seconds. Mass: 6,600 kg (14,500 lb).
    Topographic mapping satellite failed to reach orbit.

  • 1998 February 17 - Cosmos 2349 - Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: LC31. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz. Mass: 6,600 kg (14,500 lb). Perigee: 212 km (131 mi). Apogee: 327 km (203 mi). Inclination: 70.40 deg. Period: 89.90 min. Duration: 44.00 days.
    Topographic mapping for the Army General Staff. Landed in Kazakhstan April 2 1998.

  • 2000 September 29 - Cosmos 2373 - Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: LC31. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz. Mass: 6,600 kg (14,500 lb). Perigee: 211 km (131 mi). Apogee: 285 km (177 mi). Inclination: 70.30 deg. Period: 89.46 min. Duration: 46.56 days.
    Twentieth Kometa cartographic satellite, using the Yantar service module with a Vostok-type reentry vehicle. It was announced as a dual civil-military geodetic mission. After a day it raised its orbit to 211 x 285 km x 70.4 deg. Landed near Orenburg, Russia on November 14. Deorbit burn was probably around 2230 GMT; the Vostok-style sphere landed at 2253 GMT.

  • 2005 September 2 - Cosmos 2415 - Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: LC31. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz. Mass: 6,600 kg (14,500 lb). Perigee: 205 km (127 mi). Apogee: 272 km (169 mi). Inclination: 64.90 deg. Period: 89.30 min. Duration: 44.00 days.
    1,700th launch of a vehicle derived from the R-7 ICBM put a Kometa-type cartographic satellite into orbit. The surveillance satellite's primary camera and film payload was recovered at 21:44 on 15 or 16 October.

Bibliography:

  • McDowell, Jonathan, Jonathan's Space Home Page (launch records), Harvard University, 1997-present. Web Address when accessed: http://www.planet4589.org/jsr.html.
  • JPL Mission and Spacecraft Library, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, 1997. Web Address when accessed: http://msl.jpl.nasa.gov/home.html.
  • Novosti Kosmonavtiki, "Neudachniy pusk KA 'Kometa'", 1996, Issue 6, page 32.
  • Voevodin, Sergey A, VSA072 - Space Apparatus, "Sergey A. Voevodin's Reports", Web Address when accessed: http://home.attbi.com/~rusaerog/spacecraft.html.
  • Grahn, Sven, Sven Grahn's Space History Pages, Web Address when accessed: http://www.svengrahn.pp.se/.
  • NASA GSFC Orbital Parameters,
  • Melnik, T G, Voenno-Kosmicheskiy Siliy, Nauka, Moscow, 1997..
  • Siddiqi, Asif A, The Soviet Space Race With Apollo, University Press of Florida, 2003.
  • NASA/GSFC Orbital Information Group Website, Web Address when accessed: http://oig1.gsfc.nasa.gov/.
  • Space-Launcher.com, Orbital Report News Agency. Web Address when accessed: http://www.orbireport.com/Log.html.
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Yantar multi-return
Yantar bus reconnaissance satellite with multiple re-entry capsules. This is believed to be layout of Orlets-1. Orlets-2 must have a considerably extended bus to accommodate even more capsules....
Yantar bus reconnaissance satellite with multiple re-entry capsules. This is believed to be layout of Orlets-1. Orlets-2 must have a considerably extended bus to accommodate even more capsules.