|
Raduga
|
First Soviet geosynchronous communications satellite. A single orbital group of two Radugas could handle all communications of the Soviet eastern regions.
|
|
|
|
|
Ekran
|
Ekran was the Soviet Union's first geosynchronous satellite. A preliminary nuclear-powered design was to be boosted from parking orbit by a fluorine/hydrazine upper stage. This was abandoned by 1973, and the final KAUR-3 bus design was a conventional solar-powered platform boosted by a Block DM liquid oxygen/kerosene upper stage. Test flights in 1976-1980 were followed by operational versions that provided television service throughout the vast extent of the Soviet Union.
|
|
|
|
|
Gorizont
|
Gorizont-1 was designed specifically to support broadcast of the 1980 Olympic Games from Russia. The first was launched in December 1978, followed by two in 1979. The last satellite was launched on 14 June 1980 and entered operation only on 2 July, 13 days before the start of the games. The constellation provided 30 channels of television via 500 Moskva receiving stations equipped with 2.5 m antennae. These broadcast television throughout the Soviet Union. Trials of the system were completed in 1981.
|
|
|
|
|
Ekran-M
|
Ekran-M provided unique direct television broadcasting service to community users in the central Russian Federation region (Zone 3). The original Ekran spacecraft were upgraded to the Ekran-M model in the second half of the 1980's. All spacecraft in the series were positioned near 99 degrees E and transmitted directly to simple individual or communal receivers at 0.7 GHz with a powerful 200 W transponder. The Ekran-M spacecraft weighed approximately two metric tons and carried two transponders. The solar arrays were augmented in comparison to Ekran to provide 1.8 kW of power. Although the original Ekran spacecraft were exceptionally short-lived, the Ekran-M markedly surpassing the cited 9-year design life. A modified Ekran-M, called Ekran-D, was proposed to permit digital transmissions of a broader assortment of information.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Raduga-1
|
The Raduga-1 geosynchronous communications satellite was to have been the basis for the YeSSS-2 second generation Unified Satellite Communication System. Phase 1 of the system was to have consisted of three Raduga-1 spacecraft. The Raduga-1 was capable of communication not just with fixed earth stations, but mobile platforms as well. It was equipped with the Tor C-band transponder, working at 20, 42, and 44 GHz. Although a later generation system, Raduga-1 still used the KAUR-3 spacecraft bus. This was 3-axis stabilized using liquid propellant micro-engines to within 0.25 degrees of the earth's centre. The single-unit body was equipped with solar panels, and active liquid-gas phase-change thermoregulation system, and a corrective engine unit for making orbital adjustments. 25 square meters of solar panels provided 1280 W of power.
|
|
|
|
Contact us with any corrections, additions, or comments.
Conditions for use of drawings, pictures, or other materials from this site..
To contact astronauts or cosmonauts.
© Mark Wade, 1997 - 2008 except where otherwise noted.
|
|