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Kosmoplan
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US-A
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The US-A (later known as RLS) was a nuclear powered RORSAT (Radar Ocean Reconnaissance Satellite). It used an active radar to track naval vessels from space in darkness and all weather.
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Polyot
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First prototype model of Chelomei's ASAT, used in an interceptor control and propulsion test. Launched by Korolev R-7 because Chelomei's own UR-200 was not yet available. Purpose - elaboration of system providing for the extensive maneuvering of space apparatuses. Flight was considered a great success. Micro-engine fired 350 times and main stabilizing engine fired 300 times. Polyot was equipped with 6 x 400 kgf engines and 16 x 1 kgf verniers. It consisted of a cylindrical guidance section, the engine section with spherical propellant tanks, and the forward warhead section.
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IS-A
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First operational ASAT. Tested in 1967-1971 and deployed through the late 1970's. Design as revised by Yangel and Korolev from Chelomei's original. Launch vehicle R-36. Modernized ASAT may have been designated US-M or US-AM and was tested in 1976-1978 and operational through the late 1980's.
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US-P
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The US-P (later known as RTR) was a solar powered EORSAT (Electronic Ocean Reconnaissance Satellite). It used an active radar to track naval vessels from space in darkness and all weather. The RTR was an element in the integrated Soviet weapons system devoted to destruction of the US Navy's surface and submarine forces.
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IS-P
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ASAT Target, launched by R-36. Evidently a derivative of the first IS-A ASAT itself. Replaced by the cheaper, lighter ASAT target designed by Yangel for launch by Kosmos launch vehicles.
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Pirs-1
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Pirs was a nuclear-powered active-radar naval targeting spacecraft that was to be equipped with new-generation Topaz reactors and have all-new on-board systems, including electrostatic maneuvering engines, ion orientation / stabilization engines, solar sensors, magnetic momentum compensators, multi-channel wave devices, and special plasma weapons to provide a defense against anti-satellite weapons. However Pirs system was abandoned on the instructions of Gorbachev in 1988. A non-nuclear universal version of the US-P passive satellite went into service in 1993 to accomplish the naval targeting mission.
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IS-MU
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Improved modernized ASAT/ABM. Reportedly deployed in 1980's without flight test, replacing IS-A. Accepted into military service in 1991. On a visit to LC-92 at Baikonur, Gorbachev was shown a mock-up of Naryad, which had been developed from Chelomei's original UR-100 dual-purpose concept by D A Polyukhin. A few tests of Naryad were sanctioned when the Buran shuttle was delayed. Since the Soviet Union had a large excess of ICBM's compared to the United States, the idea was to take the surplus ICBM's and equip them with anti-satellite/anti-ballistic missile homing vehicles in place of their nuclear warheads. This would have created a 'Space Echelon of Anti-rocket Forces'
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Obzor
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The Arsenal Design Bureau proposed converting its military ocean reconnaissance spacecraft bus (EORSAT) into a civil remote sensing platform. Called Obzor, the new spacecraft would feature a 4-channel model of the Travers SAR with a large antenna similar to the one proposed for Almaz 2. Developed by the Moscow Energy Institute, the radar would operate at wavelengths of 5.7, 9.2, 23.5, and 65 cm and would employ new processing and interpreting techniques created by the Institute for Space Geoinformation. The size and mass of Obzor would necessitate employing a Rus launch vehicle rather than the Tsyklon-2 used by EORSAT.
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US-PU
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The nuclear-powered Pirs system was abandoned in 1988 after a few test flights due to continued reliability problems and international incidents when the reactor cores of the satellites inadvertently crashed to the earth. Since Tselina-2 was accomplishing the naval SIGINT mission, it would seem that the US-P passive design was modified to allow more ship location and targeting capability, probably using systems and software developed for PIRS-1. A universal version of the US design, perhaps designated US-PU, began flying in 1993 in replacement of both the US-A and US-P earlier generation spacecraft. These modernized spacecraft were stationed at 120 degree intervals on the same orbit, probably to provide an improved signal/target localization capability.
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Konus-A
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The Konus-A scientific satellite was developed in 1995-1997 for the Russian Academy of Science and flown as Cosmos 2326. The scientific apparatus was developed by the Ioffe Physics-Technical Institute (FTI), Saint Petersburg. It undertook fundamental astrophysics research in cosmic gamma rays. The mission was conducted in collaboration with NASA. The Konus-A was equipped with a gamma ray detector that allowed localization of astronomical gamma ray sources. The spacecraft carried 130 kg of scientific instruments, had a two year design life, and was placed in a 400 km altitude orbit. The US Wind spacecraft, deployed at the earths' L1 Lagrangian Point, synchronized its observations with Konus-A. The 1.5 million km separation between the two spacecraft allowed improved localization of gamma ray sources. The mission was completed in December 1995.
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© Mark Wade, 1997 - 2007 except where otherwise noted.
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