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In June 1989, the USSR conducted an inaugural launch of a follow-on spacecraft to its long-lasting Raduga family of communications satellites. The spacecraft was eventually identified as Raduga-1. Technical description Like its predecessor, the Raduga-1 spacecraft was developed by NPO PM in Zheleznogorsk and it was intended primarily for providing military communications from the geostationary orbit. However number of transponders onboard a follow-on spacecraft was increased to six and their immunity to interference was reportedly increased. (207) Raduga specs:
A complete list of Raduga-1 launches:*
*Until 2004, all launches from Baikonur onboard Proton-K rocket. The 11S86 version of the Block D upper stage was used. **Moscow Decree Time 2004 March 27: A Proton rocket with a Block DM upper stage blasted off from Pad 23 at Site 81 in Baikonur Cosmodrome on March 27, 2004, at 06:30 Moscow Time, carrying a classified payload for the Soviet military. According to the Russian space forces, the spacecraft separated from its upper stage at 13:06 Moscow Time, after an apparently successful launch. Following a long tradition for the military spacecraft, the payload was identified as Cosmos-2406, with no details about its mission officially disclosed. However, several weeks later the spacecraft was renamed Raduga-1 -- a series of communications satellites. The spacecraft was later submitted to the UN register under designation Globus-1. According to the Russian press, Lt. General Oleg Gromov, Deputy Commander of Space Forces attended the launch. 2007 Dec. 9: Russia successfully delivered a classified payload for the nation's armed forces, the official media reported. The Proton-M rocket with Briz-M upper stage blasted off from Site 81 in Baikonur Cosmodrome on December 9, 2007, at 03:16 Moscow Time (00:16 UTC). Four minutes later, as the launch vehicle was continuing a powered flight, the control center of the Russian space forces initiated tracking of the mission. The satellite successfully reached its intended orbit at 12:17 Moscow Time, while out of range of ground control stations. The spacecraft was expected to establish contact with the ground at 12:55 Moscow Time. According to the Russian media, the ground control did establish reliable contact with the satellite. Official reports about the launch traditionally identified the spacecraft as Kosmos-series, providing no details about its mission. However the commander of the Russian space forces, Vladimir Popovkin, who oversaw the launch in Baikonur, told state-controlled TV Channel I that the mission was conducted within flight test program of a new-generation spacecraft. "This vehicle works in a wide range of waves and frequencies. It is designed to provide communications for armed forces, and other enforcement agencies, as well as in the interests of social development of our country," Popovkin said. In the following day, an official publication of the Russian Ministry of Defense, identified the satellite as Kosmos-2434. It also reported that the spacecraft was equipped with multi-channel relay systems, operating in centimeter- and decimeter-range of radio waves, enabling reliable communications with mobile stations, including those in hard-to-reach mountainous areas. The satellite was based on Gorizont, Raduga-1 and Ekspress-A platform, the publication said. All these payloads were developed by NPO PM in Zheleznogorsk. Several weeks before the launch, the head of NPO PM Nikolai Testoedov told in an interview with the company's publication that during the remaining of 2007, six GLONASS navigation satellites and one spacecraft for the Ministry of Defense would be sent to orbit. Independent observers characterized the payload of the mission as the Globus-M communications satellite. Russian authorities previously disclosed the Globus-1 program, which could be a precursor for the Globus-M program. An online Russian catalog of R&D contracts listed the development of the centimeter- and decimeter-wavelength range transponder designated 14 R60 for the 17F15M vehicle. The work was conducted by RNII KP design bureau under contract with NPO PM. The launch profile of the mission did confirm that the satellite was heading to a geostationary orbit typical for Raduga and Globus series. The launch was apparently followed up to five firings of the Briz-M upper stage. Initially, an object, which appeared to be Briz-M with its payload still attached, was detected in the 274 by 4,992-kilometer orbit with the inclination 48.8 degrees toward the Equator. Another object originated during the mission -- likely a jettisoned external tank of the Briz-M upper stage -- was reported in the 416 by 35,534-kilometer elliptical orbit, whose inclination was already reduced to 46.5 degrees toward the Equator. Three days after the launch, NPO PM design bureau released a statement confirming that it developed the satellite launched on Dec. 9. However, the organization identified the spacecraft as Raduga-1M. NPO PM said that the satellite had reached its intended orbit and all elements onboard the spacecraft had been successfully deployed. This page is maintained by Anatoly Zak. All rights reserved. Last update: December 12, 2007 |
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