So far all the NK source is willing to reveal is that it is a tried-and-tested type of satellite, but not Glonass-M.
Quote from: B. Hendrickx on 03/15/2022 03:18 pmSo far all the NK source is willing to reveal is that it is a tried-and-tested type of satellite, but not Glonass-M.Meridian-M №10?
A source on the NK forum says the launch is scheduled for 15.45 Moscow time (12.45 UTC).
I congratulate the Space Forces Command and the crew of the Plesetsk Cosmodrome on the successful completion of their work.The equipment did not fail, the people even less so.https://t.me/rogozin_do/2123
Footage of the launch from Zvezda TV:
In the late 1970s work got underway on the ESSS-2 constellation, which was to consist of a new generation of satellites in both Molniya-type orbits (Meridian) and geostationary orbit (Raduga-1/Globus-1).Because NPO PM’s production facility was preoccupied with many other projects, the manufacture of the Meridian satellites was delegated to PO Polyot in Omsk. The preliminary design was finished in early 1978, but for unknown reasons the project was then suspended until 1983. Work seems to have continued on it later in that decade, but then became stalled again after the collapse of the Soviet Union.The new economic realities forced NPO PM to suspend its co-operation with PO Polyot and completely redesign the Meridian satellites. Since this was expected to take many years, it was decided to build an interim satellite that would have to bridge the gap to Meridian. This became known as Molniya-3K. Despite its name, in terms of design it was reportedly a much improved version of Molniya-1T rather than Molniya-3, also incorporating several tried-and-tested design features of geostationary communications satellites. Responsibility for the communications payload (called Omega) was initially entrusted to NPO PM’s long-standing partner MNIIRS (Moscow Scientific Research Institute of Radio Communications), but in 1998 was transferred to a newly founded company named NPTs Spurt, which developed an improved version called Omega-S. The first satellite was launched on July 20, 2001, but suffered numerous problems after reaching orbit. The second and last satellite, which reportedly was to test elements of the Meridian payload, was lost in a launch failure on June 21, 2005. Meanwhile, NPO PM had redesigned Meridian to fly on the improved Soyuz-2 launch vehicle with the new Fregat upper stage, making it possible to increase its mass to 2,100 kg. Whereas all the Molniya satellites had used the KAUR-2 design, the new Meridian satellites switched to a design tracing back its roots to NPO PM’s KAUR-4 platform, featuring three-axis stabilization, much larger solar panels generating 3000W of power and an on-board computer. The satellites also inherited many features from the Glonass-M navigation satellites. The satellites were given the military index 14F112 and the Meridian “space complex” (the combination of the satellites and the ground-based infrastructure needed to launch and operate them) was designated 14K131. In 1998 the design of the payload was assigned to RNII KP (now Russian Space Systems), which decided to rely on foreign-built electronic components that significantly reduced the payload’s mass and power demands. This in turn made it possible to turn Meridian into a multifunctional satellite that combined the communication functions of Molniya-1T, Molniya-3 and Tsiklon-B/Parus (the latter, a navigation satellite, had a communications payload for the Navy). The original idea seems to have been to gradually introduce that capability in three generations of Meridian satellites (Meridian-1, 2 and 3), but in 2000 it was decided to outfit Meridian with three transponders from the start.The payload reportedly covered frequencies in the VHF, UHF and S-bands. One name that was associated with the payload was Tsitron (“citron”) (also known as 14R57, developed by Russian Space Systems), but it is unclear if this referred to the entire payload or just part of it. NPTs Spurt apparently provided the transponder that replaced the one earlier flown on the Molniya-1T satellites and which is part of the Korund-M system. The satellite was equipped with more than ten antennas of various types.Civilian tasks were also announced for Meridian, more specifically to connect ships and airplanes examining the ice situation in the Northern sea route with the shoreline and also to expand communications in the northern regions of Siberia and the Far East “in the interests of the econоmy”. The program got off to a shaky start. After numerous delays, the first satellite was launched on December 24, 2006, but in May 2009 it was revealed that it had failed far short of its 7-year design lifetime. It had reportedly suffered a loss of pressurization in its bus, which was blamed on a space debris impact. The second satellite, orbited on May 21, 2009, ended up in a lower than planned orbit due to a malfunction of the Fregat upper stage, but was still used, although it operated outside the standard constellation. Following two successful launches on November 2, 2010 and May 4, 2011, another Meridian was lost in a launch failure on December 23, 2011. Two more launches on November 14, 2012 and October 30, 2014 established the originally planned constellation of four satellites.The hope was that Meridian would be succeeded by the next-generation Sfera-V satellites before the end of the decade. Together with the geostationary Sfera-S satellites, these would form the ESSS-3 constellation. However, delays in the Sfera program forced the Ministry of Defense to sign a contract with ISS Reshetnev on March 29, 2016 for the manufacture of a batch of four modified satellites dubbed Meridian-M (14F112M) (serial numbers 18 to 21). According to Russian press reports, two more were ordered by the Ministry of Defense in May 2020 (these should have serial numbers 22 and 23). An on-board system identified in one court document as 14R156-1 may be the payload. The first two Meridian-M satellites were launched on July 30, 2019 and February 20, 2020.
However, delays in the Sfera program forced the Ministry of Defense to sign a contract with ISS Reshetnev on March 29, 2016 for the manufacture of a batch of four modified satellites dubbed Meridian-M (14F112M) (serial numbers 18 to 21). According to Russian press reports, two more were ordered by the Ministry of Defense in May 2020 (these should have serial numbers 22 and 23). An on-board system identified in one court document as 14R156-1 may be the payload. The first two Meridian-M satellites were launched on July 30, 2019 and February 20, 2020.
The Soyuz-2.1a space rocket has joined the #ZaNashikh support action for Russian servicemen !
Quote from: Rondaz on 03/22/2022 06:53 pmThe Soyuz-2.1a space rocket has joined the #ZaNashikh support action for Russian servicemen !Disgusting use of Putin's swastika. I find this comment very apt:https://mobile.twitter.com/ClosertoSpace/status/1506369269667311616It's probably the first time in history a symbol of war is affixed to a space orbital launch, if I'm not mistaken.It's really shameful to arrive at this, there are no words. A true shame for the Russian space industry, which otherwise is truly respectable.During Apollo, the US was engulfing the Vietnamese forests with tonnes of napalm. In the 80s, the USSR was battling in Afghanistan. Never before has any orbital launcher been decorated with a symbol backing an underway conflict.Between the suspended flights with weak justifications, the threats, the propaganda online, etc - the Russian program is really hitting rock bottom right now.
1 52145U 22030A 22108.10209095 -.00006891 70516-4 52658-1 0 99982 52145 62.9062 320.5502 8256794 260.2774 288.2060 1.99077553 529Epoch (UTC): 18 April 2022 02:27:00Eccentricity: 0.8256794inclination: 62.9062°perigee height: -1725 kmapogee height: 42353 km...
Scott Tilley 🇺🇦@coastal8049MERIDIAN 10 Doppler. Present http://Space-track.org TLE is completely out to lunch as can be seen in first image. I used my radio position TLE and fitted it a bit to the Doppler to obtain image 2. End of pass hasn't occurred yet so no wide fuzz to comment on yet. (5/6)
