Angara-1.2 - Kosmos 2560 (EO MKA#3) - Plesetsk - 15 October 2022 (19:55 UTC)

[B. Hendrickx]

Do you know what "EO" stands for?

"O" could stand for "optical", in which case EO MKA would be deciphered as "experimental optical small satellite". It can't be "electro-optical" because the Russians literally say "optico-electronic", in which case it would be OE MKA. I've seen one article where the abbreviation EOKA is most likely used to refer to NPO Lavochkin's 14F150 satellites (Kosmos-2519/2542/2558 type). These satellites almost certainly carry one or more optical payloads to observe other satellites and the Earth's surface, so EOKA could be "experimental optical satellite". However, there's no evidence so far that Kosmos-2560 and its two predecessors (2551 and 2555) have an optical payload. Another question is why "EO" is written separately from "MKA" if it means "experimental optical".  EO MKA (written separately) is sometimes seen in technical literature in the meaning "experimental testing of a small satellite " (экспериментальная отработка малого космического аппарата), but that doesn't sound like a satellite name. So no, we can't tell for sure right now what EO stands for.

[SnowyOwl]

Khrunichev is the black writing, The Almaz/Salyut logo is Khrunichev's logo, and the red patch is this Angara's mission patch. Russian flag, the Plesetsk Cosmodrome space and missile military patch then the Z patch is geopolitical propaganda.

To me "Khrunichev" text looks like is in dark blue.
And under the Russian flag is Space Forces logo.

More video
focused on the booster

[Alter Sachse]

Today:

[B. Hendrickx]

Do you know what "EO" stands for?

"O" could stand for "optical", in which case EO MKA would be deciphered as "experimental optical small satellite". It can't be "electro-optical" because the Russians literally say "optico-electronic", in which case it would be OE MKA. I've seen one article where the abbreviation EOKA is most likely used to refer to NPO Lavochkin's 14F150 satellites (Kosmos-2519/2542/2558 type). These satellites almost certainly carry one or more optical payloads to observe other satellites and the Earth's surface, so EOKA could be "experimental optical satellite". However, there's no evidence so far that Kosmos-2560 and its two predecessors (2551 and 2555) have an optical payload. Another question is why "EO" is written separately from "MKA" if it means "experimental optical".  EO MKA (written separately) is sometimes seen in technical literature in the meaning "experimental testing of a small satellite " (экспериментальная отработка малого космического аппарата), but that doesn't sound like a satellite name. So no, we can't tell for sure right now what EO stands for.

A more plausible explanation for the abbreviation EO MKA is that it stands for “prototype of a small satellite”. “EO” is an abbreviation of “eksperimentalnyy obrazets” (экспериментальный образец), which literally means something like  “experimental sample”, but is usually translated as “prototype”. It is a standard term for one of three types of hardware that can be produced as part of the research phase (“NIR”) of a project, the other two being “mock-up” (макет) and “model” (модель). EO is defined as hardware having “characteristics of the final product” with the aim of “testing the proposed solutions” and “refining certain characteristics” during the design of that product. An EO has the same size as the final product and is considered a “functionally finished product suitable for testing”. See, for instance, this document, which explains the various terms used for the NIR phase of a project:

http://www.rd.uniyar.ac.ru/upload/rd/nir/GOST_15_101_98.pdf

If “EO” stands for “prototype”, the fact that it is written separately from “MKA” would make sense. This explanation for “EO” is also consistent with the information from Anatoly Zak’s paywalled article on Kosmos-2560 that was quoted here earlier:

Per Anatoly Zak's website this is the third and expected final flight of an MKA-EO prototype flight model. They are non propulsive free flyers. Only the first was stated to be a confirmed failure that was likely either dead on arrival or by the second orbit after battery depletion since it per other sources did call home shortly after separation.

So indications are that the three EO MKA missions (Kosmos-2551, 2555 and 2560) are part of the research phase of a project and are aimed at testing a prototype version of a future satellite. This may explain why three of them could be launched in relatively quick succession (they aren’t fully equipped satellites) and also why they don’t have propulsion systems. Possibly, they are needed for tests of other on-board systems that don’t require the propulsive capability and can be completed in a relatively short of period of time (hence the short lifetimes).  That doesn’t exclude the possibility that the operational versions of these satellites will be maneuverable.

[Alter Sachse]

Today:

[Svetoslav]

So... the orbit appears to be lower... Is there evidence that the satellite successfully raised the orbit on its own?

[russianhalo117]

So... the orbit appears to be lower... Is there evidence that the satellite successfully raised the orbit on its own?

Upthread:
https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=56635.msg2427667#msg2427667

[Rondaz]

Obj. 54050 COSMOS 2560 decay prediction: December 10, 2022 UTC 08h45mn ± 27h

https://twitter.com/jremis/status/1600046579678953473

[Rondaz]

Update: obj. 54050 COSMOS 2560 decay prediction: December 09, 2022 UTC 20h29mn ± 21h

https://twitter.com/jremis/status/1600066435975241728

[Rondaz]

Update: obj. 54050 COSMOS 2560 decay prediction: December 09, 2022 UTC 19h31mn ± 9h

https://twitter.com/jremis/status/1600793381353193472

[Rondaz]

Update: obj. 54050 COSMOS 2560 decay prediction: December 09, 2022 UTC 23h34mn ± 5h

https://twitter.com/jremis/status/1601158379350953985

[Rondaz]

Update: obj. 54050 COSMOS 2560 decay prediction: December 10, 2022 UTC 01h59mn ± 2h

https://twitter.com/jremis/status/1601360099062476800

[Rondaz]

The Russian military sat Kosmos-2560, launched in October, reentered on Dec 10 at 0154 UTC over Guam. Like the previous satellite it the series, it performed no orbit raising burns.

https://twitter.com/planet4589/status/1601740380722044928