Strela (satellite)

Strela
Manufacturer NPO PM
Country of origin Soviet Union
Russia
Operator VKS/GRU
VKO
Applications Communication
Specifications
Design life 5 years
Power 40 Watts from solar panels
Batteries Nickel hydrogen
Equipment UHF transponders
(NATO B/D band)
Data rate of up to 64 kb/s)
Regime Low Earth
Production
Status Operational
Related spacecraft
Derivatives Gonets
Rodnik

Strela (Russian: Стрела, arrow) is a Russian (previously Soviet) military communications satellite constellation operating in low Earth orbit.

These satellites operate as mailboxes ("store-and-forward"): they remember the received messages and then resend them after scheduled time, or by command from the Earth. Some sources state the satellites are capable of only three months of active operation, but in accordance to others[1] they can serve for about five years. The satellites are used for transmission of encrypted messages and images.

History

The first three satellites, Kosmos 38 (reentered 1964-11-08), Kosmos 39 (reentered 1964-11-17) and Kosmos 40 (reentered 1964-11-17), were launched on 18 August 1964. Five different types of Strela satellites have been launched, designated Strela-1 (1964-65), Strela-1M (1970-1992), Strela-2 (1965-1968), Strela-2M (1970-1994), and Strela-3 (1985-2010).[2][3][4][5][6][7] Strela satellites are also used for the civilian Gonets program. The current version of Strela, Strela-3M is also known as Rodnik. [8]

Accidents and incidents

See also

References

  1. ↑ http://swfound.org/media/6575/swf_iridium_cosmos_collision_fact_sheet_updated_2012.pdf
  2. ↑ "Satellite Catalog Number index (updated Jan 2008)". Jonathan McDowell. Retrieved 2009-02-12.
  3. ↑ "Strela-1 (11F610)". Gunter Dirk Krebs. 2009-01-30. Retrieved 2009-02-12.
  4. ↑ "Strela-1M (11F625)". Gunter Dirk Krebs. 2009-01-30. Retrieved 2009-02-12.
  5. ↑ "Strela-2 (11F610)". Gunter Dirk Krebs. 2009-01-30. Retrieved 2009-02-12.
  6. ↑ "Strela-2M (11F610)". Gunter Dirk Krebs. 2009-01-30. Retrieved 2009-02-12.
  7. ↑ "Strela-3 (17F13)". Gunter Dirk Krebs. 2009-01-30. Retrieved 2009-02-12.
  8. ↑ "Strela-3M (14F132)". Gunter Dirk Krebs. 2012. Retrieved 2012-08-10.
  9. ↑ Iannotta, Becky (2009-02-11). "U.S. Satellite Destroyed in Space Collision". Space.com. Retrieved 2009-02-11.
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