Cosmos 2157 to 2162

Launch Success

Liftoff Time (GMT)

07:05:55

Saturday September 28, 1991

Mission Details

Cosmos 2157 to 2162

Wiki

The Strela (Russian: Стрела) are Soviet, then Russian, military space telecommunication satellites, in use since 1964. These satellites operate as mailboxes ("store-and-forward"): they remember the received messages and then resend them after the scheduled time, or by a command from the Earth. Some sources state the satellites are capable of only three months of active operation, but in accordance with others they can serve for about five years. The satellites are used for transmission of encrypted messages and images. The operational constellation consists of 12 satellites in two orbital planes, spaced 90° apart. The spacecraft had a cylindrical body with a gravity-gradient boom, which was extended on-orbit to provide passive attitude stabilization. On-board storage was 12 Mbits of data, with a transmission rate of 2.4 kbit/s. The first three satellites were launched in 1964 by a Cosmos launcher. After one year of service, new and improved satellites were launched, called Strela-2. In 1970, these satellites were modernized, and became the Strela-1M and Strela-2M satellites. From 1985, these satellites will be gradually replaced by Strela-3, and then by Strela-3M from 2005. A civilian version of these satellites was created, called Goniets. Initially launched by six on Tsyklon, when the launcher was retired, they were only launched by two on Cosmos, before Rokot was put into service and allowed the sending of triplets of Strela satellites.

Low Earth Orbit

6 Payloads

1,350 kilograms

Rocket

Retired
Tsyklon-3

Active 1977 to 2009

Yuzhmash logo

Manufacturer

Yuzhmash

Rocket

Height: 39.27m

Payload to Orbit

LEO: 4,100 kg

GTO: 0 kg

Liftoff Thrust

3,032 Kilonewtons

Fairing

Diameter: 2.7m

Height: 9.54m

Stages

3

Launch Site

Site 32/2

Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russia

Fastest Turnaround

3 days 7 hours

Stats

Tsyklon-3


95th

Mission

6th

Mission of 1991

Yuzhmash


2462nd

Mission

48th

Mission of 1991

1991


71st

Orbital launch attempt