Status
Success
Cosmos 2031
Launch Time
Tue Jul 18, 1989 12:10 UTC
Tue Jul 18, 1989 12:10 UTC
Rocket
Mission Details
Cosmos 2031
Orlets-2 or Yenisey was an improved Orlets-1 film return reconnaissance satellite with 22 small return capsules.
Following evaluation of flight trials in April-May 1977 it was concluded that the Yantar-2K was not capable of providing strategic warning of attack. Therefore three additional variants were developed, one of them the wide-spectrum detail and survey satellite Orlets.
Orlets featured a panoramic camera and drew on features of an existing draft project designated Yantar-6K. The redesigned spacecraft was expandable, with Phase 1 (Orlets-1) being launched by the Soyuz-U2 launch vehicle, equipped with 8 film return capsules and having a design life of 60 days.
Payloads: 1
Total Mass: 6,600.0 kg
Low Earth Orbit
Location
Site 1/5, Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
Stats
1989
57th orbital launch attempt
Soyuz U
587th mission
24th mission of 1989
570th successful mission
31st consecutive successful mission