NEXT SPACEFLIGHT

Status

Partial Failure

Meridian n°12L

Launch Time
Thu May 21, 2009 21:53 UTC

The Fregat stage failed to insert the satellite into its planned orbit, which was much lower than expected. The satellite's lifetime was considerably reduced.

Rocket

Soyuz 2.1a/Fregat-M
Image Credit: Roscosmos
VKS RF
Status: Active
Price: $23.0 million
Liftoff Thrust: 4,550 kN
Payload to LEO: 7,020 kg
Payload to GTO: 2,810 kg
Stages: 4
Strap-ons: 4
Rocket Height: 46.94 m
Fairing Diameter: 4.11 m
Fairing Height: 10.2 m

Mission Details

Meridian n°12L

The Meridian series of communications satellites is reported to be the replacement for all the Molniya-1T, the Molniya-3 and Molniya-3K satellite series and possibly also for the communication component of the Parus. They are launched into highly eccentric Molniya-orbits.

Meridian is the highly eccentric orbit (HEO) component of the Integrated Satellite Communications System (ISSS), where they work in conjunction with the geostationary Raduga-1M (Globus-M) satellites.

The bus structure is reportedly pressurized, possibly based on the Uragan-M bus. Meridian satellites carry three transponders operating in different frequency bands.

The first two satellites were launched on Soyuz-2-1a Fregat boosters, afterwards the improved Soyuz-2-1a Fregat took over. The fifth satellite was an exception, which used a Soyuz-2-1b Fregat booster inherited from another program. Launch site was the Plesetsk cosmodrome.

The second launch reached only a 290 km × 36460 km × 62.8° orbit, indicating a Fregat failure during the end of the second burn, with the third burn not taking place. Nevertheless, the satellite is operational in this lower than planned orbit. The fifth launch failed to reach orbit.

The Meridian series was to end with the seventh launch. It was to replaced by a new series beginning in 2016, which will feature unpressurized busses. Instead, in February 2016, a new batch of four similar but slightly improved Meridian-M satellites was ordered, with the first to be launched in 2018.

Payloads: 1
Total Mass: 2,100.0 kg
Molniya Orbit

Location

Site 43/4, Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russia

Stats

2009

31st orbital launch attempt

Soyuz 2.1a

4th mission
1st mission of 2009