NEXT SPACEFLIGHT

Status

Success

Meridian-M n°20L

Launch Time
Tue Mar 22, 2022 12:48 UTC

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-M n°20L

It is the 10th Meridian satellite to fly. It's named 20L because ISS Rechetnyov (manufacturer) numbering system starts from 11. The letter L is added to indicate that it is a flight unit (лётный in Russian).

Meridians are new-generation telecommunications satellites intended to ensure communications with ships and planes operating in the Arctic Ocean, as well as with stations based in the Far East and Siberia.

These satellites are dual-purpose: they are primarily used for military telecommunications but will also be used for civil applications.

They will gradually replace three types of satellites: the Molniya-1T (11F658T), Molniya-3 (11F637), and Parouss (11F627). Compared to these previous generation satellites, the Meridians have a longer lifespan (seven years instead of one or two), higher power (3kW instead of 1kW), and carry a larger payload (three transponders instead of one).

Like their Molniya predecessors, they are deployed in very elliptical orbits, on the order of 900km x 39000km x 65 °, which is called the Molniya Orbit. Their platform is pressurized and stabilized along three axes. A certain number of equipment would be derived from that developed for the GLONASS-M navigation satellites.

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

Location

Site 43/3, Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russia

Stats

2022

31st orbital launch attempt

Soyuz 2.1a

61st mission
4th mission of 2022
59th successful mission
39th consecutive successful mission