Meridian-M n°18L

Launch Success

Liftoff Time (GMT)

05:57:00

Tuesday July 30, 2019

Mission Details

Launch Notes

First Meridian-M satellite to be launched.

Meridian-M n°18L

Wiki

It is the 8th Meridian satellite to fly. It's named 18L, 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.

Molniya Orbit

1 Payload

2,100 kilograms

Rocket

Active
Soyuz 2.1a/Fregat-M

Active Since 2006

RKK Energiya logo

Manufacturer

RKK Energiya

Price

$23.00 million

Rocket

Height: 46.94m

Payload to Orbit

LEO: 7,020 kg

GTO: 2,810 kg

Liftoff Thrust

4,550 Kilonewtons

Fairing

Diameter: 4.11m

Height: 10.2m

Stages

4

Strap-ons

4

Launch Site

Site 43/4

Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russia

Fastest Turnaround

37 hr 53 min

Stats

Soyuz 2.1a


39th

Mission

2nd

Mission of 2019

2019


51st

Orbital launch attempt