Zenit 2 Launches Russian Weather Satellite / 4 Science Spacecraft

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Zenit 2 Launches Russian Weather Satellite / 4 Science Spacecraft

More Information:

A Zenit 2 successfully launched a Russian weather satellite and 4 smaller satellites from Baikonur Cosmodrome at 1719 UTC (9:19 a.m PST) on December 10. The satellites were launched into a 996 km (538 nmi) by 1015 km (548 nmi) sun-synchronous orbit, inclined at 99.7 degrees. The rocket launched Meteor 3M-N1, Badr B, Maroc-Tubsat, Kompass and Reflektor.

The 2500 kg (5510 lbm) Meteor 3M satellite was built by Elektromekhanika Research Institute (VNIIEM), Istra, and is designed for three years of service. Meteor 3M-N1 carries nine scientific instruments to provide various meteorological observations and images. Weather observations will include both visible and infrared images of the surface and clouds, cloud-top height maps, sea surface temperature measurements, and temperature and humidity profiles. The spacecraft will operate in a sun-synchronous orbit at 1018 km (550 nmi) with an inclination of 99.64 degrees.

The 70 kg (154 lbm) Badr B was built for Pakistan’s Supraco (Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission). It has an expected design life of 2-3 years. The main mission objectives of BADR B program include the indigenous development of low cost satellites and the creation of the necessary infrastructure for future development in this field. This gravity gradient stabilized small Earth Observation satellite was designed by Space Innovations Limited (SIL) of the United Kingdom. The spacecraft sub-systems were SIL designed and manufactured, but the spacecraft integration was performed by SUPARCO. Most of the equipment used in the satellite was acquired in Pakistan. Badar B will conduct four major on-board experiments: 1) earth imaging, 2) use of radiation dosimeter, 3) data storage and forwarding and 4) a charged battery experiment.

The 47 kg (104 lbm) Maroc-Tubsat satellite was built for Morocco’s Royal Center for Remote Sensing by the German Technical University of Berlin using a TUBSat-C bus. The remote sensing satellite will detect vegetation with a medium resolution of about 300 m and store and forward communications for mobile localization and developing attitude control strategies for high resolution earth observation.

The 80 kg (176 lbm) Kompass is a geophysics satellite built by GRTsKB Makeyev for Izmiran. The satellite was originally built to launch using the Shtil rocket.

The 8 kg (18 lbm) Reflektor, was built by NII Kosmicheskovo Priborostroeniya to survey satellites and space debris. It is reported that the USAFRL may also be associated with this satellite.

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December 10, 2001