Meridian 1
| Operator | VKS |
|---|---|
| Major contractors | NPO-PM |
| Mission type | Communications |
| Launch date | 24 December 2006 |
| Carrier rocket | Soyuz-2.1a/Fregat |
| Launch site | Plesetsk Site 43/4 |
Meridian 1, also known as Meridian #11L was a Russian communications satellite. It was the first satellite to be launched as part of the Meridian system, which will replace the older Molniya series.
Meridian 1 was the first Russian Government satellite to be launched by a Soyuz-2 rocket. The Soyuz-2.1a configuration was used, along with a Fregat upper stage. The launch occurred from Site 43/4 at the Plesetsk Cosmodrome at 08:34:44 GMT on 24 December 2006.[1]
It was constructed by NPO-PM and is believed to be based on the Uragan-M satellite bus,[2] which has also been used for GLONASS navigation satellites. It operates in a Molniya orbit with a perigee of 900 kilometres (560 mi), an apogee of 39,000 kilometres (24,000 mi), and 65° inclination.[2]
The satellite entered service on 1 February 2007, however by May 2009 it had failed. NPO-PM reported that an impact with a piece of debris had caused the spacecraft to malfunction.[3]
References[edit]
- ^ McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 2009-05-22.
- ^ a b Krebs, Gunter. "Meridian (14F112)". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2009-05-21.
- ^ Zak, Anatoly. "The Meridian satellite (14F112)". RussianSpaceWeb. Retrieved 3 May 2011.
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