Molniya (satellite): Difference between revisions
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'''Molniya''' ''("lightning")'' was a [[military]] [[communications satellite]] system used by the [[Soviet Union]]. The satellites used highly [[eccentricity (orbit)|eccentric]] [[elliptical orbit]]s of +63.4 degrees inclination and an [[orbital period]] of about 12 hours (called [[Molniya orbit]]s), which allowed them to be visible to [[geographic pole|polar]] regions for long periods. The use of this kind of orbit was necessitated by the fact that sites near the poles are not able to communicate with satellites in [[geosynchronous orbit]]s. The program was authorized by a government decree in late 1960; after some initial failures in 1964 the first operational satellite [http://www.astronautix.com/craft/molniya1.htm Molniya 1-01] was launched on August 23, 1965. |
'''Molniya''' ''("lightning")'' was a [[military]] [[communications satellite]] system used by the [[Soviet Union]]. The satellites used highly [[eccentricity (orbit)|eccentric]] [[elliptical orbit]]s of +63.4 degrees inclination and an [[orbital period]] of about 12 hours (called [[Molniya orbit]]s), which allowed them to be visible to [[geographic pole|polar]] regions for long periods. The use of this kind of orbit was necessitated by the fact that sites near the poles are not able to communicate with satellites in [[geosynchronous orbit]]s. The program was authorized by a government decree in late 1960; after some initial failures in 1964 the first operational satellite [http://www.astronautix.com/craft/molniya1.htm Molniya 1-01] was launched on August 23, 1965. |
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Since October of [[1967]] Molniya satellites have been used by Russia to broadcast their national [[Orbita]] TV [[television network|network]]. |
Since October of [[1967]] Molniya satellites have been used by Russia to broadcast their national [[Orbita]] TV [[television network|network]]. |
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==References== |
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* [http://astronauticsnow.com/vp/ Video clip (downloadable): Molniya Orbit] |
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* [http://astronauticsnow.com/vp/ Video clip (downloadable): Molniya Communications Relay] |
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==External links== |
==External links== |
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Revision as of 20:02, 3 October 2007
- This article is about a satellite system. For the Soviet design bureaus, please see NPO Molniya.
Molniya ("lightning") was a military communications satellite system used by the Soviet Union. The satellites used highly eccentric elliptical orbits of +63.4 degrees inclination and an orbital period of about 12 hours (called Molniya orbits), which allowed them to be visible to polar regions for long periods. The use of this kind of orbit was necessitated by the fact that sites near the poles are not able to communicate with satellites in geosynchronous orbits. The program was authorized by a government decree in late 1960; after some initial failures in 1964 the first operational satellite Molniya 1-01 was launched on August 23, 1965. Since October of 1967 Molniya satellites have been used by Russia to broadcast their national Orbita TV network.
References
External links
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