Strela (satellite)
Manufacturer | NPO PM |
---|---|
Country of origin | Soviet Union Russia |
Operator | VKS / GRU VKO |
Applications | Military communications |
Specifications | |
Power | 40 watts from solar panels |
Batteries | Nickel hydrogen |
Equipment | UHF transponders (NATO B / D band) Data rate of up to 64 kb/s) |
Regime | Low Earth |
Design life | 5 years |
Production | |
Status | Operational |
Related spacecraft | |
Derivatives | Gonets (civil satellites) |
Strela (Russian: Стрела, for Arrow) is a Russian (previously Soviet) military communications satellite constellation operating in low Earth orbit. These satellites operate as mailboxes ("store-and-forward"): they remember the received messages and then resend them after the scheduled time, or by a command from the Earth. Some sources state the satellites are capable of only three months of active operation, but in accordance with others[1] they can serve for about five years. The satellites are used for transmission of encrypted messages and images.
History[]
The first three satellites, (reentered 8 November 1964), (reentered 17 November 1964) and (reentered 17 November 1964), were launched on 18 August 1964. Five different types of Strela satellites have been launched, designated Strela-1 (1964-1965), Strela-1M (1970-1992), Strela-2 (1965-1968), Strela-2M (1970-1994), and Strela-3 (1985-2010).[2][3][4][5][6][7] Strela satellites are also used for the civilian Gonets program. The current version of Strela, Strela-3M is also known as Rodnik.[8]
In 2018 Austrian counterintelligence authorities uncovered an officer of the Bundesheer, Martin M. as a Russian spy. During the investigation, Austrian counterintelligence found a small suitcase. It had radio-communication equipment built into it so that Martin M. was able to connect to Strela-3 satellites and receive and send encrypted messages. The authorities also found a list of times when the satellite was positioned over Austria.[9]
Technology[]
The following observations were published in 2011: On 244.512 MHz a Strela-satellite generates a 0.5s long 'trigger pulse' every 60 seconds. It is mentioned, that the purpose is to activate ground based transmitters waiting to send a message. Satellites were identified by measuring the time of closest approach from Doppler curve. Received messages are then re-transmitted on the second known frequency at 261.035 MHz.[10]
Accidents and incidents[]
- At 16:56 UTC on 10 February 2009, Kosmos 2251, a retired Strela-2M, collided with the operational Iridium 33 satellite.[11]
References[]
- ^ http://swfound.org/media/6575/swf_iridium_cosmos_collision_fact_sheet_updated_2012.pdf
- ^ "Satellite Catalog Number index (updated Jan 2008)". Jonathan McDowell. Retrieved 12 February 2009.
- ^ "Strela-1 (11F610)". Gunter Dirk Krebs. 30 January 2009. Retrieved 12 February 2009.
- ^ "Strela-1M (11F625)". Gunter Dirk Krebs. 30 January 2009. Retrieved 12 February 2009.
- ^ "Strela-2 (11F610)". Gunter Dirk Krebs. 30 January 2009. Retrieved 12 February 2009.
- ^ "Strela-2M (11F610)". Gunter Dirk Krebs. 30 January 2009. Retrieved 12 February 2009.
- ^ "Strela-3 (17F13)". Gunter Dirk Krebs. 30 January 2009. Retrieved 12 February 2009.
- ^ "Strela-3M (14F132)". Gunter Dirk Krebs. 2012. Retrieved 10 August 2012.
- ^ tagesschau.de. "Russische Spionage: Wie im Kalten Krieg". tagesschau.de (in German). Retrieved 13 April 2021.
- ^ "Satellite Radio Frequencies - Strela". www.zarya.info. Retrieved 14 April 2021.
- ^ Iannotta, Becky (11 February 2009). "U.S. Satellite Destroyed in Space Collision". Space.com. Retrieved 11 February 2009.
External links[]
- Military satellites
- Communications satellites
- Communications satellites of the Soviet Union