Luch (Altair)

Russia

Means "beam"; also called Al'tair or SDRN

Russian program for LEO communications relay (e.g. Mir). This program is also known as SDRN (Satellite Data Relay Network).

The first generation satellites of this program were based on the Al'tair platform. The second generation's performance is said to increase the capacity of the channels by nearly 3 and its lifetime would be twice as long.

Luch (Altair)

Type / Application:	Communication, data relay
Contractors:	NPO-PM
Configuratation:	KAUR-4
Propulsion:	4 SPT-70 Stationary Plasma Thrusters
Launch mass:	2600 kg
Orbit:	GEO

Satellite	Date	LS	Launcher	Remarks:
Cosmos 1700 [Luch #1, Altair 11L]	25 Oct 1985	B, LC-200/40	Proton-K Blok-DM-2
Cosmos 1897 [Luch #2, Altair 12L]	26 Nov 1987	B, LC-200/39	Proton-K Blok-DM-2
Cosmos 2054 [Luch #3, Altair 14L]	27 Dec 1989	B, LC-200/39	Proton-K Blok-DM-2
Luch 1 (Altair 13L)	16 Dec 1994	B, LC-81/23		Proton-K Blok-DM-2
Luch-2 1 (Gelios 12L (11?))	11 Oct 1995	Baik, LC-81/23	-	Proton-K Blok-DM-2

Luch series satellites:

       Cover name        Russian secret name    Active                 Status

       Kosmos-1700       Al'tair 11             1985 Oct-1986 Aug       Drifting in GEO
       Kosmos-1897       Al'tair 12             1987 Nov-1992 Oct?      Drifting in GEO
       Kosmos-2054       Al'tair 14             1989 Dec-1997 Mar       Drifting in GEO
       Luch              Al'tair 13             1994 Dec 16-1998 Oct    Drifting in GEO
       Luch-1            Gelios 11              1995 Oct 11-1999 Apr    End life 12 apr 1999
       Luch-5A           -                      2011 Dec 11             GEO 167.1E
       Luch-5B           -                      2012 Nov 02             GEO  16.0W
       Luch-5V           -                      2014 Apr 28             GEO  95.2E
       Luch              Olimp-K?               2014 Sep 27             GEO drift

Ref.: #7(JR703), #14 - update: 15.01.15

Home