Relek (MKA-PN 2)

Spacecraft nº:

Russian spacecraft nº:

Launch data: Designation  10070 / 14037B Launch date  08 Jul 2014 - 15:58 UT Launch site  Baik, LC-31/6 Launch vehicle  Soyuz-2-1b Fregat-M Mission  Science, solar cosmic rays, magnetosphere Earth orbit: Perigee / Apogee  622 x 820 km Eccentricity   Inclination   98.36° Period  99.21 min

Spacecraft data:

Description:

• MKA PN2 (RELEK) was designed to give Russian scientists a brand-new orbital tool for studying charged particles in the radiation belt of the Earth for the first time since the Koronas-F spacecraft was launched more than a decade earlier and stopped working in 2005. This field is critical for the fundamental geophysics research and also has practical applications in the field of the so-called "space weather" affecting various sectors of modern economy. The mission would also give young Russian scientists a chance to participate in the development of cutting-edge geophysical and astrophysical instruments and in the analysis of their data.

Mission details:

• On Jul 8 2014 at 1558 UTC Russia launched a Soyuz-2-1B with a Fregat upper stage. The Blok-I stage entered a 183 x 198 km orbit; the Fregat then maneuvered to 191 x 813 km and 818 x 828 km x 98.8 deg, where it deployed the Meteor-M No. 2 weather satellite in an 0900LTDN SSO.
• The Fregat then restarted at 1736 UTC to enter a 638 x 825 km orbit, ejected a payload adapter frame and the Relek (MKA-FKI) satellite which will study relativistic electrons in the magnetosphere.

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