Molniya DU Credit - © Mark Wade

Molniya-2 was the elliptical orbit component of the Soviet YeSSS communications satellite system. Flight tests began in 1971, and it had a brief operational career in 1974-1977 before being succeeded in the YeSSS network by the Molniya-3.

It had originally been foreseen that the Molniya-1 was only for use in experiments in long-distance communications. Therefore a decree on 31 October 1961 authorized work on the Molniya-1M production model, providing international communications on the centimeter band. But actually Molniya-1 worked so well that it was taken directly into service, and the -1M was skipped.

Using the common KAUR-2 bus and engineering work done on the -1M, the -2 version was defined. The draft project was completed in 1965 and a decree of 24 October 1968 authorized its development for strategic communications under the code name Kristal. The requirement was for a universal satellite to provide services to many users - the so-called Unified System of Satellite Communications (YeSSS). On 5 April 1972 the YeSSS was defined as the Molniya-2 in elliptical orbit and Raduga (Statsionar) in geosynchronous orbit.

The YeSSS radio rebroadcast system was developed by MNIIRS Minradioprom, followed by Minpromsvyaz (M R Kaplanov) and KBPM Minobshchemash (M F Reshetnev - Reshetnev's bureau had been spun off from Korolev's Filial 2 in the 1960's. It specialized in communications, television, navigation, and geodetic satellites).

Development of Molniya-2 was dogged by the issue of what on-board radio equipment to use. The final version used the retransmitter Segment-2, A G Orlov General Designer. The previous LBV Shunt traveling wave tube was initially to be used, but the final technical solution was an unpressurised satellite and a new type had to be found. Finally the LBV Shunt TWT was only applied to Ekran, where it was used in place of a cascading klystron TWT.

Flight trials of the Molniya-2 were conducted in 1971-1974. Major General N F Shlikov was in charge of the state trials commission, and took a methodical approach to achieving reliability. For example, three trials launches took place at short (2 to 4 month) intervals. Chief Designer was Gregori Markelovich Chrenyavskiy. But he was also a Soviet Minister. The motto 'never test for operations a system that you've developed' was followed. Operational flights came in 1974-1977. Molniya-2, like Molniya-1, consisted of four pairs of spacecraft with orbits at ninety degrees to one another. A total of 19 flights were made.

Molniya-2 was used in the Orbita television system and also for the military Korund communications system. New ground segment components included systems by Chief designer at MNIIRS MPSS, M R Kaplanov, for the communication systems from military units to the center, and the on-board retransmitter. The ground control system was by Ryazanskiy, based on a modernized KIS Saturn. The control system at the center was by NIIT MOM (O N Shishkin).

Typical orbit: 490 x 34397 km, 63.2 deg inclinaton. Length: 4.40 m (14.40 ft). Maximum Diameter: 1.40 m (4.50 ft). Span: 8.20 m (26.90 ft). Mass: 1,600 kg (3,500 lb).

• 1961 October 30 - Molniya-1 and Meteor-1 satellites authorised. -
  Central Committee of the Communist Party and Council of Soviet Ministers Decree 'On approval of work on the Molniya-1 communications satellite and Meteor-1 weather satellite' was issued. Thedecree authorised work on the Molniya-1M production model, providing international communications on the centimetre band. But the protoype Molniya-1 worked so well that it was taken directly into service, and the -1M was skipped.

• 1968 October 24 - Molniya-2 satellite authorised. -
  Central Committee of the Communist Party and Council of Soviet Ministers Decree 'On establishment of the Kristall communications system based on Molniya-2 satellites' was issued. Kristall would be used for strategic communications.

• 1971 November 24 - Molniya 2-01 - Program: Molniya. Launch Site: Plesetsk. Launch Complex: -. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz. Mass: 1,600 kg (3,500 lb). Perigee: 516 km (320 mi). Apogee: 39,553 km (24,577 mi). Inclination: 65.00 deg. Period: 712.00 min.
  Continued operation of the long-range telephone and telegraph radio-communication system within the Soviet Union and transmission of USSR central television programmes to stations in the Orbita and participating international networks (international cooperation scheme).

• 1972 April 5 - Unified System of Satellite Communications (YeSSS) -
  Central Committee of the Communist Party and Council of Soviet Ministers Decree 'On use of Molniya and Ekran for a unified satellite communications system' was issued. The YeSSS was defined as the Molniya-2 in elliptical orbit and Raduga (Statsionar) in geosynchronous orbit.

• 1972 May 19 - Molniya 2-02 - Program: Molniya. Launch Site: Plesetsk. Launch Complex: -. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz. Mass: 1,600 kg (3,500 lb). Perigee: 479 km (297 mi). Apogee: 39,293 km (24,415 mi). Inclination: 65.00 deg. Period: 706.00 min.
  Continued operation of the long-range telephone and telegraph radio-communication system; transmission of USSR central television programmes to stations in the Orbita network and international cooperation.

• 1972 September 30 - Molniya 2-03 - Program: Molniya. Launch Site: Plesetsk. Launch Complex: -. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz. Mass: 1,600 kg (3,500 lb). Perigee: 470 km (290 mi). Apogee: 39,170 km (24,330 mi). Inclination: 65.00 deg. Period: 703.30 min.
  Continued operation of the long-range telephone and telegraph radio-communication system; transmission of USSR central television programmes to stations in the Orbita network and international cooperation.

• 1972 December 12 - Molniya 2-04 - Program: Molniya. Launch Site: Plesetsk. Launch Complex: -. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz. Mass: 1,600 kg (3,500 lb). Perigee: 507 km (315 mi). Apogee: 39,284 km (24,409 mi). Inclination: 65.30 deg. Period: 706.40 min.
  Continued operation of the long-range telephone and telegraph radio-communication system; transmission of USSR central television programmes to stations in the Orbita network and international cooperation.

• 1973 April 5 - Molniya 2-05 - Program: Molniya. Launch Site: Plesetsk. Launch Complex: -. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz. Mass: 1,600 kg (3,500 lb). Perigee: 532 km (330 mi). Apogee: 39,822 km (24,744 mi). Inclination: 65.20 deg. Period: 717.70 min.
  Continued operation of the long-range telephone and telegraph radio-communication system within the Soviet Union and transmission of USSR central television programmes to stations in the Orbita and participating international networks (international cooperation scheme).

• 1973 July 11 - Molniya 2-06 - Program: Molniya. Launch Site: Plesetsk. Launch Complex: -. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz. Mass: 1,600 kg (3,500 lb). Perigee: 479 km (297 mi). Apogee: 39,292 km (24,414 mi). Inclination: 65.00 deg. Period: 706.00 min.
  Continued operation of the long-range telephone and telegraph radio-communication system within the Soviet Union and transmission of USSR central television programmes to stations in the Orbita and participating international networks (international cooperation scheme).

• 1973 October 19 - Molniya 2-07 - Program: Molniya. Launch Site: Plesetsk. Launch Complex: -. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz. Mass: 1,600 kg (3,500 lb). Perigee: 555 km (344 mi). Apogee: 40,055 km (24,888 mi). Inclination: 62.80 deg. Period: 722.90 min.
  Continued operation of the long-range telephone and telegraph radio-communication system within the Soviet Union and transmission of USSR central television programmes to stations in the Orbita and participating international networks (international cooperation scheme).

• 1973 December 25 - Molniya 2-08 - Program: Molniya. Launch Site: Plesetsk. Launch Complex: -. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz. Mass: 1,600 kg (3,500 lb). Perigee: 434 km (269 mi). Apogee: 39,934 km (24,813 mi). Inclination: 62.90 deg. Period: 718.00 min.
  Continued operation of the long-range telephone and telegraph radio-communication system within the Soviet Union and transmission of USSR central television programmes to stations in the Orbita and participating international networks (international cooperation scheme).

• 1974 April 26 - Molniya 2-09 - Program: Molniya. Launch Site: Plesetsk. Launch Complex: -. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz. Mass: 1,600 kg (3,500 lb). Perigee: 1,309 km (813 mi). Apogee: 35,168 km (21,852 mi). Inclination: 64.40 deg. Period: 640.60 min.
  Continued operation of the long-range telephone and telegraph radio-communication system within the Soviet Union and transmission of USSR central television programmes to stations in the Orbita and participating international networks (international cooperation scheme).

• 1974 July 23 - Molniya 2-10 - Program: Molniya. Launch Site: Plesetsk. Launch Complex: -. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz. Mass: 1,600 kg (3,500 lb). Perigee: 1,501 km (932 mi). Apogee: 38,868 km (24,151 mi). Inclination: 64.50 deg. Period: 718.10 min.
  Continued operation of the long-range telephone and telegraph radio-communication system within the Soviet Union and transmission of USSR central television programmes to stations in the Orbita and participating international networks (international cooperation scheme).

• 1974 December 21 - Molniya 2-11 - Program: Molniya. Launch Site: Plesetsk. Launch Complex: -. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz. Mass: 1,600 kg (3,500 lb). Perigee: 305 km (189 mi). Apogee: 40,065 km (24,895 mi). Inclination: 61.90 deg. Period: 718.10 min.
  Operation of the long-range telephone and telegraph radiocommunications system in the USSR; transmission of television programmes to stations in the Orbita network.

• 1975 February 6 - Molniya 2-12 - Program: Molniya. Launch Site: Plesetsk. Launch Complex: -. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz. Mass: 1,600 kg (3,500 lb). Perigee: 653 km (405 mi). Apogee: 40,746 km (25,318 mi). Inclination: 62.80 deg. Period: 738.70 min.
  Decay date suspect Operation of the long-range telephone and telegraph radiocommunications system in the USSR; transmission of television programmes to stations in the Orbita network.

• 1975 July 8 - Molniya 2-13 - Program: Molniya. Launch Site: Plesetsk. Launch Complex: -. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz. Mass: 1,600 kg (3,500 lb). Perigee: 1,887 km (1,172 mi). Apogee: 38,492 km (23,917 mi). Inclination: 63.90 deg. Period: 718.30 min.
  Operation of the long-range telephone and telegraph radiocommunications system in the USSR; transmission of television programmes to stations in the Orbita network.

• 1975 September 9 - Molniya 2-14 - Program: Molniya. Launch Site: Plesetsk. Launch Complex: -. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz. Mass: 1,600 kg (3,500 lb). Perigee: 1,840 km (1,140 mi). Apogee: 38,534 km (23,943 mi). Inclination: 64.00 deg. Period: 718.20 min.
  Continued operation of the long-range telephone and telegraph radio-communication system within the Soviet Union and transmission of USSR central television programmes to stations in the Orbita and participating international networks (international cooperation scheme).

• 1975 December 17 - Molniya 2-15 - Program: Molniya. Launch Site: Plesetsk. Launch Complex: -. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz. Mass: 1,600 kg (3,500 lb). Perigee: 103 km (64 mi). Apogee: 24,113 km (14,983 mi). Inclination: 62.80 deg. Period: 416.90 min.
  Continued operation of the long-range telephone and telegraph radio-communication system within the Soviet Union and transmission of USSR central television programmes to stations in the Orbita and participating international networks (international cooperation scheme).

• 1976 July 1 - Cosmos 837 - Program: Molniya. Launch Site: Plesetsk. Launch Complex: LC43/4. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz. FAILURE: Fourth stage failure. Mass: 1,600 kg (3,500 lb). Perigee: 438 km (272 mi). Apogee: 936 km (581 mi). Inclination: 62.80 deg. Period: 98.50 min.
  Failed Molniya.

• 1976 September 1 - Cosmos 853 - Program: Molniya. Launch Site: Plesetsk. Launch Complex: LC43/3. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz. FAILURE: Fourth stage failure. Mass: 1,600 kg (3,500 lb). Perigee: 243 km (150 mi). Apogee: 461 km (286 mi). Inclination: 62.80 deg. Period: 91.60 min.
  Failed Molniya.

• 1976 December 2 - Molniya 2-16 - Program: Molniya. Launch Site: Plesetsk. Launch Complex: -. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz. Mass: 1,600 kg (3,500 lb). Perigee: 85 km (52 mi). Apogee: 36,437 km (22,640 mi). Inclination: 62.00 deg. Period: 641.50 min.
  Continued operation of the long-range telephone and telegraph radio-communication system within the Soviet Union and transmission of USSR central television programmes to stations in the Orbita and participating international networks (international cooperation scheme).

• 1977 February 11 - Molniya 2-17 - Program: Molniya. Launch Site: Plesetsk. Launch Complex: -. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz. Mass: 1,600 kg (3,500 lb). Perigee: 2,176 km (1,352 mi). Apogee: 38,214 km (23,745 mi). Inclination: 63.30 deg. Period: 718.50 min.
  Continued operation of the long-range telephone and telegraph radio-communication system within the Soviet Union and transmission of USSR central television programmes to stations in the Orbita and participating international networks (international cooperation scheme).

• 2005 June 21 - Molniya 3K - Launch Site: Plesetsk. Launch Complex: LC16/2. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz. FAILURE: Failure - Third stage propulsion. Mass: 1,750 kg (3,850 lb).
  Delayed from May 25