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Tsikada
Article Number: 11F643. Class: Navigation. Destination: Medium Earth Orbit. Nation: Russia. Agency: MO SSSR. Manufacturer: Reshetnev.

Tsikada was a complementary civilian version of the Parus military naval navigation satellite system for the Soviet Merchant Marine and Academy of Sciences. Development began once flight test of Parus began in 1974, and deployment of the operational Tsikada system began in 1978.

Development of this second generation Soviet navigation satellite system represented a collaboration between the Navy, Academy of Sciences, and Ministry of Shipping. The basis was the Parus / Tsiklon-B Doppler navigation system, but allowing asynchronous operation of on-board equipment with only essential equipment receiving a timer interrupt.

Development began in 1974 with most preliminary work already accomplished under the military Parus program. Prime contractor was KBPM/Reshetnev. PO Polyot, A S Klinyshkov Chief Designer, provided synchronization equipment. NII Radiopribor under N Ye Ivanov provided cryptography and spacecraft navigation systems. Flight trials began in 1976 from Plesetsk under Admiral A I Rassokho. The launch of Kosmos 1000 on 31 March 1978 marked the beginning of deployment of the operational system. The system was accepted for military service in 1979 by the Soviet Army and VMF.

The operational satellite constellation consisted of a minimum of four operational satellites, each deployed in one of four planes, spaced 45 degrees apart. Typical lifetime was 18 to 24 months.

The signals were supplemented for military users by the very similar military Tsiklon-B/Parus system, which was in six planes 30 degrees apart. The satellites transmitted Doppler-shifted VHF transmissions at around 150 and 400 MHz of their position and orbital characteristics.

The satellite could be launched one per Kosmos-3M or four per Tsyklon-3 booster. The Tsikada system provided global navigation for both the Soviet Navy and commercial shipping.

Typical orbit: 965 km x 1009 km at 83 degrees inclination. Mass: 820 kg (1,800 lb). Electrical System: Solar cells on exterior. Electric System: 0.20 average kW.

Tsikada Chronology
  • 1976 December 15 - Cosmos 883 - Launch Site: Plesetsk. Launch Complex: LC132/1. Launch Vehicle: Kosmos 3. Mass: 810 kg (1,780 lb). Perigee: 955 km (593 mi). Apogee: 1,005 km (624 mi). Inclination: 83.00 deg. Period: 104.70 min.
    Civilian naval navigation satellite.

  • 1977 July 8 - Cosmos 926 - Launch Site: Plesetsk. Launch Complex: LC132/1. Launch Vehicle: Kosmos 3. Mass: 810 kg (1,780 lb). Perigee: 969 km (602 mi). Apogee: 1,016 km (631 mi). Inclination: 82.90 deg. Period: 105.00 min.
    Civilian naval navigation satellite.

  • 1978 March 31 - Cosmos 1000 - Launch Site: Plesetsk. Launch Complex: LC132/1. Launch Vehicle: Kosmos 3. Mass: 810 kg (1,780 lb). Perigee: 955 km (593 mi). Apogee: 1,008 km (626 mi). Inclination: 82.90 deg. Period: 104.70 min.
    Civilian naval navigation satellite. Completion of work on a space navigation system designed to permit determination of the position of Soviet naval and fishing vessels.

  • 1979 April 11 - Cosmos 1092 - Launch Site: Plesetsk. Launch Complex: LC132/1. Launch Vehicle: Kosmos 3. Mass: 810 kg (1,780 lb). Perigee: 959 km (595 mi). Apogee: 1,005 km (624 mi). Inclination: 83.00 deg. Period: 104.70 min.
    Civilian naval navigation satellite.

  • 1980 March 17 - Cosmos 1168 - Launch Site: Plesetsk. Launch Complex: LC132/1. Launch Vehicle: Kosmos 3. Mass: 810 kg (1,780 lb). Perigee: 958 km (595 mi). Apogee: 1,009 km (626 mi). Inclination: 83.00 deg. Period: 104.80 min.
    Civilian naval navigation satellite.

  • 1980 December 10 - Cosmos 1226 - Launch Site: Plesetsk. Launch Complex: LC132/1. Launch Vehicle: Kosmos 3. Mass: 680 kg (1,490 lb). Perigee: 960 km (590 mi). Apogee: 1,009 km (626 mi). Inclination: 82.90 deg. Period: 104.80 min.
    Civilian naval navigation satellite.

  • 1981 September 4 - Cosmos 1304 - Launch Site: Plesetsk. Launch Complex: LC132/1. Launch Vehicle: Kosmos 3. Mass: 810 kg (1,780 lb). Perigee: 906 km (562 mi). Apogee: 972 km (603 mi). Inclination: 82.90 deg. Period: 103.80 min.
    Civilian naval navigation satellite; replaced Cosmos 926.

  • 1982 February 17 - Cosmos 1339 - Launch Site: Plesetsk. Launch Complex: LC132/2. Launch Vehicle: Kosmos 3. Mass: 810 kg (1,780 lb). Perigee: 948 km (589 mi). Apogee: 1,014 km (630 mi). Inclination: 82.90 deg. Period: 104.70 min.
    Civilian naval navigation satellite. Replaced Cosmos 1092.

  • 1983 October 26 - Cosmos 1506 - Launch Site: Plesetsk. Launch Complex: LC132/1. Launch Vehicle: Kosmos 3. Mass: 810 kg (1,780 lb). Perigee: 947 km (588 mi). Apogee: 1,011 km (628 mi). Inclination: 82.90 deg. Period: 104.70 min.
    Civilian naval navigation satellite. Replaced Cosmos 1304.

  • 1984 May 17 - Cosmos 1553 - Launch Site: Plesetsk. Launch Complex: LC132/1. Launch Vehicle: Kosmos 3. Mass: 810 kg (1,780 lb). Perigee: 960 km (590 mi). Apogee: 1,005 km (624 mi). Inclination: 82.90 deg. Period: 104.70 min.
    Civilian naval navigation satellite. Replaced Cosmos 1383.

  • 1985 May 30 - Cosmos 1655 - Launch Site: Plesetsk. Launch Complex: LC132/1. Launch Vehicle: Kosmos 3. Mass: 810 kg (1,780 lb). Perigee: 976 km (606 mi). Apogee: 1,013 km (629 mi). Inclination: 83.00 deg. Period: 105.00 min.
    Civilian naval navigation satellite. Replaced Cosmos 1447.

  • 1986 January 23 - Cosmos 1727 - Launch Site: Plesetsk. Launch Complex: LC132/1. Launch Vehicle: Kosmos 3. Mass: 810 kg (1,780 lb). Perigee: 957 km (594 mi). Apogee: 1,014 km (630 mi). Inclination: 83.00 deg. Period: 104.80 min.
    Civilian naval navigation satellite. Replaced Cosmos 1506.

  • 1986 November 13 - Cosmos 1791 - Launch Site: Plesetsk. Launch Complex: LC132/2. Launch Vehicle: Kosmos 3. Mass: 810 kg (1,780 lb). Perigee: 951 km (590 mi). Apogee: 1,010 km (620 mi). Inclination: 83.00 deg. Period: 104.70 min.
    Replaced Cosmos 1553. Civilian navigation satellite. Positioned in plane 11 of constellation.

  • 1987 January 29 - Cosmos 1816 - Launch Site: Plesetsk. Launch Complex: LC132/2. Launch Vehicle: Kosmos 3. Mass: 810 kg (1,780 lb). Perigee: 960 km (590 mi). Apogee: 1,010 km (620 mi). Inclination: 82.90 deg. Period: 104.80 min.
    Civilian naval navigation satellite.

  • 1987 June 23 - Cosmos 1861 - Launch Site: Plesetsk. Launch Complex: LC132/1. Launch Vehicle: Kosmos 3. Mass: 810 kg (1,780 lb). Perigee: 981 km (609 mi). Apogee: 999 km (620 mi). Inclination: 82.90 deg. Period: 104.90 min.
    Location of vessels in the Soviet merchant marine and shipping fleet anywhere at sea; facilitation of amateur radio communication and conduct of experiments for scientific and educational purposes.

  • 1991 February 5 - Cosmos 2123 - Launch Site: Plesetsk. Launch Complex: LC133/3. Launch Vehicle: Kosmos 3. Mass: 810 kg (1,780 lb). Perigee: 963 km (598 mi). Apogee: 1,005 km (624 mi). Inclination: 82.90 deg. Period: 104.80 min.
    Civilian navigation satellite. Positioned in plane 13 of constellation. Testing of components and equipment of a space navigation system being set up to determine the position of civil aircraft and ships of the USSR merchant marine and fishing fleet at any point on the oceans and seas. Two amateur satellite transponders, RS12 and RS13, were secondary payloads on the Cosmos 2123 navigation satellite. These transponders were developed at the Kaluga Electromechanical Plant under the direction of Aleksander Papkov and were launched aboard several satellites by the USSR during 1978-1991.

  • 1992 March 9 - Cosmos 2181 - Launch Site: Plesetsk. Launch Complex: LC132/1. Launch Vehicle: Kosmos 3. Mass: 825 kg (1,818 lb). Perigee: 972 km (603 mi). Apogee: 1,012 km (628 mi). Inclination: 82.90 deg. Period: 105.00 min.
    Civilian navigation satellite. Positioned in plane 11 of constellation. Tsikada type spacecraft. Determination of the position of ships of the merchant marine and fishing fleet in the world's oceans and seas as part of the Tsikada space navigation system.

  • 1993 January 12 - Cosmos 2230 - Launch Site: Plesetsk. Launch Complex: LC133/3. Launch Vehicle: Kosmos 3. Mass: 825 kg (1,818 lb). Perigee: 969 km (602 mi). Apogee: 1,008 km (626 mi). Inclination: 82.90 deg. Period: 104.90 min.
    Civilian navigation satellite. Positioned in plane 11 of constellation. TSIKADA type spacecraft. Determination of the position of ships of the merchant marine and fishing fleet in the world's oceans and seas as part of the Tsikada space navigation system.

  • 1995 January 24 - Tsikada - Launch Site: Plesetsk. Launch Complex: LC132/1. Launch Vehicle: Kosmos 3. Mass: 825 kg (1,818 lb). Perigee: 964 km (599 mi). Apogee: 1,020 km (630 mi). Inclination: 82.90 deg. Period: 105.00 min.
    Civilian navigation satellite. Positioned in plane 13 of constellation. Maritime navigation. Signals at 150.00 MHz and 400.00 MHz.

  • 1995 July 5 - Cosmos 2315 - Launch Site: Plesetsk. Launch Complex: LC132/1. Launch Vehicle: Kosmos 3. Mass: 825 kg (1,818 lb). Perigee: 970 km (600 mi). Apogee: 1,013 km (629 mi). Inclination: 82.90 deg. Period: 104.90 min.
    Civilian navigation satellite. Positioned in plane 11 of constellation. Signals at 150.,00 MHz and 400.00 MHz.

Bibliography:

  • McDowell, Jonathan, Jonathan's Space Home Page (launch records), Harvard University, 1997-present. Web Address when accessed: http://www.planet4589.org/jsr.html.
  • JPL Mission and Spacecraft Library, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, 1997. Web Address when accessed: http://msl.jpl.nasa.gov/home.html.
  • Voevodin, Sergey A, VSA072 - Space Apparatus, "Sergey A. Voevodin's Reports", Web Address when accessed: http://home.attbi.com/~rusaerog/spacecraft.html.
  • Novosti Kosmonavtiki, "Rossiya. V polyote 'Kosmos-2345'", 1997, Issue 17, page 31.
  • Melnik, T G, Voenno-Kosmicheskiy Siliy, Nauka, Moscow, 1997..
  • Golotyuk, S, Novosti kosmonavtiki, "Sputnikostroiteli s beregov Yeniseya", No. 10, 1999, p. 64.
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