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Elektro
Elektro
Elektro
Russian earth weather satellite. Elektro was to be the geostationary component of a third generation Soviet meteorological system. Following extended development, it flew only once, in 1994. Meteorology satellite built by NPP VNIIEM, Russia. Launched 1994.

AKA: 11F652;GOMS. Status: Operational 1994. First Launch: 1994-10-31. Last Launch: 1994-10-31. Number: 1 . Gross mass: 2,580 kg (5,680 lb).

The troubled spacecraft could not be put into use, and the whole project was finally cancelled.

On 16 December 1972 the VPK Military-Industrial Commission ordered development of a third generation meteorological system. This used the Planeta-S sensor package in the non-co-orbital Meteor-3 system plus the geostationary system Elektro, which was to begin tests in 1982. The draft project for the Planeta-S was completed in 1979, followed by detailed design in May 1980. A 1981 resolution called for a Planeta unified meteorological system. This was developed at VNIIEM MEP by N N Sheremtyevskiy and Yu V Trifonov. Development of the Elektro component ran into enormous obstacles in the period 1983-1987, with a mock-up not begin completed until 1989. Only then were drawings for a flight article completed. Elektro's numerous delays were due to both equipment and software problems, and the project went through two heads of development (Andronik Iosifiyan and Vladimir Adasko). There was finally only a single launch of Elektro, in 1994. The troubled spacecraft could not be put into use. The whole project was finally cancelled, the official reason being the incompetent head of development at VNIIEM.

In the west Elektro was designated the Geostationary Operational Meteorological Satellite (GOMS) system. Originally publicized for a maiden flight in 1978-1979, GOMS was known to suffer both technical and budgetary problems. The objectives of the program, as stated in 1991, were as follows:

The GOMS network was to consist of three spacecraft spaced 90 degrees apart in the geostationary ring: at 14 degrees W, 76 degrees E, and 166 degrees E. Each 2.6-metric-ton spacecraft would have a payload capacity of 650-900 kg with an estimated operational lifetime of at least three years.

The satellite was 3-axis-stabilised and received a maximum of 1.5 kW (900 W for the payload) produced by two rectangular solar arrays. Twelve communications channels linked the spacecraft to the receiving and processing centers, the independent data receiving center, and the data collection platforms. The main data receiving and processing center was in the Moscow region while two regional centers were located at Tashkent and Khabarovsk.

The Elektro satellite equipment suite for the first mission did not include the planned 6 to 7 micrometer scanning radiometer. The telephotometer was limited to a total of 24 frames per day (each framing session lasts 30 minutes of which 15-20 minutes was imaging time), and only 4-5 frames could be successively taken at the 30 minute per-frame imaging rate. This high frame rate would normally were employed around 0000 and 1200 GMT, in part, to permit the calculation of wind speed and direction data. DCP information was to be collected and transmitted at three-hour intervals each day, i.e., 0300 GMT, 0600 GMT, etc.


More at: Elektro.

Family: Earth, Earth weathersat, Geosynchronous orbit. Country: Russia. Launch Vehicles: Proton, Proton-K/DM-2. Launch Sites: Baikonur, Baikonur LC81/23. Agency: MOM, VNIIEM. Bibliography: 102, 119, 2, 274, 445, 6, 67, 6474, 12313.
Photo Gallery

Elektro 1Elektro 1
Credit: Manufacturer Image



1972 December 16 - .
1994 October 31 - . 14:30 GMT - . Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: Baikonur LC81/23. LV Family: Proton. Launch Vehicle: Proton-K/DM-2.
2015 December 11 - . 13:45 GMT - . Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: Baikonur LC45/1. LV Family: Zenit. Launch Vehicle: Zenit-3SLBF.

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