Kosmos 2556 (Bars-M No. 3)

Overview

Destination: Sun-Synchronous Orbit
Mission: Government/Top Secret

Sun-Synchronous Orbit 43/4 (43R) Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russian Federation

Bars-M is the second incarnation of the Bars project, which was started in the mid 1990ies to develop a successor for the Komtea class of area surveillance satellites. The original Bars project was halted in the early 2000s. In 2007, TsSKB-Progress was contracted for Bars-M, for which reportedly the Yantar-based service module was replaced by a new developed advanced service module. The Bars-M satellites feature an electro-optical camera system called Karat, which is developed and built by the Leningrad Optical Mechanical Association (LOMO), and a dual laser altimeter instrument to deliver topographic imagery, stereo images, altimeter data and high-resolution images with a ground resolution around 1 meter.

Updates

Nosu • May 19, 2022, 8:27 a.m.

Launch success confirmed


Nosu • May 19, 2022, 8:13 a.m.

Liftoff


Cosmic_Penguin • May 16, 2022, 11:29 p.m.

Updated launch date and time per NOTAMs.


Soyuz 2.1a

Family: Soyuz
Configuration:

The Soyuz 2.1A converted the flight control system from analog to digital, which allowed launch from fixed platforms. It also allowed big fairings and payloads. It is currently used for crewed Soyuz and Progress flights to the ISS.

Specifications
  • Minimum Stage
    2
  • Max Stage
    3
  • Length
    46.3 m
  • Diameter
    2.95 m
  • Fairing Diameter
  • Launch Mass
    312 T
  • Thrust
    4149 kN
Family
  • Name
    Soyuz 2.1a
  • Family
    Soyuz
  • Variant
  • Alias
  • Full Name
    Soyuz 2.1a
Payload Capacity
  • Launch Cost
    $80000000
  • Low Earth Orbit
    7020 kg
  • Geostationary Transfer Orbit
    2810 kg
  • Direct Geostationary
  • Sun-Synchronous Capacity
    4230 kg

Progress Rocket Space Center

Circle Image
Dmitry Baranov Founded: 1996 Successes: 44 Failures: 1 Pending: 0

Agency Type: Commercial

Progress Rocket Space Centre, formerly known as TsSKB-Progress, is a space science and aerospace research company which is known for manufacturing launch vehicles and satellites. Most notably, Progress Rocket Space Centre is the manufacturer of Soyuz launch vehicles.

INFO WIKI

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