Watch the Launch

Kosmos 2573 (Bars-M No. 5?)

Overview

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

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

Note: Payload identity uncertain, possibly Bars-M #5 or a similar satellite as the insertion orbit is similar. 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

Cosmic_Penguin • Dec. 21, 2023, 1:21 p.m.

Launch success.


Cosmic_Penguin • Dec. 21, 2023, 9:29 a.m.

Liftoff confirmed.


Cosmic_Penguin • Dec. 19, 2023, 12:25 a.m.

Added launch per NOTAMs; Payload and launch vehicle identities uncertain.


Soyuz 2.1b

Family:
Configuration:

Soyuz-2 is the 21st-century version of the Russian Soyuz rocket. In its basic form, it is a three-stage carrier rocket for placing payloads into low Earth orbit. The 2.1b version adds an upgraded engine (RD-0124) with improved performance to the second stage.

Specifications
  • Minimum Stage
    2
  • Max Stage
    3
  • Length
    46.3 m
  • Diameter
    2.95 m
  • Fairing Diameter
  • Launch Mass
    312.0 T
  • Thrust
Family
  • Name
    Soyuz 2.1b
  • Family
  • Variant
  • Alias
  • Full Name
    Soyuz 2.1b
Payload Capacity
  • Launch Cost
    $80000000
  • Low Earth Orbit
    8200.0 kg
  • Geostationary Transfer Orbit
    3250.0 kg
  • Direct Geostationary
  • Sun-Synchronous Capacity
    4900.0 kg

Progress Rocket Space Center

Progress Rocket Space Center

(PRSC)

CEO: Dmitry Baranov Founded: 1996 Successes: 44 Failures: 1 Pending: 0

Agency Type:

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

Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russian Federation

43/4 (43R)


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