Meridian 6

Meridian 6 (Russian: Меридиан-6), also known as Meridian No.16L, is a Russian military communications satellite, one of the Meridian series. It is designed to carry military communications traffic and is a replacement for the Molniya satellites. In common with the earlier satellites these craft are in molniya orbits, a highly elliptical orbit named after the earlier satellites and giving good coverage of northern Russia.

Meridian 6
Mission typeCommunication
COSPAR ID2012-063A[1]
SATCAT no.38995[1]
Spacecraft properties
ManufacturerISS Reshetnev[2]
Start of mission
Launch date14 November 2012, 11:42 (2012-11-14UTC11:42Z) UTC
RocketSoyuz 2.1a/Fregat[1][3]
Launch sitePlesetsk 43/4[1][3]
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric
RegimeMolniya
Semi-major axis26,737 kilometres (16,614 mi)[1]
Eccentricity0.7220[1]
Perigee altitude1,006 kilometres (625 mi)[1]
Apogee altitude39,362 kilometres (24,458 mi)[1]
Inclination62.73 degrees[1]
Period718.04 minutes[1]
Epoch29 November 2012
 

Meridian

Meridian satellites are the replacement for older Soviet molniya satellites, and some authors think some functions of the parus satellites.[1][2] It was constructed by ISS Reshetnev and is believed to be based on the Uragan-M satellite bus, which has also been used for GLONASS navigation satellites. The first Meridian satellite was launched in 2006 and two of the six launched so far have failed - Meridian 2 due a problem with the Fregat upper stage and Meridian 5 due to a problem with the third-stage motor.[4]

The satellites are believed to have a pressurised bus and a three axis control system. They are manufactured by PO Polyot on behalf of ISS Reshetnev. They have the GRAU index 14F112.[2][5]

Launch

Meridian was launched on 14 November 2012 from Plesetsk Cosmodrome launchpad 43/4 by a Soyuz-2.1a rocket with a Fregat upper stage. It was launched at 11:42 UTC and the satellite and upper stage separated from the rocket at 11:51 UTC. The satellite was then released from the upper stage into a molniya orbit at 14:00 UTC. It was given the international designator 2012-063A and the United States Space Command assigned it the Satellite Catalog Number 38995.[1][4][5][6]

The launch was attended by newly appointed Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu in his first visit to the troops since being appointed on 6 November 2012.[5][7]

References
  1. "2012-063". zarya.info. 2012. Retrieved 2012-11-25.
  2. "Meridian (14F112)". Gunter's Space Page. 2012. Retrieved 2012-11-25.
  3. Pavel, Podvig (2012-11-14). "Successful launch of Meridian communication satellite". Russian Strategic Nuclear Forces. Retrieved 2012-11-25.
  4. Graham, William (2012-11-14). "Soyuz 2-1A launches latest Meridian satellite for the Russian military". NASAspaceflight.com. Retrieved 2012-11-25.
  5. Zak, Anatoly (2012-11-15). "The Meridian project". Russian Space Web. Archived from the original on 2011-05-26. Retrieved 2012-11-25.
  6. "Soyuz/Fregat launches with next Meridian Satellite". spaceflight101. 2012-11-14. Archived from the original on 2013-02-12. Retrieved 2012-11-25.
  7. Министр обороны России генерал армии Сергей Шойгу совершил первую поездку в войска [Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu made his first visit to the troops] (in Russian). Russian Ministry of Defence. 2012-11-14. Retrieved 2012-11-25.
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