Molniya (satellite)

Molniya
	Molniya 1
Manufacturer	Experimental Design Bureau; (OKB-1)
Country of origin	USSR
Operator	Experimental Design Bureau; (OKB-1)
Applications	Communications and surveillance
Specifications
Bus	KAUR-2
Launch mass	1,600 kg (3,500 lb)
Dimensions	4.4 m tall, 1.4 m base diameter
Power	6 solar panels + batteries
Regime	Molniya orbit
Design life	1.5 to 5 years
Production
Status	Retired
Launched	164
Maiden launch	Molniya 1-1, 23 April 1965
Last launch	Molniya 1-93, 18 February 2004
	Meridian →

The Molniya (Russian: Молния, IPA: [ˈmolnʲɪjə] ^ⓘ, "Lightning") series satellites were military and communications satellites launched by the Soviet Union from 1965 to 2004. These satellites used highly eccentric elliptical orbits known as Molniya orbits, which have a long dwell time over high latitudes. They are suited for communications purposes in polar regions, in the same way that geostationary satellites are used for equatorial regions.^[3]

There were 164 Molniya satellites launched, all in Molniya orbits with the exception of Molniya 1S which was launched into geostationary orbit for testing purposes.^[4]^[5]

^ ^a ^b ^c John Pike (ed.). "Molniya". Global Security.org.
^ ^a ^b "Satellite Catalog". Space-Track.org. SAIC. Retrieved 22 February 2019.
^ Martin, Donald H. (2000). Communication Satellites. AIAA. pp. 215–. ISBN 9781884989094. Retrieved 1 January 2013.
^ Gunter Dirk Krebs. "Molniya-1S". Gunter's Space Page.
^ "Geosynchronous Orbits - Russia and Communications Satellite Systems".

[gss-1] John Pike (ed.). "Molniya". Global Security.org.

[st-2] "Satellite Catalog". Space-Track.org. SAIC. Retrieved 22 February 2019.

[Martin2000-3] Martin, Donald H. (2000). Communication Satellites. AIAA. pp. 215–. ISBN 9781884989094. Retrieved 1 January 2013.

[4] Gunter Dirk Krebs. "Molniya-1S". Gunter's Space Page.

[5] "Geosynchronous Orbits - Russia and Communications Satellite Systems".

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