Molniya-1 2

Overview

Destination: Elliptical Orbit
Mission: Communications

Elliptical Orbit 1/5 Baikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of Kazakhstan

The Molniya were Soviet communication satellites operating from an inclined highly elliptical earth orbit of 500 km × 40000 km with 12 hour period for coverage of high northern latitudes.

Molniya 8K78

Family:
Configuration: 8K78

The Molniya was a modification of the well-known R-7 Semyorka rocket and had four stages. The 8K78 resulted from a crash program by the Korolev Bureau to develop a booster for launching planetary probes. A larger third stage was added along with a fourth stage (Blok L) that was designed to fire in-orbit to send the payload out of LEO. The basic R-7 core was also structurally strengthened and given more powerful engines. A rushed development produced multiple malfunctions of the upper stages, which led to its being replaced by the improved Molniya-M in 1964, but there were enough 8K78s left to continue flying them into 1967.

Specifications
  • Stages
    4
  • Length
    43.44 m
  • Diameter
    3.0 m
  • Fairing Diameter
  • Launch Mass
    305.0 T
  • Thrust
    813.0 kN
Family
  • Name
    Molniya 8K78
  • Family
  • Variant
    8K78
  • Alias
  • Full Name
    Molniya 8K78
Payload Capacity
  • Launch Cost
  • Low Earth Orbit
    1900.0 kg
  • Geostationary Transfer Orbit
  • Direct Geostationary
  • Sun-Synchronous Capacity

Strategic Rocket Forces

Strategic Rocket Forces

(RVSN RF)

Founded: 1959 Successes: 12 Failures: 3 Pending: 0

Agency Type:

The Strategic Rocket Forces of the Russian Federation are a separate-troops branch of the Russian Armed Forces that control Russia's land-based intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs).

WIKI

Baikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of Kazakhstan

1/5


Electron
In Flight
1 hour, 10 minutes ago
The Harvest Goddess Thrives (iQPS Launch 4)
Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B - Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand

Synthetic aperture radar Earth observation satellite for Japanese Earth imaging company iQPS.


Long March 12
Success
18 hours, 59 minutes ago
SatNet LEO Group 07
Commercial LC-2 - Wenchang Space Launch Site, People's Republic of China

A batch of Low Earth Orbit communication satellites for the Chinese state owned SatNet constellation operated by the China Satellite Network Group. …


Falcon 9
Success
21 hours, 22 minutes ago
Starlink Group 10-30
Space Launch Complex 40 - Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

A batch of 28 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


New Shepard
Success
1 day, 16 hours ago
NS-34
West Texas Suborbital Launch Site/ Corn Ranch - Corn Ranch, Van Horn, TX, USA

NS-34 is the 14th crewed flight for the New Shepard program and the 34th in its history.


Falcon 9
Success
3 days, 13 hours ago
Crew-11
Launch Complex 39A - Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA

SpaceX Crew-11 is the eleventh crewed operational flight of a Crew Dragon spacecraft to the International Space Station as part of NASA's Commercial …


Falcon 9
Success
4 days, 10 hours ago
Starlink Group 13-4
Space Launch Complex 4E - Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

A batch of 19 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Kuaizhou
Success
5 days, 3 hours ago
PRSC-S1
Mobile Launcher Pad - Xichang Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

Chinese built Earth observation satellite for Pakistan’s SUPARCO (Space & Upper Atmosphere Research Commission).


GSLV Mk II
Success
5 days, 17 hours ago
NISAR (NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar)
Satish Dhawan Space Centre Second Launch Pad - Satish Dhawan Space Centre, India

The NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar, or NISAR satellite, will use advanced radar imaging to map the elevation of Earth's land and ice masses 4 to …


Long March 8A
Success
5 days, 21 hours ago
SatNet LEO Group 06
Commercial LC-1 - Wenchang Space Launch Site, People's Republic of China

A batch of 9 Low Earth Orbit communication satellites for the Chinese state owned SatNet constellation operated by the China Satellite Network Group.…


Falcon 9
Success
6 days, 1 hour ago
Starlink Group 10-29
Space Launch Complex 40 - Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

A batch of 28 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.