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Russian Space ForcesLaunch SuccessfulGovernment/Top SecretSoyuz 2.1a · Bars-M No. 4
Launched 2023-03-23 06:40:11 UTC43/3 (43L), Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russian Federation
Success
Reached Sun-Synchronous Orbit
Worldwide
45th
orbital launch attempt in 2023
Russian Space Forces
1st
launch this year
43/3 (43L)
1st
launch from this pad this year
Pad turnaround
114 d 15 h
since the pad's previous launch
Note: Payload identity uncertain.
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.

The Russian Space Forces are a branch of the Russian Aerospace Forces, that provides aerospace warning, air sovereignty, and protection for Russia. Having been reestablished following August 1, 2015 merger between the Russian Air Force and the Russian Aerospace Defence Forces after a 2011 dissolving of the branch. The Russian Space Forces were originally formed on August 10, 1992 and the creation of the Russian Armed Forces.
Launches
158
Successful
150
95%
Upcoming
0
scheduled
·
Launch success.
Cosmic_Penguin
·
Liftoff confirmed.
Cosmic_Penguin
·
Added launch per NOTAMs; replaced previous entry erroneously identifying this as for Soyuz-2.1v. Launch vehicle and payload identities uncertain.
Cosmic_Penguin
Height
46.3m
Diameter
3m
To low Earth orbit
7,020kg
Liftoff thrust
4,149kN
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