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Russian Space ForcesLaunch SuccessfulGovernment/Top SecretSoyuz-U-PVB
Launched 2004-09-24 16:50 UTC16/2, Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russian Federation
Success
Reached Low Earth Orbit
Worldwide
39th
orbital launch attempt in 2004
Russian Space Forces
1st
launch this year
16/2
2nd
launch from this pad this year
Pad turnaround
219 d 9 h
since the pad's previous launch
Film-return reconnaisance satellite. Maneuvered on October 1 to a 213 x 330 km orbit. Believed to be an improved Yantar-4K1 with a longer lifetime - and given the code name 'Kobalt' previously applied to the defunct Yantar-4K2 system. When re-entry was commanded after only 107 days in orbit, there was speculation that problems had arisen with the satellite. Sources claimed the satellite had some kind of control problem, which was brought under control, and the two smaller film return capsules were successfully returned.
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
Height
51m
Diameter
3m
To low Earth orbit
6,900kg
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