THE OPERATION OF MOLYNIYA COMMUNICATIONS SATELLITES.

Abstract

The U.S.S.R. has launched to date (October 1969) a total of twelve Molniya communications satellites, together with three objects in similar orbits designated as Cosmos satellites. These are in highly eccentric 12-hour orbits at an inclination of about 65 deg with apogee in the northern hemisphere near the northern apex. Such satellites are subject to resonance effects due to the longitude-dependence of the geopotential in much the same way as are synchronous satellites, and there is a stable configuration in which the apogees occur at particular longitudes relative to the earth. We conclude that the U.S.S.R. eventually established a viable system of communications satellites giving nearly complete 24-hour coverage of the Soviet Union at the end of 1968 with the trio Molniya 1H, 1J and 1K. (Author)

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Nov 01, 1969
Accession Number
AD0702006

Entities

People

  • R. R. Allan

Organizations

  • Royal Aircraft Establishment

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Artificial Satellites
  • Geographic Regions
  • Geopotential
  • Geosynchronous Satellites
  • Grids
  • Hemispheres
  • Longitude
  • Northern Hemisphere
  • Resonance
  • Space Systems
  • Spacecraft
  • Ussr
  • Vehicles

Readers

  • East Asian Political and Security Studies within the Soviet Union
  • Space Exploration and Orbital Mechanics.

Technology Areas

  • Space
  • Space - Orbital Debris
  • Space - Satellites