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Program: Tselina


Russian SIGINT program started in October 1967. It is composed of several generations

1st generation


From 1967 to march 1982 40 satellites of the first generation were launched from Plesetsk onboard Cosmos rockets. The network was composed of 4 satellites on 45° distant planes.

Specifications overview:
Prime contractor  
Platform  
Mass 900 kg
Dimension 2 m high x 1 m diameter
Perigee/Apogee circular orbit, 500-550 km
Inclination 74°
Orbital cycle 15 revolutions = 1 day
Design lifetime  

Satellites:
Cosmos 0189 Cosmos 0200 Cosmos 0250 Cosmos 0269 Cosmos 0315 Cosmos 0330
Cosmos 0358 Cosmos 0387 Cosmos 0395 Cosmos 0425 Cosmos 0436 Cosmos 0437
Cosmos 0460 Cosmos 0479 Cosmos 0500 Cosmos 0536 Cosmos 0544 Cosmos 0549
Cosmos 0582 Cosmos 0610 Cosmos 0631 Cosmos 0655 Cosmos 0661 Cosmos 0698
Cosmos 0707 Cosmos 0749 Cosmos 0781 Cosmos 0787 Cosmos 0790 Cosmos 0812
Cosmos 0845 Cosmos 0870 Cosmos 0899 Cosmos 0924 Cosmos 0960 Cosmos 1008
Cosmos 1062 Cosmos 1114 Cosmos 1215 Cosmos 1345    


2nd generation


From Dec 1970 to Feb 1983 35 second generation satellites were launched from Plesetsk by Vostok vehicles. When operational the network was composed of 6 satellites orbiting in 60° apart planes.

Specifications overview:
Prime contractor  
Platform  
Mass 2500 kg
Dimension 5 m high x 1.5 m diameter
Perigee/Apogee circular, 650 km
Inclination 81.2°
Orbital cycle  
Design lifetime  

Rainer Kracht reports a standard magnitude of 5.44 +/- 0.02 for those satellites.

Satellites:
Cosmos 0389 Cosmos 0405 Cosmos 0476 Cosmos 0542 Cosmos 0604 Cosmos 0673
Cosmos 0744 Cosmos 0756 Cosmos 0808 Cosmos 0851 Cosmos 0895 Cosmos 0925
Cosmos 0955 Cosmos 0975 Cosmos 1005 Cosmos 1043 Cosmos 1063 Cosmos 1077
Cosmos 1093 Cosmos 1116 Cosmos 1143 Cosmos 1145 Cosmos 1154 Cosmos 1184
Cosmos 1206 Cosmos 1222 Cosmos 1242 Cosmos 1271 Cosmos 1315 Cosmos 1340
Cosmos 1346 Cosmos 1356 Cosmos 1400 Cosmos 1437 Cosmos 1441  


3rd generation - Tselina D


From Jun 1983 to Apr 1993 37 satellites of the third generation were launched by Cyclone 3 rockets from Plesetsk. When operational the network was composed of 6 satellites orbiting in 60° apart planes.

Specifications overview:
Prime contractor  
Platform  
Mass 2200 kg
Dimension 5 m high x 1.5 m diameter
Perigee/Apogee 635/665 km
Inclination 82.5°
Orbital cycle 44 revolutions = 3 days
Design lifetime  

Those satellites are also known as Tselina-D or Ferret D. They could have a beacon at 51.140 and 51.160 MHz. Rainer Kracht reports a standard magnitude of 5.21 +/- 0.04 for those satellites.

Satellites:
Cosmos 1025 Cosmos 1300 Cosmos 1328 Cosmos 1378 Cosmos 1408 Cosmos 1455
Cosmos 1470 Cosmos 1515 Cosmos 1536 Cosmos 1544 Cosmos 1606 Cosmos 1626
Cosmos 1633 Cosmos 1666 Cosmos 1674 Cosmos 1703 Cosmos 1707 Cosmos 1726
Cosmos 1733 Cosmos 1743 Cosmos 1758 Cosmos 1782 Cosmos 1805 Cosmos 1812
Cosmos 1825 Cosmos 1842 Cosmos 1862 Cosmos 1892 Cosmos 1908 Cosmos 1933
Cosmos 1953 Cosmos 1975 Cosmos 2058 Cosmos 2151 Cosmos 2221 Cosmos 2228
Cosmos 2242          


4th generation - Tselina 2


In 1983 a new generation was started named Tselina 2. Those heavy satellites are launched by Zenit 2 vehicles except the 2 first satellites launched on Proton. The satellites are placed on 4 planes spaced 45° apart. The system went operational with Cosmos 2227 in Dec 1992.

Specifications overview:
Prime contractor NPO Yuzhnoye
Platform  
Mass ~9000 kg
Dimension  
Perigee/Apogee 850 km
Inclination 71°
Orbital cycle  
Design lifetime 3 years

Telemetry for those satellites could be around 166 MHz

Satellites:
Cosmos 1603 Cosmos 1656 Cosmos 1697 Cosmos 1714 Cosmos 1833 Cosmos 1844
Cosmos 1943 Cosmos 1980 Cosmos 2082 Cosmos 2219 Cosmos 2227 Cosmos 2237
Cosmos 2263 Cosmos 2278 Cosmos 2297 Cosmos 2322 Cosmos 2333 Cosmos 2360
Cosmos 2369 Cosmos 2406 Cosmos 2428      


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