Program: Tselina

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

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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

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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

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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

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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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