Program: Tselina
Russian SIGINT program started in October 1967. It is composed of
several generations
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
|
|
|
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
|
|
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
|
|
|
|
|
|
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: