Bars (satellite)
Bars-M ( GRAY index 14F148) is the name of a series of Russian military earth observation satellites .
The satellites equipped with digital cameras are to replace the Jantar 1KFT satellites that were used until 2005 . These were still equipped with film and return capsules and only had a lifespan of 45 days, whereas the Bars-M satellites are said to remain in orbit for up to five years. The newly developed satellite bus comes from RKZ Progress and the payload named Karat comes from Lomo . Karat contains two cameras and a laser rangefinder and can record in seven spectral bands. A resolution of 1.1 to 1.3 m is achieved from a height of about 700 km. The satellites have a size of 4.0 × 2.3 × 2.3 m and a mass of around 4 t. The swath width is 60 or 1300 km, so that each area can be photographed every three days. The first satellite (Kosmos 2503) was launched on February 27, 2015 with a Soyuz-2-1a from the Plesetsk spaceport . The second followed on March 23, 2016. The third satellite is due to be launched in 2018.
The forerunner project Bars (17F112), started in 1991, was delayed due to the turmoil after the end of the Soviet era and was finally discontinued in November 2005.
Start list
This is a full list of Bars satellites launched as of September 2019.
| No. | Surname | Date, time (UTC) | Launcher | Launch site | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cosmos 2503 | February 27, 2015, 11:01 am | Soyuz 2-1A | Plesetsk | success |
| 2 | Cosmos 2515 | March 23, 2016, 9:42 am | Soyuz 2-1A | Plesetsk | success |
Web links
- Bars topographic satellite project in the Russian Space Web
Individual evidence
- ↑ William Graham: Soyuz 2-1A launches second bars-M satellite. NASASpaceflight, March 24, 2016, accessed April 2, 2016 .
- ↑ Alain Chabot: Yantar-1KFT (Kometa). RussianSpaceweb, March 1, 2015, accessed April 2, 2016 .