Luch (satellite)

Short description: Russian data relay system

Luch

Luch 15 (Altair 15L) in the A.S. Popov Central Museum of Communications in Saint Petersburg, Russia

Manufacturer| NPO-PM
Country of origin| Russia
Applications| To transmit live TV images, communications and other telemetry
Specifications
Spacecraft type| Satellite
Dry mass| 2.4 metric tons
Power| 1.8 kW
Regime| Geosynchronous

The Luch (Russian: Луч; lit. Ray) Satellite Data Relay Network (SDRN), also referred to as Altair and Gelios, is a series of geosynchronous Russian relay satellites, used to transmit live TV images, communications and other telemetry from the Soviet/Russian space station Mir, the Russian Orbital Segment (ROS) of the International Space Station and other orbital spacecraft to the Earth,[1] in a manner similar to that of the US Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System.

## Contents

* 1 First generation
* 1.1 Platform design
* 2 Second generation
* 3 Third generation - MKSR Luch Constellation
* 4 References

## First generation

Conceptual drawing of a Luch geosynchronous satellite, referred to in the West as "Altair/SR relay satellite". It was designed for voice and data relay with the Mir space station, in what was called the Satellite Data Relay Network (SDRN).[2]

The first generation of satellites was created by NPO-PM using the satellite platform KAUR-4 (its first use) and had the code name "Altair" (index GUKOS - 11F669). The system was conceived as part of the second generation of the Global Satellite Data Relay Network (Глобальная Космическая Командно-Ретрансляционная система (GKKRS)) and was developed by decree of the Soviet Council of Ministers of February 17, 1976 (the other part of this decree authorized the construction of geostationary system "Geyser"). Five satellites have been built on this platform, but only four have been launched: Kosmos 1700, Kosmos 1897, Kosmos 2054 and Luch-1, none of which are currently operational.[3][4][5] The fifth satellite has been, due to lack of funds for the launcher, donated to the A.S. Popov Central Museum of Communications in Saint Petersburg, Russia.

### Platform design

Each satellite has a mass of 2.4 metric tons and featured two photovoltaic arrays, providing 1.8 kW of power.[6] Three large antennas and numerous, small helical antennas permitted data relays in the 15/14, 15/11, and 0.9/0.7 GHz bands.[6]

## Second generation

In the second generation of the satellites, code named "Gelios", several improvements had been introduced, but due to lack of funds, only one satellite built on this platform has been launched: Luch-2 1 (Gelios-12L) on September 11, 1995 – it stopped working in 1998.

## Third generation - MKSR Luch Constellation

Originally, during 2009, the Russian Federal Space Agency signed a contract with JSC Information Satellite Systems (previously "NPO-PM") for development of a new generation of satellites, Luch-4, Luch-5A and Luch-5B.[7][8] It enabled the rebuild of the Luch network and provided the ROS with 45 minutes of coverage per orbit via the Lira and Regul communications systems.[9] Luch-4 was based on the heavier Ekspress-2000 satellite platform, while the Luch-5A and Luch-5B was based on the lighter Ekspress-1000 and flew with companion satellites on Proton-M/Briz-M.[10][11][12] That plan[clarification needed] was suspended and the MKSR Luch Constellation was defined. It replaced the heavier and more expensive Luch-4 and added a twin of the Luch-5A, the Luch-5V.[11] The three orbital position used by this system was 95° east over the Indian Ocean, 16° west, over the Atlantic Ocean and 167° east over the Pacific Ocean.[7] The positions were assigned to the Luch-5V, Luch-5B and Luch-5A respectively.[13]

Luch 5A arrived at Baikonur on November 10, 2011, and was launched on December 11, 2011, along AMOS-5.[11][14][15] Luch 5B went through vacuum thermal testing during May 2012 and was launched on November 3, 2012, along Yamal-300K.[12][16][17] Luch 5V was launched on April 28, 2014, along KazSat-3.[11][18]

During 2013 a military communication satellite was identified as both Luch and Olymp, and later named Olymp-K, was manifested to fly on the Proton-M.[19] It launched successfully on a Proton-M/Briz-M on September 28, 2014. It is known to be based on the USP platform, to be designed for a 15-year life on GEO, to have a laser communications terminal, to use Hall thrusters and is considered to also have a SIGINT payload.[20][21]

On the 9 October 2015, spacenews.com reported that in April 2015, Olymp-K had moved within 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) of the Intelsat communications spacecraft Intelsat 901 and the nearby Intelsat 7,[22] causing concerns of a safety-of-flight incident. Attempts by Intelsat to contact the Russian satellite's operators were not successful, and no reason for the satellite's movement was given by the Russian government. The move sparked classified meetings within the Department of Defense.

The Luch-4 is speculated to have mutated into the Yenisey A1.[21] It will be mostly a demonstration spacecraft for new technologies, particularly large diameter unfurlable antenna reflectors and use of electric propulsion for orbit raising maneuvers.[21]

The new Progress-MS and Soyuz-MS will have a Unified Command Telemetry System (UCTS) that will make extensive use of the Luch and GLONASS networks to have real-time telemetry and control of the spacecraft even when not overflying a ground radio station.[23]

## References

1. ↑ David Harland (30 November 2004). The Story of Space Station Mir. New York: Springer-Verlag New York Inc. ISBN 978-0-387-23011-5. https://books.google.com/books?id=sBdUh8WqEfYC&q=the+story+of+space+station+mir.
2. ↑ Portree, David (March 1995). "Mir Hardware Heritage". NASA. http://ston.jsc.nasa.gov/collections/TRS/_techrep/RP1357.pdf.
3. ↑ Harvey, Brian (2007). The rebirth of the Russian space program: 50 years after Sputnik, new frontiers. Springer Praxis Books. pp. 263. ISBN 978-0-387-71354-0.
4. ↑ Gary Kitmacher (2006). Reference Guide to the International Space Station. Canada: Apogee Books. pp. 71–80. ISBN 978-1-894959-34-6.
5. ↑ "Luch (Altair)". Gunter's Space Page. http://www.skyrocket.de/space/doc_sdat/luch.htm.
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Mark Wade. "Luch". Encyclopedia Astronautica. http://www.astronautix.com/craft/luch.htm.
7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Roskin, Sergei (2012-03-15). "Развитие системы "Луч"" (in ru). Sibirsky Sputnik (JSC Information Satellite Systems) 9 (297): 4. http://www.iss-reshetnev.ru/media/newspaper/newspaper-2012/newspaper-297.pdf. Retrieved 2015-08-13.
8. ↑ "Multifunctional space data relay system Loutch". JSC Information Satellite Systems. http://www.iss-reshetnev.com/?cid=prj_loutch.
9. ↑ Zak, Anatoly (4 January 2010). "Space exploration in 2011". RussianSpaceWeb. http://www.russianspaceweb.com/2011.html.
10. ↑ Krebs, Gunter Dirk (2015-03-06). "Yenisey A1 (Luch 4)". http://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/luch-4.htm.
11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 Krebs, Gunter Dirk (2015-03-06). "Luch 5A, 5V". http://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/luch-5a.htm.
12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Krebs, Gunter Dirk (2015-03-06). "Luch 5B". http://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/luch-5b.htm.
13. ↑ Johnston, Eric (2015-05-29). "List of Satellites in Geostationary Orbit". Satellite Signals. http://www.satsig.net/sslist.htm.
14. ↑ "Loutch-5A delivered to cosmodrome". JSC Information Satellite Systems. 2011-11-11. http://www.iss-reshetnev.com/media/news/news-111111.
15. ↑ "AMOS-5 and Loutch-5A successfully launched". JSC Information Satellite Systems. 2011-12-12. http://www.iss-reshetnev.com/media/news/news-121211.
16. ↑ "Loutch-5B spacecraft in thermal vacuum tests". JSC Information Satellite Systems. 2012-05-14. http://www.iss-reshetnev.com/media/news/news-140512-2.
17. ↑ "Loutch-5B and Yamal-300K successfully launched". JSC Information Satellite Systems. 2012-11-03. http://www.iss-reshetnev.com/media/news/news-031112.
18. ↑ "Loutch-5V and KazSat-3 successfully put into orbit". JSC Information Satellite Systems. 2014-04-29. http://www.iss-reshetnev.com/media/news/news-290414.
19. ↑ Zak, Anatoly (2014-02-20). "Proton Missions in 2013". RussianSpaceWeb. http://www.russianspaceweb.com/proton_2013.html#1017.
20. ↑ Zak, Anatoly (2015-02-23). "Proton successfully returns to flight delivering a secret Olymp satellite". RussianSpaceWeb. http://www.russianspaceweb.com/olymp.html.
21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 21.2 Krebs, Gunter Dirk (2015-03-06). "Luch (Olimp-K)". http://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/olimp-k.htm.
22. ↑ "Russian Satellite Maneuvers, Silence Worry Intelsat" (in en-US). 2015-10-09. https://spacenews.com/russian-satellite-maneuvers-silence-worry-intelsat/.
23. ↑ "Upgraded Progress Transport Cargo Spacecraft Getting Ready for Launch". Yuzhny Space Center. 2015-08-10. http://www.tsenki.com/en/news/news_tsenki/?ELEMENT_ID=128142.

* v
* t
* e

Mir

Soviet modules|

* Core module
* Kvant-1
* Kvant-2
* Kristall

Russian/American modules|

* Spektr
* Docking module
* Priroda

Other subsystems|

* Lyappa arm
* Strela crane
* APAS-89
* Luch satellites
* Mir Environmental Effects Payload

Visiting spacecraft|

* Soyuz
* Progress (VBK-Raduga)
* Space Shuttle

Other articles|

* Shuttle-Mir programme
* Deorbit of Mir
* MirCorp

Related lists|

* List of human spaceflights to Mir
* List of uncrewed spaceflights to Mir
* List of Mir expeditions
* List of Mir spacewalks
* List of Mir visitors

* v
* t
* e

Soviet and Russian space program

* Roscosmos

Launch sites|

* Baikonur Cosmodrome (in Kazakhstan)
* Dombarovsky
* Kapustin Yar
* Plesetsk Cosmodrome
* Svobodny Cosmodrome (defunct)
* Vostochny Cosmodrome

Launch vehicles|

* Angara
* Proton
* Soyuz

Human spaceflight
programs|

| Past|

* Vostok
* Voskhod
* Salyut
* Almaz (incorporated into Salyut program) / TKS
* Soyuz-Apollo Test Project (joint)
* Mir
* Shuttle–Mir (joint)
* Energia / Buran

|

Cancelled|

* Zond (7K-L1) (Moon flyby)
* Soviet crewed lunar programs (Moon landing)
* Zvezda (moonbase)
* TMK (Mars/Venus flyby)
* Spiral
* Zvezda
* Zarya
* MAKS
* Kliper

Active|

* International Space Station (joint)
* Russian Orbital Segment
* Soyuz

In development|

* Orel

Robotic
programs|

| Past|

* Sputnik
* Sputnik programme (1957–1960)
* DS (1960–1977)
* Prognoz (1972–1996)
* Luna programme (1959–1976)
* Venera (1961–1984)
* Zond program (1964–1970)
* Astron (1983)
* Vega program (1984)
* Granat (1989)
* Gamma (1990)
* Mars 96 (failed) (1996)
* Resurs-DK No.1 (2006)
* Koronas-Foton (2009)
* Fobos-Grunt (failed) (2011)
* Spektr-R (2011–2019)

|

Active|

* Bion-M
* Elektro–L
* ExoMars (joint)
* Meteor-M
* Resurs-P
* Spektr-RG

In development|

* Luna-Glob
* Luna 25
* Luna 26
* Luna 27
* Luna 28
* Rosalind Franklin rover
* Spektr-UV

Communications|

* Luch (satellite)
* Soviet Deep Space Network

Concepts|

* Baikal-Angara
* Laplace-P
* Mars-Grunt
* Mercury-P
* OPSEK
* Spektr-M
* Venera-D

Images and artwork|

* Mission patches

Related|

* Cosmonaut ranks and positions
* Pilot-Cosmonaut of the Russian Federation
* Soviet space exploration history on Soviet stamps
* Cosmonauts Alley
* Monument to the Conquerors of Space
* Memorial Museum of Cosmonautics
* Soviet space dogs
* Laika
* Ivan Ivanovich

* See also: Space industry of Russia
* Russian Aerospace Defence Forces

0.00

(0 votes)

|

Retrieved from "https://handwiki.org/wiki/index.php?title=Engineering:Luch_(satellite)&oldid=778545"
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template