Orlets-2 or Yenisey was an improved Orlets-1 film return reconnaissance satellite with 22 small return capsules.
Following evaluation of flight trials in April-May 1977 it was concluded that the Yantar-2K was not capable of providing strategic warning of attack. Therefore three additional variants were developed, one of them the wide-spectrum detail and survey satellite Orlets.
Orlets featured a panoramic camera and drew on features of an existing draft project designated Yantar-6K. The redesigned spacecraft was expandable, with Phase 1 (Orlets-1) being launched by the Soyuz-U2 launch vehicle, equipped with 8 film return capsules and having a design life of 60 days.
Phase 2 (Orlets-2) was launched by the much more powerful Zenit-2 launch vehicle, was equipped with 22 return capsules, and had a 180 day design life. Like the Orlets-1, the main satellite was detonated in orbit at the end of the mission and was not recovered.
Only two Orlets-2 were flown, as it relied on the ukrainian Zenit-2 launch vehicle, which was no longer desirable for Russian military satellites after the break up of the Soviet Union.
Nation: | USSR / Russia |
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Type / Application: | Reconnaissance, photo (film return) |
Operator: | GRU |
Contractors: | |
Equipment: | |
Configuration: | |
Propulsion: | 17D62 |
Power: | |
Lifetime: | 180 days |
Mass: | ~10500 kg |
Orbit: | 203 km × 322 km, 64.81° (#1); 210 km × 335 km, 64.78° (#2) |
Satellite | COSPAR | Date | LS | Launch Vehicle | Remarks | |
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Kosmos 2290 (Orlets-2 #1, Yenisey #1) | 1994-053A | 26.08.1994 | Ba LC-45/1 | Zenit-2 | ||
Kosmos 2372 (Orlets-2 #2, Yenisey #2) | 2000-056A | 25.09.2000 | Ba LC-45/1 | Zenit-2 |