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Pion

Pion

The Pion satellites were small satellites to calibrate ground tracking systems and to measure the atmospheric density.

These satellites were 70 cm spheres with a weight of about 50 kg. They carried a battery powered transmitter. The orbital lifetime was about two months. Six satellites were launched in pairs as piggy-back payloads on three Resurs-F missions.

Nation: USSR
Type / Application: Atmosphere density, calibration
Operator:
Contractors: SKB-1 (Nauka) SGAU
Equipment: Transmitter
Configuration: Sphere
Propulsion: None
Power: Batteries
Lifetime: 2 months
Mass: ~50 kg
Orbit: 256 km × 269 km, 62.81° (#1); 257 km × 268 km, 82.29° (#2); 254 km × 271 km, 82.56° (#3); 254 km × 271 km, 82.56° (#4); 223 km × 233 km, 82.56° (#5); 221 km × 232 km, 82.57° (#6)
Satellite COSPAR Date LS Launch Vehicle Remarks
Pion 1 1989-038C 25.05.1989 Pl LC-43/3 Soyuz-U with Resurs-F 1, Pion 2
Pion 2 1989-038D 25.05.1989 Pl LC-43/3 Soyuz-U with Resurs-F 1, Pion 1
Pion 3 1989-055C 18.07.1989 Pl LC-16/2 Soyuz-U with Resurs-F 3, Pion 4
Pion 4 1989-055D 18.07.1989 Pl LC-16/2 Soyuz-U with Resurs-F 3, Pion 3
Pion 5 (Pion-Germes 1) 1992-056C 19.08.1992 Pl LC-16/2 Soyuz-U with Resurs-F 16, Pion 6
Pion 6 (Pion-Germes 2) 1992-056D 19.08.1992 Pl LC-16/2 Soyuz-U with Resurs-F 16, Pion 5

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