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Russia launched 15-year old ocean surveillance satellite

datafuser
23 Aug 06, 09:09

Last June Russia launched a 15-year old US-PU Legend (or Legenda) ocean surveillance satellite, which failed to activate one of its two solar batteries.

Could this mean all the Russian ocean surveillance satellites currently in the orbit are as old as this Cosmos 2421?

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http://www.kommersant.com/page.asp?id=687139

July 03, 2006
Spying Satellite Fails Mission

Launched to orbit June 25, the Legend satellite of offshore electronic reconnaissance has failed so far to get down to performing the tasks. Of two solar batteries, one didn't open and the satellite lacks power to activate devices of surveillance and target indication.

It was the U.S. Space Command that first reported problems of Russia's US-PU satellite. Though the RF Defense Ministry, Russia's Space Agency (Roskosmos) and Space Forces declined to comment, a source with the General Naval Staff said Saturday that Cosmos-2421 [US-PU got this name after delivery into the orbit] really has problems, which are currently tackled by experts.

The satellite spent past week in maneuvers, attempting to open the second battery. All efforts proved fruitless, the source said, but Arsenal Design Bureau that developed the satellite still hopes to remove trouble.

But the military don't share optimism of producers, the more so that the satellite was made 15 years ago and kept in the stockpile till the launch. Besides, Arsenal has troubles not only with US-PU but also with a new Liana, which is expected to replace Legend.

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Cheers,
Sunho
tankee1981
23 Aug 06, 13:13

Originally posted by datafuser:
Last June Russia launched a 15-year old US-PU Legend (or Legenda) ocean surveillance satellite, which failed to activate one of its two solar batteries.

Could this mean all the Russian ocean surveillance satellites currently in the orbit are as old as this Cosmos 2421?

----------

http://www.kommersant.com/page.asp?id=687139

July 03, 2006
Spying Satellite Fails Mission

Launched to orbit June 25, the Legend satellite of offshore electronic reconnaissance has failed so far to get down to performing the tasks. Of two solar batteries, one didn't open and the satellite lacks power to activate devices of surveillance and target indication.

It was the U.S. Space Command that first reported problems of Russia's US-PU satellite. Though the RF Defense Ministry, Russia's Space Agency (Roskosmos) and Space Forces declined to comment, a source with the General Naval Staff said Saturday that Cosmos-2421 [US-PU got this name after delivery into the orbit] really has problems, which are currently tackled by experts.

The satellite spent past week in maneuvers, attempting to open the second battery. All efforts proved fruitless, the source said, but Arsenal Design Bureau that developed the satellite still hopes to remove trouble.

But the military don't share optimism of producers, the more so that the satellite was made 15 years ago and kept in the stockpile till the launch. Besides, Arsenal has troubles not only with US-PU but also with a new Liana, which is expected to replace Legend.

----------

Cheers,
Sunho
This is puzzling, is it purely to do with the lack of funds that they kept this satellite for so long before launch or is it that they have reserve satellites for use under certain situations.

The Soviets are known to stockpile on old obsolete equipment and weapons for use in times of war. To them old is better than no weapons at all.

If the reason is lack of funding then the launch of such an old satellite may not be economical because the launch itself is costly and the 15 year old satellite most probably won't be working at its maximum potential.