The Arktika-M hydrometeorological satellite No 2 with an onboard control system developed by the Moscow Experimental Design Bureau Mars (belongs to Rosatom) was launched into a highly elliptical orbit at 17:00 on December 16, 2023. The algorithms embedded into the control system make it possible to set the required operating modes for both the target and support systems onboard the spacecraft, to control its center-of-mass orientation when it moves along its operational orbit and during imaging.
The highly elliptical hydrometeorological spacecraft Arktika-M is now using the weather satellite Arktika-M No. 1 (launched on February 28, 2021) with an onboard control system developed by the Moscow Experimental Design Bureau Mars. Two weather satellites will replace each other in the working sections of highly elliptical orbits in the region of their apogee, thus providing continuous monitoring of the Arctic.
“Russia is currently the only country that has meteorological devices operating with an inclination of about 63 degrees in a highly elliptical orbit. This series spacecraft have a survey site at an altitude of up to 40 thousand km from the Earth, surpassing the GLONASS navigation systems. This gives a unique perspective of the Arctic region, which is unobtainable for any other satellite,” commented Dmitry Dobrynin, Deputy General Designer at Moscow Experimental Design Bureau Mars.
The operation of two spacecraft of the Arktika-M series will increase the accuracy of weather forecasts due round-the-clock monitoring of the Arctic region surface and the Arctic Ocean seas. High-quality multispectral images will allow meteorologists to create products in demand with various consumers: ships navigating along the Northern Sea Route, aviation, the Ministry of Emergency Situations and other departments.
Moscow Experimental Design Bureau Mars is currently developing an on-board control systems intended for the modernized weather satellites of the Arktika-M series (No. 3, 4, 5, 6) and the Elektro-L spacecraft No. 5. Information from highly elliptical satellites of the Arktika-M series and Electro-L geostationary series will make it possible to solve the problems related to quasi-continuous acquisition of operational data for weather forecasts on a global scale.
Background
Moscow Experimental Design Bureau Mars (a company of Rosatom) was founded in June 1955. The main activity of the Bureau is the development and production of on-board systems and control software, as well as individual instruments, electronic units and test equipment for space rocket and aviation products. The Bureau is a unique developer of control systems that at the same time implements projects for both space and aircraft. To diversify its products, since 2019, the Bureau has been creating robotic systems. Another direction is the creation of a range of contactless torque motors used in the development of industrial robots.
Arktika-M are spacecraft of the Russian highly elliptical hydrometeorological space system Arktika-M, developed at S. A. Lavochkin NPO, JSC (a company of Roscosmos). The space system has been operating in Earth orbit since 2021: Arktika-M No. 1 was launched on 28 February 2021. The Soyuz-2.1b rocket with the Fregat upper stage and the Arktika-M hydrometeorological satellite No. 2 was launched from Baikonur at 12:17on December 16
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