Spektr-R

Spektr-R
Спектр-Р
Spektr-R at the integration and test complex of Launch Pad No.31, the Baikonur Space Center in July 2011
NamesRadioAstron
Mission typeRadio telescope
OperatorRussian Astro Space Center
COSPAR ID2011-037A Edit this at Wikidata
SATCAT no.37755
Websitehttp://www.asc.rssi.ru/radioastron/
Mission durationPlanned: 5 years
Achieved: 7 years, 10 months, 11 days
Spacecraft properties
BusNavigator[1]
ManufacturerNPO Lavochkin
Launch mass3,660 kg (8,069 lb)[1]
Payload mass2,500 kg (5,512 lb)[1]
Start of mission
Launch date18 July 2011, 02:31 (2011-07-18UTC02:31) UTC[2]
RocketZenit-3F[3][4]
Launch siteBaikonur Cosmodrome Pad 45/1[2]
ContractorRoscosmos
End of mission
DisposalEquipment failure
Declared30 May 2019
Last contact11 January 2019
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric
RegimeHighly elliptical
Semi-major axis180,974.7 km (112,452 mi)
Eccentricity0.905900
Perigee altitude10,651.6 km (6,619 mi)
Apogee altitude338,541.5 km (210,360 mi)
Inclination42.46°
Period12769.93 min
RAAN67.28°
Argument of perigee244.85°
Mean anomaly3.07°
Mean motion0.1126 rev/day
Epoch24 February 2016, 23:21:29 UTC[5]
Revolution no.197
Main telescope
Diameter10 m (33 ft)[1]
Focal length4.22 m (13.8 ft)[1]
Wavelengths92, 18, 6, 1.3 cm[1]
Spektr program

Spektr-R[6] (part of RadioAstron program) (Russian: Спектр-Р) was a Russian scientific satellite with a 10 m (33 ft) radio telescope on board. It was launched on 18 July 2011[7] on a Zenit-3F launcher from Baikonur Cosmodrome, and was designed to perform research on the structure and dynamics of radio sources within and beyond the Milky Way. Together with some of the largest ground-based radio telescopes, the Spektr-R formed interferometric baselines extending up to 350,000 km (220,000 mi).

On 11 January 2019, the spacecraft stopped responding to ground control, but its science payload was described as "operational". The mission never recovered from the January 2019 incident, and the mission was declared finished (and spacecraft operations ended) on 30 May 2019.

  1. ^ a b c d e f "RadioAstron User Handbook" (PDF). RadioAstron Science and Technical Operations Group. 29 July 2015. Retrieved 1 August 2015.
  2. ^ a b "Запуск российского научного космического аппарата "Спектр-Р" успешно осуществлен с Байконура" [The launch of the Russian scientific spacecraft "Spektr-R" successfully carried out from Baikonur]. Roscosmos. 18 July 2011. Archived from the original on 21 September 2015. Retrieved 1 August 2015.
  3. ^ Clark, Stephen (18 July 2011). "Russian satellite on mission to peer inside black holes". Spaceflight Now. Retrieved 1 August 2015.
  4. ^ Graham, William (8 November 2011). "Russian Zenit-2 launches Fobos-Grunt – Battle on to save mission". NASA Spaceflight. Retrieved 1 August 2015.
  5. ^ "Spektr-R – Orbit". Heavens Above. 19 February 2016. Retrieved 19 February 2016.
  6. ^ Zak, Anatoly. "Spektr-R Radioastron". RussianSpaceWeb. Retrieved 15 August 2011.
  7. ^ Woollacott, Emma (19 July 2011). "Russia launches 'biggest-ever' space telescope". TG Daily. Archived from the original on 15 July 2018. Retrieved 19 July 2011.

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