5 Feb 2023: Russia launched a Proton-M from Baikonur carrying its newest environmental-monitoring satellite, Elektro-L #4. The satellite reached geostationary orbit and began maneuvering toward its operating location near 165.8°E, increasing Russia’s active GEO-based environmental-monitoring fleet to three spacecraft. Launch Video.
– Elektro-L is a series of meteorological satellites developed for Roscosmos. They are the first Russian weather satellites to operate in geostationary orbit.
– Each spacecraft has a mass of about 1,620kg and a design life of 10 years. They can image an entire Earth hemisphere in visible and infrared wavelengths for climate monitoring, ocean monitoring and weather forecasting.
– Elektro-L operates together with the polar-orbiting Meteor-M weather-satellite series. The issue notes three active Meteor-M spacecraft on orbit.
– Data is distributed through Russia’s Scientific Research Center of Space Hydrometeorology “Planeta” and the Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring.
– The MSU-GS imaging system provides about 1km-per-pixel resolution in two visible bands and 4km-per-pixel resolution in eight infrared bands. Normal imaging cadence is every 30 minutes, with 10-minute imaging possible during emergencies.
– Elektro-L 2 launched in Dec 2015 and Elektro-L 3 launched in Dec 2019. Russia also planned a fifth Elektro-L mission, likely around 2024.
Proton-M heads to the pad.
Elektro-L 4 prepares for launch.
Elektro-L 4 mission patch.
Elektro-L 2, Elektro-L 3 and Elektro-L 4 positions.
