NSSDCA/COSPAR ID: 1970-047A
Meteor 1-5 was the fifth fully operational Russian meteorological satellite and the thirteenth meteorological satellite launched from the Plesetsk site. The satellite was placed in a near-circular, near-polar prograde orbit to provide near-global observations of the earth's weather systems, cloud cover, ice and snow fields, and reflected and emitted radiation from the dayside and nightside of the earth-atmosphere system for operational use by the Soviet Hydrometeorological Service. This was the first satellite of the Meteor series to be placed in a high orbit -- about 240 km higher than most other Meteor launches. Other high-orbit flights were made by Meteor 10, 11, and 12. Meteor 1 was equipped with two vidicon cameras for dayside photography, a scanning high-resolution IR radiometer for dayside and nightside photography, and an actinometric instrument for measuring the earth's radiation field in the visible and infrared regions. The satellite was in the form of a cylinder 5 m long and 1.5 m in diameter with two large solar panels attached to the sides. The solar panels were automatically oriented toward the sun to provide the spacecraft with the maximum amount of solar power. Meteor 1 was oriented toward the earth by a gravity-gradient triaxial stabilization system consisting of flywheels whose kinetic energy was dampened by the use of controlled electromagnets on board that interacted with the magnetic field of the earth. The instruments were housed in the base of the satellite, which pointed toward the earth, while the solar sensors were mounted in the top section. The operational 'Meteor' weather satellite system ideally consists of at least two satellites spaced at 90-deg intervals on longitude so as to observe a given area of the earth approximately every 6 hr. When within communication range, the data acquired by Meteor 5 were transmitted directly to ground receiving centers in Moscow, Novosibirsk, or Vladivostok. Over regions beyond communication range, Meteor 1 recorded the TV and IR pictures and actinometric data and stored them on board until the satellite passed over the receiving centers. The meteorological data received at these centers were processed, reduced, and sent to the Hydrometeorological Center in Moscow where they were analyzed and used to prepare various forecast and analysis products. Some of the TV and IR pictures and analyzed actinometric data were then distributed to various meteorological center around the world. It is believed that the satellite operations terminated in April 1972, when, data transmissions to the United States via the 'cold line' facsimile link with Moscow ceased.
Launch Date: 1970-06-23
Launch Vehicle: Modified SS-6 (Sapwood) with 1st Generation Upper Stage
Launch Site: Plesetsk, U.S.S.R
Mass: 1440 kg
Questions and comments about this spacecraft can be directed to: Coordinated Request and User Support Office
Name | Role | Original Affiliation | |
---|---|---|---|
Project Manager | Soviet Hydrometeorological Service | ||
Project Scientist | Soviet Hydrometeorological Service |