NSSDCA/COSPAR ID: 2021-016A
Arktika-M 1 is the first of a new line of satellites designed to provide persistent weather data on Russia’s Arctic, home to economically lucrative natural resources, energy reserves, and an important region for Russian military operations. The Arktika-M satellites are built by NPO Lavochkin, the same Russian company that builds Fregat upper stages.
The Arktika-M 1 satellite is based on the design of Russia’s Elektro-L weather satellites that fly in geostationary orbit over the equator. Weather observatories in geostationary orbit collect imagery 24 hours a day over the same part of the Earth, but they are unable to peer at weather systems over high latitude regions.
Launch Date: 2021-02-28
Launch Vehicle: Soyuz-2.1b
Launch Site: Tyuratam (Baikonur Cosmodrome), Russia
Mass: 2100 kg
Questions and comments about this spacecraft can be directed to: Coordinated Request and User Support Office