MISSION NAME
Kanopus-V No.3 & Kanopus-V No.4 4
Status
Success
DATE
1 FEB 2018
LAUNCH PROVIDER
Russian Federal Space Agency (ROSCOSMOS)
Launch Pad
Cosmodrome Site 1S
Description
Kanopus-V is a series of small remote sensing satellites, dedicated to monitoring manmade and natural emergencies, detecting forest fires and major emissions of atmosphere pollutants. Its other uses are monitoring of agriculture, water and coastal resoures, land use. Each satellite weighs about 500 kg and is placed into sun-synchronous orbit, where it is planned to operate for about 5 years.
Soyuz 2.1a Fregat-M
Rocket Description
The 2.1a version includes conversion from analog to digital flight control system and uprated engines on the booster and the first stage with improved injection systems. The new digital flight control and telemetry systems allow the rocket to launch from a fixed rather than angled launch platform and adjust its heading in flight. A digital control system also enables the launch of larger commercial satellites with wider and longer payload fairings such as the ST-type fairing. These fairings introduce too much aerodynamic instability for the old analog system to handle.