Success
Yantar-4K2M 1
Government/Top Secret
Russian Space Forces(VKS)Government
Soyuz-U-PVB
LEOorbit
Film-return reconnaisance satellite. Maneuvered on October 1 to a 213 x 330 km orbit. Believed to be an improved Yantar-4K1 with a longer lifetime - and given the code name 'Kobalt' previously applied to the defunct Yantar-4K2 system. When re-entry was commanded after only 107 days in orbit, there was speculation that problems had arisen with the satellite. Sources claimed the satellite had some kind of control problem, which was brought under control, and the two smaller film return capsules were successfully returned.
Friday, September 24, 2004 at 4:50 PM
Mission details
Orbital Attempt
#4,678
VKS Mission
#59
Pad Launch
#123
Location Launch
#1,538
Designator
2004-038
Launch Window
NET
Sep 24, 2004, 4:50 PM
Schedule Changes
1 update
Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russian Federation
Plesetsk Cosmodrome is a Russian spaceport located in Mirny, Arkhangelsk Oblast, about 800 km north of Moscow and approximately 200 km south of Arkhangelsk. Originally developed as an ICBM site for the R-7 missile, it also served for numerous satellite launches using the R-7 and other rockets. Its high latitude makes it useful only for certain types of launches, especially the Molniya orbits, so for much of the site's history it functioned as a secondary location, with most orbital launches taking place from Baikonur, in the Kazakh SSR. With the end of the Soviet Union, Baikonur became a foreign territory, and Kazakhstan charged $115 million usage fees annually. Consequently, Plesetsk has seen considerably more activity since the 2000s.
Timezone
Europe/Moscow
Local Launch Time
Sep 24, 2004, 8:50 PM
Total Launches
1,685
Total Landings
0
Coordinates
62.9256, 40.5778
Soyuz-U-PVB Specs
A Russian orbital launch vehicle. A version of the Soyuz-U with safety modifications to prevent and resist fires in all stages and the upper stage avionics compartment.
Length
51 m
Diameter
3 m
Launch Mass
313 t
LEO Capacity
6,900 kg
Reusable
No
Maiden Flight
1984
Fastest Turnaround
19h 30m
Total Launches
74
Successful
72
Failed
2
Consecutive Success
12
Maiden flight: Mar 21, 1984
Russian Space Forces
The Russian Space Forces are a branch of the Russian Aerospace Forces, that provides aerospace warning, air sovereignty, and protection for Russia. Having been reestablished following August 1, 2015 merger between the Russian Air Force and the Russian Aerospace Defence Forces after a 2011 dissolving of the branch. The Russian Space Forces were originally formed on August 10, 1992 and the creation of the Russian Armed Forces.
Founded
1992
Administrator
Commander: Aleksandr Golovko
Total Launches
156
Successful
148
Failed
8
Pending
1
Consecutive Success
68