| Mission type | Communications |
|---|---|
| Operator | VKS |
| COSPAR ID | 2006-061A |
| SATCATno. | 29668 |
| Mission duration | less than 2 years and 5 months |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Manufacturer | ISS Reshetnev |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 24 December 2006, 08:34:44 UTC (2006-12-24UTC08:34:44) |
| Rocket | Soyuz-2.1a/Fregat |
| Launch site | Plesetsk43/4 |
| Entered service | 1 February 2007 |
| End of mission | |
| Disposal | Re-entered |
| Last contact | before May 2009 (2009-06) |
| Decay date | 6 July 2021, 12:20 UTC (2021-07-06UTC12:21) |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric |
| Regime | Molniya |
| Perigee altitude | 2,473 kilometres (1,537 mi) |
| Apogee altitude | 37,882 kilometres (23,539 mi) |
| Inclination | 65 degrees |
| Period | 717 minutes |
| Epoch | 6 July 2014 |
Meridian 1 (Russian:Меридиан-1), also known asMeridian No.11L, was a Russiancommunications satellite. It was the first satellite to be launched as part of theMeridian system to replace the olderMolniya series.
Meridian 1 was the first Russian Government satellite to be launched by aSoyuz-2 rocket. The Soyuz-2.1a configuration was used, along with aFregat upper stage. The launch occurred fromSite 43/4 at thePlesetsk Cosmodrome at 08:34:44 GMT on 24 December 2006.[1]
It was constructed byISS Reshetnev (at the time known as NPO-PM) and was believed to be based on theUragan-Msatellite bus,[2] which has also been used forGLONASSnavigation satellites. It operated in aMolniya orbit with aperigee of 900 kilometres (560 mi), anapogee of 39,000 kilometres (24,000 mi), and 65°inclination.[2]
The satellite entered service on 1 February 2007. By May 2009 it had failed, before the end of its projected lifespan. NPO-PM reported that an impact with a piece of debris had caused the spacecraft to malfunction.[3]
Meridian 1re-entered on 6 July 2021, around 12:20UTC.[4][5]
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