The first Russian satellite for monitoring the Arctic climate – “Arktika-M” – has been tested and put into operation, the press service of “Roskosmos” reported.
“It was decided to complete the test, it was recommended to transfer the Arktika-M system with the Arktika-M No. 1 spacecraft into operation,” the message says. “Arktika-M” No. 1 is the first of two spacecraft “Arktika-M”, alternately replacing each other in the working sections of the orbits. This will provide a continuous round-the-clock overview of the northern territory of Russia and the Arctic region of the Earth as a whole.
“The joint use of information from highly elliptical satellites” Arktika-M “and geostationary” Electro-L “will solve the problem of quasi-continuous receipt of operational hydrometeorological data”, – explained in “Roskosmos”. Satellites “Arktika-M” were created by the Research and Production Association named after S. A. Lavochkina (part of the state corporation “Roscosmos”).
At the end of August, Roskosmos reported that the Soyuz-2.1b launch vehicle with the Fregat upper stage had launched 34 more OneWeb satellites into orbit. This launch became the ninth one within the OneWeb program and the third one from Baikonur. After this launch, the number of OneWeb devices in orbit increased to 288. The contract for the launch of Soyuz rockets with OneWeb satellites was signed in 2015. In total, the OneWeb project provides for the creation of an orbital constellation of 600 satellites. It must provide all inhabitants of the planet with high-speed Internet access.
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