The Day America Pioneered Polar Orbits
Sixty-six years ago, a Thor-Agena rocket thundered into the California sky carrying Discoverer 1, the first satellite attempt at polar orbit and the secret vanguard of Americas space reconnaissance program
GONETS-M 11 (40552)
COSPAR: 2015-020A | Alt Name: Gonets-M No. 21L
Image
Additional Sources
Launch Details
Launch Date
March 31, 2015
Launch Site
PLMSC
Launch Pad
LC133/3
Launch Vehicle
Rokot
Orbital Elements
NORAD ID
40552
International Designator
2015-020A
Epoch
Sat, 04 Jul 2026 07:34:05 GMT
Apogee
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Perigee
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Inclination
82.49°
Right Ascension
20.32°
Eccentricity
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Argument of Perigee
328.32°
Period
115.86 min
Mean Motion
12.43 rev/day
Latitude
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Longitude
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Altitude
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Velocity
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Polar Plot
3D Visualization
Basic Satellite Info
Name
GONETS-M 11
Alternative Name
Gonets-M No. 21L
Type
Payload
Status
Operational
Owner
GONETS
Country
Russia
Constellation
N/A
Related Satellites
Major Events
N/A
Latest TLEs
1 40552U 15020A 26185.31533689 -.00000109 00000-0 -85783-3 0 9990
2 40552 82.4857 20.3163 0015774 328.3214 31.6915 12.42877670510863
Source: Celestrak
Summary
The GONETS-M 11 satellite, also known as Gonets-M No. 21L (G003), was launched on March 31, 2015, from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome Launch Pad LC133/3 using a Rokot launch vehicle. It has dimensions of 1.6 meters in length and 0.8 meters in diameter with a span of 7 meters. The satellite weighs 225 kilograms at launch and in dry condition, and it is designed for communication and store-dump missions. Its power system consists of two deployable fixed solar arrays, solar cells, and batteries. GONETS-M 11 was manufactured by RESH and operates under the ownership of GONETS. The satellite's shape is cylindrical with antennas and has a radar cross-section (RCS) of 1.6379 square meters. It is expected to have a lifetime of between 5-7 years in orbit.
Physical Characteristics
Length
1.6
Diameter
0.8
Span
7
Dry Mass
225
Launch Mass
225
Shape
Cyl + Ant
Radar Cross Section
1.6379
Visual Magnitude
Unknown
Color
Unknown
Material Composition
Unknown
Technical Details
Payload
Gonets-M No. 21L (G003)
Purpose
Communication, Store-Dump
Mission
Communication, Store-Dump
Manufacturer
RESH
Life Expectancy
5-7 years
Bus
Strela-3M
Configuration
Unknown
Motor
Unknown
Equipment
Unknown
Power System
2 deployable fixed solar arrays, solar cells, batteries
ADCS
Unknown
Transmitter Frequency
Unknown
Map
Next Pass
Azimuth Elevation Time (Local)
Start Azimuth
Max Elevation
Stop Azimuth
Time Until
Pass Duration
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