View source for Engineering:Luch (satellite)

{{short description|Russian data relay system}}
{{Infobox spacecraft class
| name                 = Luch 
| image                = Спутник Ретранслятор Луч в музее связи, СПБ 001.jpg
| image_size           = 
| image_alt            = 
| image_caption        = ''Luch'' 15 (Altair 15L) in the A.S. Popov Central Museum of Communications in Saint Petersburg, Russia
 
| manufacturer         = NPO-PM
| designer             = 
| country              = Russia
| operator             = 
| applications         = To transmit live TV images, communications and other telemetry

<!--Specifications-->
| spacecraft_type      = Satellite
| spacecraft_bus       = 
| constellation        = 
| design_life          = 
| launch_mass          = 
| dry_mass             = 2.4 metric tons
| payload_capacity     = 
| crew_capacity        = 
| volume               = 
| power                = 1.8 kW
| batteries            = 
| equipment            = 
| orbits               = Geosynchronous

<!--Dimensions-->
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| diameter             = 
| width                = 
| winged               = 
| span                 =

<!----Payloads---->
|capacities            = 
  {{Infobox rocket/payload
  |location            = 
  |kilos               = 
  }}

<!--Production-->
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| orders               = 
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| operational          = 
| retired              = 
| failed               = 
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| first                = 
| last                 = 
| lastretired          =

<!--Engine details-->
| stagedata           = 
{{Infobox rocket/stage
| name                 = 
| engines              = 
| thrust               = 
| SI                   = 
| time                 = 
| fuel                 = 
}}

<!--Related spacecraft-->
| derivedfrom          = 
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| subsatellites        = 
| subsatellite_of      = 
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<!--insignia-->
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<!--Configuration image-->
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| previous             = 
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}}

<!--[[File:Mir-89.png|thumb|A diagram of a ''Luch'' satellite.]]-->

The '''''Luch''''' ({{lang-ru|Луч}}; lit. ''Ray'') Satellite Data Relay Network (SDRN), also referred to as '''''Altair''''' and '''''Gelios''''', is a series of geosynchronous Russian [[Astronomy:Communications satellite|relay satellites]], used to transmit live [[Engineering:Television|TV]] images, communications and other [[Telemetry|telemetry]] from the Soviet/Russian space station ''[[Astronomy:Mir|Mir]]'', the Russian Orbital Segment (ROS) of the [[Astronomy:International Space Station|International Space Station]] and other orbital spacecraft to the [[Astronomy:Earth|Earth]],<ref name="SSSM">{{cite book|author=David Harland|title=The Story of Space Station Mir|publisher=Springer-Verlag New York Inc|date=30 November 2004|location=New York|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sBdUh8WqEfYC&q=the+story+of+space+station+mir|isbn=978-0-387-23011-5}}</ref> in a manner similar to that of the US [[Engineering:Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System|Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System]].

== First generation ==
[[File:Altair SR relay satellite.svg|thumb|Conceptual drawing of a Luch geosynchronous satellite, referred to in the West as "''Altair''/SR relay satellite". It was designed for voice and data relay with the Mir space station, in what was called the Satellite Data Relay Network (SDRN).<ref name=mirHER>{{cite web|url=http://ston.jsc.nasa.gov/collections/TRS/_techrep/RP1357.pdf |title=Mir Hardware Heritage |last=Portree |first=David |date=March 1995 |publisher=NASA |access-date=24 August 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090907191412/http://ston.jsc.nasa.gov/collections/TRS/_techrep/RP1357.pdf |archive-date=7 September 2009 }}</ref>]]
The first generation of satellites was created by NPO-PM using the [[Engineering:Satellite bus|satellite platform]] KAUR-4 (its first use) and had the code name "Altair" (index GUKOS - 11F669). The system was conceived as part of the second generation of the Global Satellite Data Relay Network (Глобальная Космическая Командно-Ретрансляционная система (GKKRS)) and was developed by decree of the Soviet Council of Ministers of February 17, 1976 (the other part of this decree authorized the construction of geostationary system "Geyser"). Five satellites have been built on this platform, but only four have been launched: Kosmos 1700, Kosmos 1897, Kosmos 2054 and ''Luch''-1, none of which are currently operational.<ref name="Harvey">{{cite book|last=Harvey|first=Brian|title=The rebirth of the Russian space program: 50 years after Sputnik, new frontiers|publisher=Springer Praxis Books|year=2007|pages=263|isbn=978-0-387-71354-0}}</ref><ref name="ISSRG">{{cite book|author=Gary Kitmacher|title=Reference Guide to the International Space Station| publisher =Apogee Books|location=Canada|year=2006|isbn=978-1-894959-34-6|issn=1496-6921|pages=71–80}}</ref><ref name="GunterLuch">{{cite web |title= Luch (Altair) |url= http://www.skyrocket.de/space/doc_sdat/luch.htm |publisher=Gunter's Space Page |access-date=2011-09-20}}</ref> The fifth satellite has been, due to lack of funds for the launcher, donated to the A.S. Popov Central Museum of Communications in Saint Petersburg, Russia.

=== Platform design ===
Each satellite has a mass of 2.4 metric tons and featured two photovoltaic arrays, providing 1.8&nbsp;kW of power.<ref name="LuchAstronautix">{{cite web|title=Luch|url=http://www.astronautix.com/craft/luch.htm|publisher=Encyclopedia Astronautica|access-date=11 September 2010|author=Mark Wade|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100815082252/http://www.astronautix.com/craft/luch.htm|archive-date=15 August 2010}}</ref> Three large antennas and numerous, small helical antennas permitted data relays in the 15/14, 15/11, and 0.9/0.7&nbsp;GHz bands.<ref name="LuchAstronautix"/>

== Second generation ==
In the second generation of the satellites, code named "Gelios", several improvements had been introduced, but due to lack of funds, only one satellite built on this platform has been launched: ''Luch''-2 1 (Gelios-12L) on September 11, 1995 – it stopped working in 1998.

== Third generation - MKSR Luch Constellation ==
Originally, during 2009, the Russian Federal Space Agency signed a contract with JSC Information Satellite Systems (previously "NPO-PM") for development of a new generation of satellites, ''Luch''-4, ''Luch''-5A and ''Luch''-5B.<ref name=sibirskysputnik-297p4 /><ref name=issreshtev-Luch5 /> It enabled the rebuild of the Luch network and provided the ROS with 45 minutes of coverage per orbit via the ''Lira'' and ''Regul'' communications systems.<ref name=rsw-2011 /> Luch-4 was based on the heavier Ekspress-2000 [[Engineering:Satellite bus|satellite platform]], while the Luch-5A and Luch-5B was based on the lighter Ekspress-1000 and flew with companion satellites on [[Engineering:Proton-M|Proton-M]]/Briz-M.<ref name=gunter-luch4 /><ref name=gunter-luch5a /><ref name=gunter-luch5b /> That plan{{Clarify|reason=What plan?|date=July 2021}} was suspended and the '''MKSR Luch Constellation''' was defined. It replaced the heavier and more expensive Luch-4 and added a twin of the Luch-5A, the ''Luch''-5V.<ref name=gunter-luch5a /> The three orbital position used by this system was 95° east over the [[Earth:Indian Ocean|Indian Ocean]], 16° west, over the [[Earth:Atlantic Ocean|Atlantic Ocean]] and 167° east over the [[Earth:Pacific Ocean|Pacific Ocean]].<ref name=sibirskysputnik-297p4 /> The positions were assigned to the Luch-5V, Luch-5B and Luch-5A respectively.<ref name=satsig-20150529 />

Luch 5A arrived at Baikonur on November 10, 2011, and was launched on December 11, 2011, along [[Engineering:Amos-5|AMOS-5]].<ref name=gunter-luch5a /><ref name=issreshtev-pr20111111 /><ref name=issreshtev-pr20111212 /> Luch 5B went through vacuum thermal testing during May 2012 and was launched on November 3, 2012, along Yamal-300K.<ref name=gunter-luch5b /><ref name=issreshtev-pr20120514 /><ref name=issreshtev-pr20121103 /> Luch 5V was launched on April 28, 2014, along KazSat-3.<ref name=gunter-luch5a /><ref name=issreshtev-pr20140429 />

During 2013 a military communication satellite was identified as both Luch and Olymp, and later named Olymp-K, was manifested to fly on the Proton-M.<ref name=rsw-proton2013 /> It launched successfully on a Proton-M/Briz-M on September 28, 2014. It is known to be based on the [[Engineering:USP (satellite bus)|USP]] platform, to be designed for a 15-year life on [[Astronomy:Geostationary orbit|GEO]], to have a laser communications terminal, to use Hall thrusters and is considered to also have a SIGINT payload.<ref name=rsw-olymp /><ref name=gunter-olimpk />

On the 9 October 2015, spacenews.com reported that in April 2015, Olymp-K had moved within {{convert|10|km|mi}} of the [[Company:Intelsat|Intelsat]] communications spacecraft [[Engineering:Intelsat 901|Intelsat 901]] and the nearby [[Engineering:Intelsat 7|Intelsat 7]],<ref>{{Cite web|date=2015-10-09|title=Russian Satellite Maneuvers, Silence Worry Intelsat|url=https://spacenews.com/russian-satellite-maneuvers-silence-worry-intelsat/|access-date=2021-07-20|website=SpaceNews|language=en-US}}</ref> causing concerns of a safety-of-flight incident. Attempts by Intelsat to contact the Russian satellite's operators were not successful, and no reason for the satellite's movement was given by the Russian government. The move sparked classified meetings within the Department of Defense.

The Luch-4 is speculated to have mutated into the Yenisey A1.<ref name=gunter-olimpk /> It will be mostly a demonstration spacecraft for new technologies, particularly large diameter unfurlable antenna reflectors and use of electric propulsion for orbit raising maneuvers.<ref name=gunter-olimpk />

The new [[Engineering:Progress (spacecraft)#Progress MS|Progress-MS]] and [[Engineering:Soyuz (spacecraft)#Soyuz MS (since 2016)|Soyuz-MS]] will have a Unified Command Telemetry System (UCTS) that will make extensive use of the Luch and [[Astronomy:GLONASS|GLONASS]] networks to have real-time telemetry and control of the spacecraft even when not overflying a ground radio station.<ref name=tsenkinews-20150810 />

== References ==
{{reflist|30em|refs=
<ref name=gunter-luch4>{{cite web |url=http://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/luch-4.htm |title=Yenisey A1 (Luch 4) |last=Krebs |first=Gunter Dirk |date=2015-03-06 |access-date=2015-08-13}}</ref>
<ref name=gunter-luch5a>{{cite web |url=http://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/luch-5a.htm |title=Luch 5A, 5V |last=Krebs |first=Gunter Dirk |date=2015-03-06 |access-date=2015-08-13}}</ref>
<ref name=gunter-luch5b>{{cite web |url=http://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/luch-5b.htm |title=Luch 5B |last=Krebs |first=Gunter Dirk |date=2015-03-06 |access-date=2015-08-13}}</ref>
<ref name=gunter-olimpk>{{cite web |url=http://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/olimp-k.htm |title=Luch (Olimp-K) |last=Krebs |first=Gunter Dirk |date=2015-03-06 |access-date=2015-08-13}}</ref>
<ref name=issreshtev-Luch5>{{cite web |title=Multifunctional space data relay system Loutch  |url=http://www.iss-reshetnev.com/?cid=prj_loutch |publisher=JSC Information Satellite Systems |access-date=2011-09-20}}</ref>
<ref name=issreshtev-pr20111111>{{cite web |url=http://www.iss-reshetnev.com/media/news/news-111111 |title=Loutch-5A delivered to cosmodrome |publisher=JSC Information Satellite Systems |date=2011-11-11 |access-date=2015-08-13}}</ref>
<ref name=issreshtev-pr20111212>{{cite web |url=http://www.iss-reshetnev.com/media/news/news-121211 |title=AMOS-5 and Loutch-5A successfully launched |publisher=JSC Information Satellite Systems |date=2011-12-12 |access-date=2015-08-13}}</ref>
<ref name=issreshtev-pr20120514>{{cite web |url=http://www.iss-reshetnev.com/media/news/news-140512-2 |title=Loutch-5B spacecraft in thermal vacuum tests |publisher=JSC Information Satellite Systems |date=2012-05-14 |access-date=2015-08-13}}</ref>
<ref name=issreshtev-pr20121103>{{cite web |url=http://www.iss-reshetnev.com/media/news/news-031112 |title=Loutch-5B and Yamal-300K successfully launched |publisher=JSC Information Satellite Systems |date=2012-11-03 |access-date=2015-08-13}}</ref>
<ref name=issreshtev-pr20140429>{{cite web |url=http://www.iss-reshetnev.com/media/news/news-290414 |title=Loutch-5V and KazSat-3 successfully put into orbit |publisher=JSC Information Satellite Systems |date=2014-04-29 |access-date=2015-08-13}}</ref>
<ref name=rsw-2011>{{cite web|url=http://www.russianspaceweb.com/2011.html |title=Space exploration in 2011 |last=Zak |first=Anatoly |publisher=RussianSpaceWeb |access-date=12 January 2010 |date=4 January 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100626095747/http://www.russianspaceweb.com/2011.html |archive-date=26 June 2010 }}</ref>
<ref name=rsw-olymp>{{cite web |url=http://www.russianspaceweb.com/olymp.html |title=Proton successfully returns to flight delivering a secret Olymp satellite |last=Zak |first=Anatoly |publisher=RussianSpaceWeb |date=2015-02-23 |access-date=2015-08-13}}</ref>
<ref name=rsw-proton2013>{{cite web |url=http://www.russianspaceweb.com/proton_2013.html#1017 |title=Proton Missions in 2013 |last=Zak |first=Anatoly |publisher=RussianSpaceWeb |date=2014-02-20 |access-date=2015-08-13}}</ref>
<ref name=satsig-20150529>{{cite web |url=http://www.satsig.net/sslist.htm |title=List of Satellites in Geostationary Orbit |last=Johnston |first=Eric |publisher=Satellite Signals |date=2015-05-29 |access-date=2015-08-13}}</ref>
<ref name=sibirskysputnik-297p4>{{cite journal |last1=Roskin |first1=Sergei |title=Развитие системы "Луч" |journal=Sibirsky Sputnik |date=2012-03-15 |volume=9 |issue= 297 |page=4 |url=http://www.iss-reshetnev.ru/media/newspaper/newspaper-2012/newspaper-297.pdf |trans-title=Development of the Luch System |publisher=JSC Information Satellite Systems |language=ru |access-date=2015-08-13}}</ref>
<ref name=tsenkinews-20150810>{{cite web |url=http://www.tsenki.com/en/news/news_tsenki/?ELEMENT_ID=128142 |title=Upgraded Progress Transport Cargo Spacecraft Getting Ready for Launch |publisher=Yuzhny Space Center |date=2015-08-10 |access-date=2015-08-13 |archive-date=2016-03-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304061422/http://www.tsenki.com/en/news/news_tsenki/?ELEMENT_ID=128142 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
}}

{{Mir modules}}
{{Russian space program}}

[[Category:Mir]]

{{Sourceattribution|Luch (satellite)|1}}