Prognoz programme

This article is about the scientific satellites. For the missile detection spacecraft, see US-KMO.

Prognoz ("Forecast"), also known as SO ("Solar Object," first three satellites), SO-M (SO-modified, next seven satellites), and SO-M2 (last two satellites, also known as Interball), was a Soviet scientific research satellite programme.

Prognoz

Manufacturer	Lavochkin
Country of origin	Soviet Union
Operator	RVSN
Applications	Scientific research
Specifications
Launch mass	920 kilograms (2,030 lb)
Regime	HEO
Production
Status	Retired
Launched	12
Retired	12
Maiden launch	Prognoz 1 14 April 1972
Last launch	Prognoz 12 29 August 1996

Twelve Prognoz satellites were launched between 14 April 1972 and 29 August 1996, all by Molniya-M carrier rockets. The satellites were placed in high Earth orbits. The first ten Prognoz satellites were launched from Site 31/6 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, and the last two from Site 43/3 at the Plesetsk Cosmodrome.^[1][2][3]

The satellites were designed for Solar research; however, the later satellites were used for other areas, including research into the Big Bang theory and Earth's magnetosphere.^[4] The tenth satellite was part of the Interkosmos programme.

Satellites

Designation[5]	Launch date/time (GMT)[6]	Mass[4]	Apogee initial[5]	Perigee initial[5]	Inclination initial[5]	Mission[4][5]	Remarks
Prognoz 1	14 April 1972, 00:54	845 kilograms (1,863 lb)	199,667 kilometres (124,067 mi)	1,005 kilometres (624 mi)	65°	Study Solar activity
Prognoz 2	29 June 1972, 03:47	845 kilograms (1,863 lb)	201,804 kilometres (125,395 mi)	517 kilometres (321 mi)	65.3°	Study Solar activity
Prognoz 3	15 February 1973, 01:11	845 kilograms (1,863 lb)	200,000 kilometres (120,000 mi)	590 kilometres (370 mi)	65°	Study Solar activity
Prognoz 4	22 December 1975, 02:08	905 kilograms (1,995 lb)	199,000 kilometres (124,000 mi)	634 kilometres (394 mi)	65°	Study Solar radiation and Plasma, and Earth's magnetosphere
Prognoz 5	25 November 1976, 03:59	930 kilograms (2,050 lb)	198,560 kilometres (123,380 mi)	777 kilometres (483 mi)	65.2°	Study Solar radiation and Plasma, and Earth's magnetosphere
Prognoz 6	22 September 1977, 00:51	910 kilograms (2,010 lb)	197,867 kilometres (122,949 mi)	488 kilometres (303 mi)	65°	Study Solar radiation and Plasma, and Earth's magnetosphere
Prognoz 7	30 October 1978, 05:23	950 kilograms (2,090 lb)	202,627 kilometres (125,907 mi)	472 kilometres (293 mi)	64.9°	Study Solar radiation and Plasma, and Earth's magnetosphere UV, X-ray and Gamma ray astronomy	Carried Czechoslovak, French, Hungarian and Swedish experiments
Prognoz 8	25 December 1980, 04:02	910 kilograms (2,010 lb)	197,364 kilometres (122,636 mi)	978 kilometres (608 mi)	65.8°	Study Solar radiation and Plasma, and Earth's magnetosphere	Carried Czechoslovak, Polish and Swedish experiments
Prognoz 9	1 July 1983, 12:17	1,060 kilograms (2,340 lb)	700,000 kilometres (430,000 mi)	480 kilometres (300 mi)	65°	Study Solar and cosmic radiation, Solar Plasma, Earth's magnetosphere and Gamma rays	Carried Czechoslovak and French experiments
Prognoz 10 (Intershock)	26 April 1985, 05:48	1,000 kilograms (2,200 lb)	194,734 kilometres (121,002 mi)	5,975 kilometres (3,713 mi)	65°	Study Solar wind and Earth's magnetosphere	Intercosmos 23. Carried Czechoslovak experiments
Prognoz 11 (Interball Tail Probe)	2 August 1995		193,064 kilometres (119,964 mi)	505 kilometres (314 mi)	63.8°	Study Solar wind and Earth's magnetosphere
Prognoz 12 (Interball Auroral Probe)	29 August 1996		19,140 kilometres (11,890 mi)	782 kilometres (486 mi)	62.8°	Study aurora

See also

• Interkosmos