SOLAR SYSTEM

Detailed explanation-1: -The Soviet Union continued its development of satellite technology with the Molniya series of satellites, which were launched in a highly elliptical orbit to enable them to reach the far northern regions of the country. The first satellite in this series, Molniya 1, was launched on April 23, 1965.

Detailed explanation-2: -As the Proton rocket came out of age at the beginning of the 1970s, its four-stage configuration born in the heat of the Moon Race was given a new job of opening a window for the USSR to the geostationary orbit. In March 1974, the Proton delivered the first Soviet satellite, Molniya-M1S, into the 24-hour orbit.

Detailed explanation-3: -Mission Details The Molniya were Soviet communication satellites operating from an inclined highly elliptical earth orbit of 500 km × 40000 km with 12 hour period for coverage of high northern latitudes.

Detailed explanation-4: -Satellites placed in Molniya orbits have been used for television broadcasting, telecommunications, military communications, relaying, weather monitoring, early warning systems and some classified purposes.

Detailed explanation-5: -Molniya orbits were developed by Russia because using geostationary satellites for communications posed severe problems since so much of the country’s land mass is near or north of 70 degrees in latitude. If apogee occurs over Russia, the satellite “hangs” over Russia for a long period.

Detailed explanation-6: -Molniya Orbit. A highly elliptical orbit with a perigee of 495 km, an apogee of 39.587 km, and an inclination of 63.4 degrees, this orbit has a period of 12 hours. A molniya orbit is used when the needed ground area is above the latitude of that practical for geosynchronous satellites to communicate with.