On Thursday, December 25, a Soyuz-2.1a carrier rocket with a secret satellite on board was launched from the Plesetsk military cosmodrome in the Arkhangelsk region. The publication "Technosphere Russia," citing foreign sources, reported that an all-weather X-band Earth remote sensing spacecraft, "Obzor-R," may have entered orbit.
The satellite weighs about 4 tons and is equipped with a radar with an active phased array antenna (AESA). The launch of the satellite had been delayed for a long time for various reasons. The spacecraft can be used for tasks of various Russian departments, both силовых and civilian.
The press service of Roscosmos noted the day before that the spacecraft was taken over by ground-based facilities of the Aerospace Forces (VKS) of Russia, which indicates its military purpose.
Stable telemetry communication has been established and is maintained with the spacecraft, and its onboard systems are functioning normally.
According to preliminary data, "Obzor-R" can operate in orbit with an average distance of 654 km from Earth with an inclination of about 98 degrees for at least 5 years and have a total active lifespan of at least 8 years.
The high-detail radar "Kasatka-R" with a synthesized X-band aperture used on the device uses digital beamforming technology for more flexible and efficient observation of the Earth's surface, allowing to achieve a resolution of 0.5-0.3 m.