Roscosmos has published the first images transmitted by the Electro-L No. 5 hydrometeorological satellite shortly after reaching its operational orbit. The device, launched on February 12, 2026, from the Baikonur Cosmodrome, took a position in geostationary orbit approximately 36,000 kilometers from Earth and has already begun regular data transmission.
The initial images, taken with a multi-zone scanning device, clearly show the waters of the Indian Ocean, as well as Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, and Antarctica. North and South America were not captured in the frame due to the satellite's coverage area. The shooting is carried out simultaneously in ten spectral channels: seven operate in the infrared range, invisible to humans, and three in visible light. The resolution of the frames varies from one to four kilometers per pixel.
The onboard equipment, developed by specialists from "Russian Space Systems", is functioning normally and transmitting information without loss.
The received information is sent to the centers of Roshydromet, where it is used to build models of terrestrial and space weather, as well as for the rapid detection of natural emergencies: forest fires, floods, and the consequences of seismic activity.