Russia Successfully Sends Kondor-FKA Radar Satellite into Space
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Vladivostok, Nov 30 (NationPress) Russia has achieved a successful launch of the Soyuz-2.1a rocket from the Vostochny Cosmodrome located in the Far East, early Saturday morning, successfully positioning the Kondor-FKA No. 2 radar satellite into its intended orbit.
Equipped with state-of-the-art radar technology, the Kondor-FKA satellites facilitate all-weather, continuous Earth observation, as reported by Xinhua news agency.
"The second radar satellite, Kondor-FKA, has successfully reached orbit! The launch systems operated flawlessly," stated Russia's space agency Roscosmos in an announcement.
In contrast to optical satellites, the Kondor-FKA series possesses the ability to penetrate cloud cover and function in low-light conditions, rendering them essential for a wide range of applications, including mapping, environmental surveillance, natural resource exploration, and assisting vessels in navigating through ice-covered passages, such as the Northern Sea Route during polar nights.
The Kondor series, developed by the NPO Mashinostroyeniya design bureau, has consistently evolved since its launch. The first two satellites were deployed in 2013 and 2014, with Kondor-FKA No. 1 entering orbit in 2023. Currently, two additional satellites are under construction, with the third Kondor-FKA launch scheduled for 2026.
Each Kondor-FKA satellite has a mass of approximately 1,050 kg and is designed to operate for five years.
