Molniya (Russian: Молния; IPA: [ˈmolnʲɪjə] ( listen), "Lightning") was a military communications satellite system used by the Soviet Union. The satellites were placed into highly eccentric elliptical orbits known as Molniya orbits, characterised by an inclination of +63.4 degrees and a period of around 12 hours. Such orbits allowed them to remain visible to sites in polar regions for extended periods, unlike geostationary satellites in geosynchronous orbits with a 24-hour orbital period.[1]The Molniya program was authorized by a government decree in late 1960. The first launch took place on June 4, 1964 and ended in failure when the 8K78 booster core stage lost thrust 287 seconds into launch due to a jammed servo motor. The next...
Standard
FedEx 2-Day (4-6 Business Days)
Estimates include printing and processing time.More Shipping Info
We want you to love your order! If for any reason you don't, let us know and we’ll make things right.Learn More
About Lidra