Elektro-L

Elektro-L

Elektro-L model at CeBIT 2011
Manufacturer	NPO Lavochkin
Country of origin	Russia
Operator	Roskosmos
Applications	Weather
Specifications
Bus	Navigator
Design life	10 years
Launch mass	1,766 kilograms (3,893 lb)
Power	1,700 W
Regime	GEO
Production
Status	In Production
Built	2
Launched	2
Operational	2
First launch	January 20, 2011

Elektro–L (Russian: Электро-Л) is a new-generation series of meteorological satellites developed for the Russian Federal Space Agency by NPO Lavochkin. The first satellite, Elektro-L No.1, was launched on 20 January 2011. It is the first Russian weather satellite that successfully operates in geostationary orbit, and is currently the second operational Russian weather satellite. The satellites have a mass of about 1620 kg and are designed to operate for 10 years each. They are capable of producing images of the Earth's whole hemisphere in both visible and infrared frequencies, providing data for climate change and ocean monitoring in addition to their primary weather forecasting role.

Elektro–L was developed by the company NPO Lavochkin and financed from the Russian Federal Space Program 2006-2015. The satellites will be operated by and provide data for Roscosmos, Scientific Research Center of Space Hydrometeorology "Planeta" and for the Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring of Russia (Roshydromet). Elektro–L's predecessor was the Elektro 1 satellite which was launched in 1994. Like Elektro–L, it was also designed to operate in geostationary orbit, but never became fully operational.

Along with the earlier Meteor-M series, Elekto–L satellites are part of Russia's aim to restore its weather satellite network. Before the launch of Elektro–L No.1, Russia had only one operational weather satellite in orbit: Meteor-M No.1, operating in an 830-km circular sun-synchronous orbit. Due to lack of satellites, Russia is forced to use meteorological data provided by American and European weather agencies. Aerospace journalist Anatoly Zak wrote that the launch of the first Elektro–L satellite marked the "re-emergence of Russia's space industry after two decades of economic turmoil", as the spacecraft and its standardised Navigator platform were both conceived and developed after the disintegration of the Soviet Union.