Progress Rocket Space CenterMolniya-M 2BL43/4 (43R), Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russian Federation
Molniya-3
Launched
July 20, 2001
Image: Jonathan Space Report
Summary
Molniya-3 launched on a Progress Rocket Space Center Molniya-M 2BL from 43/4 (43R), Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russian Federation on July 20, 2001. It was Progress Rocket Space Center's 35th launch, 1st this year and humanity's 4,482nd orbital launch attempt. It was the 261st Molniya-M 2BL flight and the 1st this year. The payload was bound for Geosynchronous Orbit (GSO). Molniya-3, one of 5 catalogued objects, reached a 410 × 40,842 km orbit inclined 62.8°. 5 objects from this launch are catalogued, one of them a payload.
- Watch
- No webcast on record.
- Vehicle
- Molniya-M 2BL · Progress Rocket Space Center
- Booster
- No booster details on record.
- Mission
- Communications · Geosynchronous Orbit (GSO)
- Milestone
- 261st Molniya-M 2BL flight · 1st this yearProgress Rocket Space Center's 35th launch1st this yearhumanity's 4,482nd orbital launch attempt30th orbital launch attempt this year
Flight preview
Orbit: as tracked
Molniya-3 · NORAD 26867 · 2001-030 · Space-Track · tracking 1 of 5 objects
Show the numbers for orbit elements
- Object
- MOLNIYA 3-51
- Object ID
- 2001-030A
- Epoch
- 2001-07-20 01:31:01 UTC
- Mean motion
- 1.95715188 rev/day
- Eccentricity
- 0.7488148
- Inclination
- 62.8276°
- Ascending node
- 251.955°
- Arg. of perigee
- 280.3744°
- Mean anomaly
- 10.5672°
- Element set
- 999
- Rev at epoch
- 0
- B*
- 0.0001
Perigee, apogee and period are Kepler figures from the catalogued mean elements, not a propagated state. Published orbit: GSO. Ascent drawn from padside's representative profile.
Catalogued objects
5 catalogued: 1 payload, 2 rocket stages, 1 debris, 1 component; none still in orbit
- Molniya-3 · NORAD 26867 · re-entered December 19, 2016
Molniya-M 45-686 Blok-I · re-entered August 12, 2001
Blok-ML 34-497 · re-entered March 17, 2018
Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org
About this launch
The Molniya-3 group of four satellites was used to create the Orbita communications system for northern regions of the Soviet Union. The land segment used a 12 m diameter parabolic antenna, pointed automatically at the satellite using autonomous electromechanical equipment. Although primarily for civilian applications, later versions were part of the Soviet YeSSS Unified Satellite Communications System. Trials of this version began in the 1980's, with the system being accepted by the military in 1983-1985.
Pad
43/4 (43R), Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russian Federation
259th launch from 43/4 (43R), 2nd this year · 1,514th from Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russian Federation
329 launches from this pad · 1,688 from Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russian Federation
51 days after the previous launch from this pad
All launches from Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russian FederationOpen in maps
Questions
When did Molniya-3 launch?
Molniya-3 launched on July 20, 2001. The time is known to the hour, not the minute.
Where can I watch Molniya-3?
No webcast is on record for this launch.
What rocket launched Molniya-3?
Molniya-M 2BL, flown by Progress Rocket Space Center. Molniya-M 2BL spec sheet
Where did Molniya-3 launch from?
43/4 (43R), Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russian Federation.
What orbit did Molniya-3 reach?
Molniya-3, one of 5 catalogued objects, reached a 410 × 40,842 km orbit inclined 62.8°.
How many satellites did Molniya-3 launch?
1 payload from this launch is catalogued, no longer in orbit (Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org).