Molniya-1 Russia's first military communications satellite. Built by OKB-1 (#1L-7L); NPO Prikladnoi Mekhaniki (NPO PM) (#8L-35L). Launched 1967 - 1975. Used KAUR-2 bus. |
Jumpseat American military signals intelligence satellite. Jumpseat signals intelligence satellites were launched by Titan 3B or 34B into highly elliptic Molniya-type orbits.Built by Hughes for USAF, USA. Launched 1971 - 1983. Used HS-318 bus. |
Molniya-2 Russian communications satellite. Molniya-2 was the elliptical orbit component of the Soviet YeSSS communications satellite system. Communication satellite built by NPO Prikladnoi Mekhaniki (NPO PM), Russia. Launched 1971 - 1977. Used KAUR-2 bus. |
Oko Russian military early warning satellite. Work on the Soviet Union's first infrared ICBM launch detection satellite began in 1967 as the USK - space system to observe rocket launches. |
Molniya-3 Russian communications satellite. Development of the Molniya-2M communications satellite, later called Molniya-3, began in 1972. Flight trials began in November 1974. Communication satellite built by NPO Prikladnoi Mekhaniki (NPO PM), Russia. Launched 1974 - 2003. Used KAUR-2 bus. |
Molniya-1T Russian military communications satellite. This was a modernized Molniya-1 communications satellite with the 'Beta' retransmitter which began flight tests in 1970. Communication satellite built by NPO Prikladnoi Mekhaniki (NPO PM), Russia. Launched 1983 - 2004. Used KAUR-2 bus. |
SDS American military communications satellite. SDS satellites, put into Molniya-type orbits, provided data relay services for optical reconnaissance and other military spacecraft. Communication satellite built by Hughes for USAF, USA. Launched 1976 - 1987. Used the HS-350 bus bus. |
SDS-2 American military communications satellite. Comsat / Relay satellite built by Hughes for USAF, USA. Launched 1989 - 1996. Used the HS-386 bus. |
Mayak satellite Russian communications satellite. Study 1990. In 1990 the Applied Mechanics NPO announced that it was developing a successor to the Molniya series of spacecraft. |
Nord satellite Russian communications satellite. Study 1992. The Lavochkin NPO proposed the Nord highly elliptical communications systems in 1992. Nord was described as a 4-satellite network of 2,300-kg spacecraft launched by the Rus booster. |
Trumpet American military signals intelligence satellite. 3 launches, 1994.05.03 (USA 103) to 1997.11.08 (USA 136). ELINT satellite built by Boeing for USAF, USA. Launched 1994 - 1997. |
Tyulpan Comsat Russian communications satellite. By 1994 Lavochkin's Tyulpan system was promoted more heavily than its earlier Nord system. |
CAPRICORN American military communications satellite. One launch, 1998.01.29, USA 137. There was no firm information on this classified satellite for the National Reconnaissance Office. |
SDS-3 American military communications satellite, provided data relay services for optical reconnaissance and other military spacecraft. Operational, first launch 2000.12.06. Comsat / Relay, early warning satellite built by for USAF, USA. Launched 1998 - 2014. |
Jumpseat-2 American military signals intelligence satellite. 2 launches, 2006.06.25 (USA 200) to 2008.03.13 (USA 200). |
Meridian Russian new-generation military 12-hour elliptical orbit communications satellite designed to replace the Molniya series. Communication satellite built by ISS Reshetnev (ex NPO Prikladnoi Mekhaniki, NPO PM), Russia. Launched 2006 - 2014. Used 3-Axis stabilized Uragan-M bus. |