| Mission type | Communications |
|---|---|
| Operator | VKS |
| COSPAR ID | 2006-061A |
| SATCAT no. | 29668 |
| Mission duration | less than 2 years and 5 months |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Manufacturer | ISS Reshetnev |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 24 December 2006, 08:34:44 UTC |
| Rocket | Soyuz-2.1a/Fregat |
| Launch site | Plesetsk 43/4 |
| Entered service | 1 February 2007 |
| End of mission | |
| Disposal | Re-entered |
| Last contact | before May 2009 |
| Decay date | 6 July 2021, 12:20 UTC |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric |
| Regime | Molniya |
| Perigee altitude | 2,473 kilometres (1,537 mi) |
| Apogee altitude | 37,882 kilometres (23,539 mi) |
| Inclination | 65 degrees |
| Period | 717 minutes |
| Epoch | 6 July 2014 |
Meridian 1 (Russian: Меридиан-1), also known as Meridian No.11L, was a Russian communications satellite. It was the first satellite to be launched as part of the Meridian system to replace the older Molniya series.
Meridian 1 was the first Russian Government satellite to be launched by a Soyuz-2 rocket. The Soyuz-2.1a configuration was used, along with a Fregat upper stage. The launch occurred from Site 43/4 at the Plesetsk Cosmodrome at 08:34:44 GMT on 24 December 2006.[1]
It was constructed by ISS Reshetnev (at the time known as NPO-PM) and was believed to be based on the Uragan-M satellite bus,[2] which has also been used for GLONASS navigation satellites. It operated in a Molniya orbit with a perigee of 900 kilometres (560 mi), an apogee of 39,000 kilometres (24,000 mi), and 65° inclination.[2]
The satellite entered service on 1 February 2007. By May 2009 it had failed, before the end of its projected lifespan. NPO-PM reported that an impact with a piece of debris had caused the spacecraft to malfunction.[3]
Meridian 1 re-entered on 6 July 2021, around 12:20 UTC.[4][5]
