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Zenit - Korolyov's Legacy


Tyneside, UK
2024 Mar 28
Thursday, Day 88

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Foton Missions

Because of a requirement to provide a very stable platform for photo-imaging from orbit, the Zenit satellite provided a good platform for a micro-gravity environment. It was consequently adapted to carry a full micro-gravity science/technolgy payload.

The series was eventually followed by the updated Foton-M.


Cosmos 1645 (Foton № 1)       1985-029A       15645
1985 Apr 16, 17:15 UTC
Plesetsk Cosmodrome
Soyuz-U
1985 Apr 17:   x 390 km,  62.9 deg,  90.6 min
Microgravity research satellite based on the Zenit film imaging satellite (elements of both Zenit-2M and Zenit-4MKT but with cameras replaced by the research payload). The re-entry cabin was recovered.
Landed:
1985 Apr 29, 08:32

Cosmos 1744 (Foton № 2)       1986-036A       16724
1986 May 21, 16:30 UTC
Plesetsk Cosmodrome
Soyuz-U
1986 May 22:   x 374 km,  62.9 deg,  90.5 min
Microgravity research satellite based on the Zenit film imaging satellite (elements of both Zenit-2M and Zenit-4MKT but with cameras replaced by the research payload). The re-entry cabin was recovered.
Landed:
1986 Jun 4, 07:29

Cosmos 1841 (Foton № 3)       1987-037A       17907
1987 Apr 24, 16:59 UTC
Plesetsk Cosmodrome
Soyuz-U
1987 Apr 25:   x 382 km,  62.9 deg,  90.6 min
Microgravity research satellite based on the Zenit film imaging satellite (elements of both Zenit-2M and Zenit-4MKT but with cameras replaced by the research payload). The re-entry cabin was recovered.
Landed:
1987 May 8, 08:14

Photon (Foton № 4)       1988-031A       19043
1988 Apr 14, 17:00 UTC
Plesetsk Cosmodrome
Soyuz-U
1988 Apr 15:   x 376 km,  62.9 deg,  90.5 min
Microgravity research satellite based on the Zenit film imaging satellite (elements of both Zenit-2M and Zenit-4MKT but with cameras replaced by the research payload). The re-entry cabin was recovered.
Landed:
1988 Apr 28, 07:51
VHF Transmit:
231.500 MHz, FM

Photon (Foton № 5)       1989-032A       19941
1989 Apr 26, 17:00 UTC
Plesetsk Cosmodrome
Soyuz-U
1989 Apr 26:   x 387 km,  62.9 deg,  90.6 min
1989 Apr 27:   x 381 km,  62.9 deg,  90.5 min
Microgravity research satellite based on the Zenit film imaging satellite (elements of both Zenit-2M and Zenit-4MKT but with cameras replaced by the research payload). The re-entry cabin was recovered.
Landed:
1989 May 11, 07:54

Photon (Foton № 6)       1990-032A       20566
1990 Apr 11, 17:00 UTC
Plesetsk Cosmodrome
Soyuz-U
1990 Apr 12:   x 377 km,  62.8 deg,  90.5 min
1990 Apr 27:   x 346 km,  62.8 deg,  90.1 min
Microgravity research satellite based on the Zenit film imaging satellite (elements of both Zenit-2M and Zenit-4MKT but with cameras replaced by the research payload). The re-entry cabin was recovered.
Landed:
1990 Apr 27, 07:43

Photon (Foton № 7)       1991-070A       21737
1991 Oct 4, 18:10 UTC
Plesetsk Cosmodrome
Soyuz-U
1991 Oct 04:   x 396 km,  62.9 deg,  90.7 min
Microgravity research satellite based on the Zenit film imaging satellite (elements of both Zenit-2M and Zenit-4MKT but with cameras replaced by the research payload). The re-entry cabin was recovered.
Landed:
1991 Oct 20, 08:09

Photon (Foton № 8)       1992-065A       22173
1992 Oct 8, 19:00 UTC
Plesetsk Cosmodrome
Soyuz-U
1992 Oct 09:   x 360 km,  62.9 deg,  90.4 min
Microgravity research satellite based on the Zenit film imaging satellite (elements of both Zenit-2M and Zenit-4MKT but with cameras replaced by the research payload). The re-entry cabin was recovered.
Landed:
1992 Oct 24, 09:25

Photon (Foton № 9)       1994-033A       23122
1994 Jun 14, 16:05 UTC
Plesetsk Cosmodrome
Soyuz-U
1994 Jun 14:   x 364 km,  62.9 deg,  90.4 min
Microgravity research satellite based on the Zenit film imaging satellite (elements of both Zenit-2M and Zenit-4MKT but with cameras replaced by the research payload). The re-entry cabin was recovered.
Landed:
1994 Jul 2, 05:33

Photon (Foton №10)       1995-006A       23497
1995 Feb 16, 17:39 UTC
Plesetsk Cosmodrome
Soyuz-U
1995 Feb 17:   x 369 km,  62.9 deg,  90.4 min
Microgravity research satellite based on the Zenit film imaging satellite (elements of both Zenit-2M and Zenit-4MKT but with cameras replaced by the research payload). The re-entry cabin was recovered.
Landed:
1995 Mar 3, 08:34

Photon (Foton №11)       1997-060A       25006
1997 Oct 9, 17:59 UTC
Plesetsk Cosmodrome
Soyuz-U
1997 Oct 09:   x 376 km,  62.9 deg,  90.5 min
Microgravity research satellite based on the Zenit film imaging satellite (elements of both Zenit-2M and Zenit-4MKT but with cameras replaced by the research payload). The re-entry cabin was recovered.
Landed:
1997 Oct 23, 08:59
VHF Transmit:
239.500 MHz, FM

Photon (Foton №12)       1999-048A       25902
1999 Sep 9, 18:00 UTC
Plesetsk Cosmodrome
Soyuz-U
1999 Sep 09:   x 377 km,  62.8 deg,  90.5 min
1999 Sep 09:   x 385 km,  62.8 deg,  90.6 min
Microgravity research satellite based on the Zenit film imaging satellite (elements of both Zenit-2M and Zenit-4MKT but with cameras replaced by the research payload). The re-entry cabin was recovered.
Landed:
1999 Sep 24, 09:29


Page date: 2011 September
Descriptions updated 2019 September

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