Prognoz (""), also known as SO ("Solar Object," first three satellites), SO-M (SO-modified, next seven satellites), and SO-M2 (last two satellites, also known as Interball), was a Soviet scientific research satellite programme.
History Twelve Prognoz satellites were launched between 14 April 1972 and 29 August 1996, all by Molniya-M carrier rockets. The satellites were placed in high Earth orbits. The first ten Prognoz satellites were launched from Site 31/6 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, and the last two from Site 43/3 at the Plesetsk Cosmodrome.
The satellites were designed for Solar research; however, the later satellites were used for other areas, including research into the Big Bang theory and Earth's magnetosphere.Encyclopedia Astronautica - Prognoz The tenth satellite was part of the Interkosmos programme.
Satellites DesignationLaunch date/time (GMT)Encyclopedia Astronautica - Soyuz MassApogeeinitialPerigeeinitialInclinationinitialMissionRemarksPrognoz 114 April 1972, 00:5465°Study Solar activityPrognoz 229 June 1972, 03:4765.3°Study Solar activityPrognoz 315 February 1973, 01:1165°Study Solar activityPrognoz 422 December 1975, 02:0865°Study Solar radiation and Plasma, and Earth's magnetospherePrognoz 525 November 1976, 03:5965.2°Study Solar radiation and Plasma, and Earth's magnetospherePrognoz 622 September 1977, 00:5165°Study Solar radiation and Plasma, and Earth's magnetospherePrognoz 730 October 1978, 05:2364.9°Study Solar radiation and Plasma, and Earth's magnetosphereUV, X-ray and Gamma ray astronomyCarried Czechoslovak, French, Hungarian and Swedish experimentsPrognoz 825 December 1980, 04:0265.8°Study Solar radiation and Plasma, and Earth's magnetosphereCarried Czechoslovak, Polish and Swedish experimentsPrognoz 91 July 1983, 12:1765°Study Solar and cosmic radiation, Solar Plasma, Earth's magnetosphere and Gamma raysCarried Czechoslovak and French experimentsPrognoz 10(Intershock)26 April 1985, 05:4865°Study Solar wind and Earth's magnetosphereIntercosmos 23. Carried Czechoslovak experimentsPrognoz 11(Interball Tail Probe)2 August 199563.8°Study Solar wind and Earth's magnetospherePrognoz 12(Interball Auroral Probe)29 August 199662.8°Study aurora
See also Interkosmos
References