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EORSAT

Since 1974, a separate, highly specialized ELINT Ocean Reconnaissance Satellite (EORSAT) system has been operated by the USSR and then the Russian Federation. The objectives of the EORSAT system are to detect, identify, and track Western shipping, particularly naval task forces which might threaten the CIS or are engaged in a conflict elsewhere in the world. More importantly, EORSATs are designed to provide direct tactical support to CIS forces in the form of weapons targeting data via the near-realtime transmission of its intelligence information (References 67, 71-73). Such data can be beamed directly to CIS ships equipped with Punch Bowl antennas carrying or sent to Moscow for relay via Molniya and Raduga satellites to Russian or CIS vessels carrying Big Ball communications antennas (References 74-76).

Since naval vessels may be in transit at high speeds, several sightings in a short period of time are desired to determine location, heading, and speed. To accomplish this the EORSAT constellation normally consists of multiple satellites in two orbital planes. A complete EORSAT constellation might consist of six satellites with three satellites evenly spaced in each of two orbital planes separated by approximately 145 degrees. This arrangement ensures a flurry of over-flights for specific regions, increasing the probability of detection and the accuracy of position and movement data. EORSATs are believed to be capable of estimating naval positions to within two kilometers (Reference 66).

The current operational orbit for EORSATs is 404 km by 417 km at an inclination of 65 degrees. This altitude regime is rigidly maintained ±1km) with frequent orbital maneuvers as are therelative spacings of EORSATs to adhere to a strict groundtrack pattern which repeats every three days (46 revolutions). All operational EORSATs possess the same set of 46 ascending nodes and are primarily phased in time. Aeometric analysis suggests that this phasing is linked to the field-of-view of the satellites for their selected altitude (Reference 77).

Like the global ELINTs, EORSATs are subservient to the GRU, although they are operated by the Department for Satellite Intelligence of the Naval Intelligence Directorate of the Main Navy Staff, Naval Headquarters. The organization responsible for EORSATs is the Kometa Central Scientific Production Association, headed by General Director and General Designer Academician Anatoli I. Savin. Major construction activity is performed at the Arsenal enterprise in St. Petersburg. The Kometa TsNPO is also known to be responsible for the sister Radar Ocean Reconnaissance Satellite (RORSAT), which operated during 1970-1988, as well as other high value tactical and strategic space systems.

The EORSAT is a 3,000 kg spacecraft prinipally comprised of a 1.3 m diameter, 17.0 m long cylindrical bus and two large solar arrays. From documents and information released by the Arsenal Design Bureau under its Konversia (conversion) program, the EORSAT bus contains a primary injection engine (the Tsyklon-2 launch vehicle inserts the EORSAT into a 120 km by 415 km transfer orbit from which the spacecraft maneuvers into its circular operational orbit) of 300-600 kg thrust. Four 10 kg-thrust attitude control engines are also carried. All propulsion systems employ UDMH and N₂0₄ stored in eight 60-liter tanks. A special communications antenna on top of the vehicle is designed for realtime or near-realtime operations via a geosynchronous relay satellite (presumably Geyser for the EORSAT network). The primary EORSAT payload antenna is apparently configured in the form of an "X" (like the civilian Okean spacecraft) and is carried on the Earth-facing side of the bus (References 78 and 79).

By the beginning of 1993, 37 EORSAT spacecraft had been launched with a maximum reference orbit lifetime of more than 700 days. EORSATs were characterized by numerous fragmentation events (apparent explosions) during the 1975-1987 period, but current practices dictate a series of perigee-lowering, propellant-depletion burns at the end-of-life. Since this procedure was implemented, all EORSAT fragmentations (involving 16 spacecraft) have ceased.

From a temporary high of six operational EORSATs in late 1990, the EORSAT constellation steadily declined during 1991-1992 (which witnessed only one replenishment launch in January 1991) to a single spacecraft by the beginning of 1993. On 4 March 1993 the last EORSAT spacecraft performed an end-of-life maneuver, terminating all EORSAT activities for the first time since 1983 after setting a record mission duration of 775 days.

This apparent abandonment of the program was short-lived when Kosmos 2238 was launched on 30 March 1993. A month later Kosmos 2244 joined its predecessor and was in turn followed by Kosmos 2258 in early July. All three spacecraft were coplanar and were evenly spaced about their plane at 120 degree intervals to ensure a common set of precise groundtracks. The final mission of 1993, Kosmos 2264, occurred in September and inaugurated a new orbital plane 145 degrees to the west of the established plane.

The EORSAT network remained unchanged for a full year until Kosmos 2238 was retired on 21 September 1994. A little more than six weeks later, Kosmos 2293 was launched into the same plane as Kosmos 2264, creating a new constellation of two spacecraft in each of two orbital planes. No further changes to the constellation were undertaken through the end of 1994.

63. D. Ball and R. Windrem, Soviet Signals Intelligence (SIGINT): Organization and Management, Reference Paper No. 168, Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, The Australian National University, Canberra, September 1989.

64. D. Ball, Soviet Signals Intelligence (SIGINT), Canberra Papers on Strategy and Defence No. 47, Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, The Australian National University, Canberra, 1989.

65. C. Andrew and O. Gordievsky, KGB, The Inside Story, Harper Collins, Publisher, 1990, p. 609.

66. J. Anderson, MAO Audits Soviet Spy Satellites", Washington Post, 11 February 1985, p. C12.

67. 1989 Joint Military Net Assessment, Joint Chiefs of Staff, US Government, 1989, pp. 11-12.

68. Pravda Ukrainy, 10 April 1993, p.1.

69. Krasnaya Zvezda, 30 July 1991, p. 4.

70. G.M. Chernyavskiy, et al, "The Recent Fragmentations of LEO Upper Stages", Paper IAA-94-IAA.6.5.696, 45th Congress of the International Astronautical Federation, October 1994.

71. Soviet Military Power 1985, Department of Defense, US Government Printing Office, April, 1985, p. 53.

72. Soviet Military Power 1988, Department of Defense, US Government Printing Office, April, 1988, p. 63.

73. G. C. Wilson, "Antisatellite Effort Needed, Senate Is Told", Washington Post, 24 April 1987.

74. R. S. Cooper, Director, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, in testimony before a Subcommittee of the Committee on Appropriations, US House of Representatives, 23 March 1983.

75. J. Bussert, "Wartime Needs Give Direction to Soviet C³1 Technology", Defense Electronics, May 1985, p.155.

76. "Analysis of Changes to the Baku", Jane's Defense Weekly, 6 August 1988, p. 225.

77. N. L. Johnson, The Soviet Year in Space 1990, Teledyne Brown Engineering, 1991, p. 90.

78. Novosti Kosmonavtiki, 25 September - 8 October 1993, pp. 31-32.

79. Segodnya, 7 February 1995, p. 3.

80. Use of Nuclear Power Sources in Outer Space, Report A/AC.105/C.1/WG.5/L.24/Add.2, Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, General Assembly, United Nations, 26 February 1990.

81. Nazarenko, , A.I., et al, "Analysis of Fragmentation Situation in the Neighborhood of Russian Satellites with Nuclear Power Sources", Orbital Debris Monitor, July 1995.

Sources and Resources

• Adapted from: Europe and Asia in Space 1993-1994, Nicholas Johnson and David Rodvold [Kaman Sciences / Air Force Phillips Laboratory]

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