Mayak

In 1990 the Applied Mechanics NPO announced that it was developing a successor to the Molniya series of spacecraft. The latest design for the Mayak spacecraft closely resembles the Arcos GEO spacecraft, with which it will form the Marathon communications system. The total on-orbit mass will be 2,500-3,000 kg which includes a payload mass of 580 kg. Mayak will support both L-band and C-band communications and will be compatible with INMARSAT standards. Four spacecraft will comprise the Mayak system and the design lifetime for each vehicle will be twice that of Molniya: 5-7 years. The first launch of a Mayak spacecraft by the new Rus launch vehicle will not come until 1997 or later, five years after the original schedule (References 262 and 287).