Nord and Tyulpan

The Lavochkin NPO has proposed highly elliptical communications systems under two different names: Nord and Tyulpan. Nord was described in 1992 as a 4-satellite network of 2,300-kg spacecraft launched by the Rus booster. The 3-axis-stabilized spacecraft were to be based on military spacecraft, a short, cylindrical bus with two S-shaped solar arrays. The 600-kg payload was to service both fixed and mobile users and be in orbit by 1994-1995 (Reference 288).

Recently Lavochkin's Tyulpan has been promoted more heavily. Retaining several Nordsystem characteristics, the Tyulpan network would employ 2,400-2,600-kg spacecraft with a different design. The two solar arrays will generate up to 1.5 kW, and ion engines will perform attitude control and orbit maintenance functions. The 670-kg payload will include C-band and Ku-band transponders. Six spacecraft are needed for the Tyulpan network which maximizes the 8-hour visibility of each spacecraft by coordinating the operation of the C-band and Ku-band transponders. The former with steerable antennas can be used at lower altitudes, whereas the Ku-band transponders primarily operate with fixed antennas near apogee (Reference 289)