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Pion-NKS (14F139) [KB Arsenal]
The Russian Pion-NKS (14F139) satellites are the naval component of the next generation ELINT satellite system Liana.
As a replacement for both the passive ELINT US-PM and the active radar US-A, they carry both ELINT sensors as well as an active radar.
The Liana system replaces both the Tselina-2 with Lotos satellites and the naval US-PM and US-A with Pion-NKS (14F139) spacecraft.
The first satellite was launched in June 2021. High-resolution images published by German satellite watcher Felix Schöfbänker show, that likely only one of the radar antennas was deployed.
| Nation: | Russia |
|---|---|
| Type / Application: | SIGINT |
| Operator: | |
| Contractors: | TsSKB-Progress (bus), KB Arsenal (payload) |
| Equipment: | |
| Configuration: | Yantar bus |
| Propulsion: | |
| Power: | 2 deployable solar arrays, batteries |
| Lifetime: | |
| Mass: | |
| Orbit: | 447 km × 462 km, 67.13° |
| Satellite | COSPAR | Date | LS | Launch Vehicle | Remarks | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kosmos 2550 (Pion-NKS #1, №901) | 2021-056A | 25.06.2021 | Pl LC-43/4 | Soyuz-2-1b | ||
| Kosmos 26xx (Pion-NKS #2, №902) | - | 202x | Pl | Soyuz-2-1b |
Launch Sites:
- Pl = Plesetsk (NIIP-53, GIK-1, GNIIP), Russia
References:
- Bart Hendrickx: The status of Russias signals intelligence satellites, 5 April 2021
- Felix Schöfbänker on AstroBin: COSMOS 2550 - Pion-NKS (14F139)
Further Liana missions:
