Kanopus

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Kanopus
Image of Kanopus-V
Mission typeEarth observation
OperatorRoscosmos
Mission duration5 years
Spacecraft properties
ManufacturerNPP VNIIEM
Launch mass473 kg (1,043 lb)
Start of mission
Launch date22 July 2012 (Kanopus-V №1 & BKA)
05 December 2015 (Kanopus-ST №1/Kosmos 2511)
14 July 2017 (Kanopus-V IK №1)
01 February 2018 (Kanopus-V №3 & 4)
27 December 2018 (Kanopus-V №5 & 6)
RocketSoyuz-FG/Fregat
Soyuz-2.1v/Volga
Soyuz-2.1a/Fregat-M
Launch siteBaikonur,Site 31/6
Plesetsk, Site 43/4
Vostochny, Site 1S
ContractorRoscosmos
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric orbit
RegimeSun-synchronous orbit

Kanopus also known as Canopus, is a series of Russian Earth Observation satellite developed and operated by Roscosmos, primarily through the Research and Production Corporation VNIIEM. The program is designed for real-time monitoring of natural and man-made disasters, environmental changes, agriculture, cartography, and resource management. The Kanopus satellites operate in Sun-synchronous orbits at approximately 500–510 km altitude, offering high-resolution imaging and frequent revisits. The program emphasizes cost-effective, modular designs using the Kanopus bus platform, with contributions from international partners such as Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL) of the United Kingdom for avionics and software.[1]

History

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The Kanopus program was initiated in the early 2000s to enhance Russia's domestic Earth observation capabilities. The initial design for Kanopus-V (Canopus-B) was proposed by 2008, with a planned mass of 350 kg, which increased to 473 kg by 2011 due to design refinements. Payload capacity was adjusted from 150 kg to 108 kg, power output from 350 W to 300 W, and the operational lifespan reduced from 7 to 5 years. The satellites were configured for a Sun-synchronous orbit at 510–540 km with a 97.4–97.5° inclination to optimize illumination.

Development faced delays due to a 2007 agreement with Belarus to co-develop the BKA satellite, a near-identical copy of Kanopus-V, as a replacement for Belarus's lost BelKA spacecraft. This led to a joint launch in 2012. The program has since expanded to include infrared-capable variants and proposals for radar (Kanopus-R) and cartography (Kanopus-K) models, though some, like Kanopus-VM, were canceled before 2019. As of 2025, the Kanopus constellation supports Russian federal agencies for applications such as forest fire detection, earthquake prediction, and coastal monitoring.[2]

Variants

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The Kanopus family of satellites have many variants for several applications:

Kanopus-V

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The baseline model, designed for high-resolution panchromatic and multispectral Earth observation. It features a 2.1 m resolution panchromatic camera (20 km swath) and a 10.5 m resolution multispectral camera (41 km swath). Applications include disaster monitoring, urban planning, and agriculture.[3][4]

Kanopus-V-IK is the infrared-capable variant modified from Kanopus-V №2 satellite, equipped for thermal imaging. It can detect fire sources as small as 5x5 m over a 2,000 km area.[5][6]

BKA is the Belarusian variant, nearly identical to Kanopus-V, It is developed under a Russia-Belarus agreement. It is operated by Belarus for national Earth observation purposes.[7]

Kanopus-ST

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Kanopus-ST is an experimental military variant launched in 2015 on a Soyuz-2.1v rocket for submarine tracking and defense-related tests. Details remain limited due to its classified nature.[8]

Kanopus-VO

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Next-generation models with expanded coverage (up to 100 km swath) and improved infrared sensors, planned for enhanced disaster response by 2025–2026.

Other concepts, such as Kanopus-D (detailed observation) and Zond-PP (related platform), have been tested as secondary payloads.[9]

Launch history

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Name SATCAT Launch date (UTC) Launch vehicle Orbital apsis Inclination Period (min) Status
Kanopus-V №1[10] 22 July 2012 Soyuz-FG/Fregat Operational
BKA №1 Operational
Kanopus-ST (Kosmos 2511)[11][12] 05 December 2015
14:08 		Soyuz-2.1v/Volga Failed to Separate
Kanopus-V-IK (Kanopus-V №2)[13][14] 14 July 2017 Soyuz-2.1a/Fregat Operational
Kanopus-V №3[15][16] 01 February 2018 Soyuz-2.1a/Fregat-M Operational
Kanopus-V №4 Operational
Kanopus-V №5[17][18] 27 December 2018 Operational
Kanopus-V №6 Operational
Kanopus-V №7 2025 Planned
Kanopus-V №8 Planned

See also

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Reference

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  1. ^ "Kanopus satellite". www.russianspaceweb.com. Retrieved 13 September 2025.
  2. ^ "Kanopus satellite". www.russianspaceweb.com. Retrieved 13 September 2025.
  3. ^ "Kanopus-V 1, 2". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 13 September 2025.
  4. ^ "WMO OSCAR | Details for Satellite Programme: KANOPUS-V". space.oscar.wmo.int. Retrieved 13 September 2025.
  5. ^ "Kanopus-V-IK 1". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 13 September 2025.
  6. ^ "Kanopus-V-IK – Spaceflight Now". Retrieved 13 September 2025.
  7. ^ "BKA 1, 2 (BelKa 2)". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 13 September 2025.
  8. ^ "Kanopus-ST 1". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 13 September 2025.
  9. ^ "Kanopus satellite". www.russianspaceweb.com. Retrieved 13 September 2025.
  10. ^ "Soyuz FG/Fregat | Kanopuss-V n°01, Zond-PP & Others". nextspaceflight.com. Retrieved 13 September 2025.
  11. ^ "Soyuz 2.1v/Volga | Cosmos 2511 and 2512". nextspaceflight.com. Retrieved 13 September 2025.
  12. ^ "Kanopus-ST". russianspaceweb.com. Retrieved 13 September 2025.
  13. ^ "Soyuz 2.1a/Fregat | Kanopus-V IK & Others". nextspaceflight.com. Retrieved 13 September 2025.
  14. ^ "Soyuz to orbit space-age Tower of Babel". www.russianspaceweb.com. Retrieved 13 September 2025.
  15. ^ "Soyuz 2.1a/Fregat-M | Kanopus-V 3-4 & Rideshares". nextspaceflight.com. Retrieved 13 September 2025.
  16. ^ "Soyuz-2-1a rocket to launch a pair of Kanopus-V satellites, nine secondary payloads". www.russianspaceweb.com. Retrieved 13 September 2025.
  17. ^ "Soyuz 2.1a/Fregat | Kanopus-V No. 5-6 & Rideshares". nextspaceflight.com. Retrieved 13 September 2025.
  18. ^ "Soyuz rocket launches a 28-satellite cluster". www.russianspaceweb.com. Retrieved 13 September 2025.
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Generic references:

Spaceflight portal