MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 26th May, 2023) Russia's new generation Kondor-FKA-M radar satellites will be capable of taking images of the Earth's surface at a resolution of up to half a meter (1.6 feet) in detailed imagery, Alexei Rabochiy, the chief designer at the NPO Mashinostroyenia space and rocket company, has told Sputnik.
"The main and most interesting modernization is the change of radar geometry to an oblique-cutting option and the replacement of the horn radiator with an irradiator with an active antenna-feeder array. Among other things, it fundamentally changed the main characteristics of the radar survey, and the angles of electronic scanning along two planes increased, which makes it possible to achieve up to 0.5-meter resolution in detailed surveying," Rabochiy said.
He added that the space platform's disposable power and radar energy characteristics would also be increased on the new generation spacecraft, which should significantly improve the characteristics of the received radar images.
The Kondor-FKA-M satellite to search for natural resources is expected to be launched into orbit in 2025. NPO Mashinostroyeniya design bureau Director General and Designer General Alexander Leonov has earlier said that the launch dates of the aircraft were unknown due to constant budget sequestration of Russian space corporation Roscosmos, but the development of the satellite continues.
On May 27, the first Kondor-FKA radar satellite will be launched on a Soyuz-2.1a rocket from the Vostochny Cosmodrome. The system will consist of two satellites, with the second one scheduled to be launched in the summer of 2024.
