It allows you to extend the life of the device by four times
Rostec has developed a manufacturing technology for a unique non-pressurized thermostat housing for the first Russian radar satellite for Earth sensing, Kondor-FKA. This made it possible to increase the resource of the spacecraft four times compared to pressurized satellites – from 3 to 12 years, according to the press service of the state corporation. “Kondor-FKA” No. 1 was launched into orbit on May 27 and successfully began to work – this is the first Russian civilian radar satellite, it allows you to receive images of the Earth around the clock and in any weather, including in conditions of heavy cloudiness.
The domestic satellite “Condor-FKA” received a leaky case.
At the time of the launch of the spacecraft, it was stated that it was designed taking into account the most advanced world technologies in the space field. Now Rostec has revealed some details about what exactly became the distinguishing feature of Condor-FKA. According to the press service of the state corporation, the sealed body of spacecraft is destroyed over time from collisions with space debris and other factors. As a result, the temperature regime of equipment operation is violated, and the satellite fails.
The Condor-FKA case, manufactured by ONPP Tekhnologiya, protects the equipment from environmental influences and maintains the temperature required for operation in non-hermetic conditions. When creating the case, a technology was used that has no analogues in the world, as stated by Andrey Silkin, General Director of ONPP Tekhnologiya. The case is not airtight, which made it possible to create it in less than three months and increase the service life of the satellite from 3–5 to 10–12 years. In addition, the mass of the satellite was significantly reduced, and its internal volumes were increased by 15%, as noted by Silkin.
