MOSCOW. Nov 29 (Interfax-AVN) - The launch of an Elektro-L hydro-meteorological satellite into space has been postponed until fall 2020, a source in the Russian aerospace industry told Interfax.
"The launch of the third Elektro-L [satellite] has been postponed until fall 2020," it said.
This is not the first adjustment of the satellite's launch plans: earlier, the Elektro-L's mission was rescheduled from 2017 to 2018. A 1.354-billion-ruble contract for preparing and launching a Proton-M launch vehicle with a DM upper stage to put the satellite into orbit is now being finalized. The work will be done by the Center for Operation of Space Ground-Based Infrastructure (TsENKI).
Elektro-L No. 2 was launched in December 2015 and is currently in orbit. Contact with Elektro-L No. 1 was lost in October 2016. It had operated for five years.
The satellites provide the Russian Hydrometeorological Research Center and other agencies with information for forecasting weather in the region and around the world, analyzing flight conditions, monitoring the climate, monitoring emergency situations, and retransmitting signals from Cospas-Sarsat buoys, according to the Central Research Institute of Machine-Building (TsNIImash).