The Navigator service module

 

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Navigator

General architecture of the Navigator platform. Credit: NPO Lavochkin


Known specifications of Navigator platform (410):

Dry mass of the platform
850-980 kilograms; (757 kilograms*)
Maximum propellant load
540 kilograms; (175 kilograms*)
Maximum payload mass
2,600 kilograms
Propellant components
UDMH
Frequency range of onboard radio system
X
Communications range
200 - 2,000,000 kilometers
Navigation accuracy
2 angular seconds*
Stabilization accuracy
2.5 degrees*
Average stabilization rate
0.36 degrees per second*
Maximum reappointing rate
0.25 degrees per second*
Maximum available power supply for payloads
600 - 1,150 Watts; (500 Watts*)
Onboard power
27 ±1.35 Volts
Operational life span
5 years
Onboard propellant supply
287 kilograms**

*According to "Astrofizecheskiy proejkt Spektr-Rentgen-Gamma, FKP-2015 RF," October 2006;

**for Spektr-R mission


 

At the turn of the 21st century, NPO Lavochkin, a key Russian satellite developer, proposed a standard service module which could serve as a basis for a wide range of missions. It would feature systems designed to work in the vacuum of space and therefore would not need prone to failure pressurized compartments. The platform would also be able to maintain attitude control in space along all three axis with higher accuracy than the previous-generation spacecraft available for Russian scientific and application missions. A total of four reaction wheels would be installed onboard forming a shape of a pyramid to provide redundancy, even though any of the three such devices is enough for the three-axis attitude control.

Dubbed Navigator, the vehicle was adopted for the Elektro-L and Elektro-M meteorological satellites, as well as for the Spektr-R (Radioastron), Spektr-RG (Rentgen), Spektr-UF, Gamma-400, Spektr-M (Millimetron) space observatories and the Arktika remote-sensing, weather and communications satellites. As of 2008, Spektr-R and Gamma-400 missions were expected to use a basic Navigator platform, while Spektr-RG and Spektr-UV telescopes would need some adaptation in case of their launch into the L2 libration points. A version of the platform designated Navigator-M would be used in the Spektr-M project.

As of 2010, NPO Lavochkin was apparently bidding the Navigator platform in government tenders as a base for Arkon-2 and Astrometria missions. (434)

According to NPO Lavochkin, the Navigator platform was designed to work on geostationary, Sun-sunchronous, highly elliptical Earth orbits and even near the so-called Libration or Lagrangian points, essentially in deep space. The satellite based on that platform could be integrated with Soyuz, Zenit or Proton launchers.

An onboard flight control complex, BKU, of the Navigator platform was developed by MOKB Mars.

The Navigator platform was known to include following key systems:

  • Main radio complex;
  • Attitude control system;
  • Power supply system;
  • Thermal control system;
  • Autonomous electronics module;
  • Low-gain telemetry antenna and feed system;
  • High data rate communication radio link;
  • Up-down phase transfer radio link;
  • Solar panel attitude control system;
  • Orbit correction engines.

The propulsion system of the standard Navigator platform included four orbit-correction engines with a thrust of 5 Newtons and eight attitude-control thrusters with a thrust of 0.5 Newtons.

arktika

The general architecture of the Navigator service module for the Arktika-M satellite (left) and the Elektro-L series.


The comparison of the BMSS (Navigator) module on Arktika-M No. 1 and Elektro-L3 and satellites (944):

BMSS for Arktika-M No. 1 satellite
BMSS for Elektro-L satellite
Onboard Flight Control System, BKU
Star tracker 348K
Astro-coordinator SED26
Two SDP-1
KUDM Agat-40S
KIND 34-020-01
BVU-0
BUK-A
BUK 1-1
BU3-A
BU3
BU4-A
BU4
BU5-A
BU5
BU6-A
BU6
BU-7A
BU7
Power supply system, SES
Rechargeable battery, AB, ZONV-70
ZRU-E
USK-E
Two solar panels (GaAs)
One solar panel (GaAs)
Propulsion system
Two tanks
Three tanks
DBS
DBK
Pressurization unit
Spherical tank
Two compensators
Three compensators
Telemetry system
BM ARM
BM
MSS ARM
MSS
Onboard equipment of the command and measurement system
Three SHa1053M
Sha874-10B
Three UM3334-10
LA009
Antenna system, AFS for BAKIS
AFU
AFU
Solar panel orientation system
Two E15
One E15
Two E16
One E16
Autonomous system of navigation, ASN
Autonomous navigation system, SAN
AFU
AFU
BE
ARN
Electrization control system
Six DEP-AD
BE

 

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Page author: Anatoly Zak; Last update: February 28, 2021

Page editor: Alain Chabot; Last edit: January 22, 2011

All rights reserved

 

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Development

Navigator

Navigator bus

The hexagon-shaped Navigator spacecraft bus was expected to serve as the base for a number of Russian science and application missions, such as Elektro-L and Spektr-RG. Credit: IKI


Spektr-RG

Assembly of the Navigator service module for the Spektr-RG mission at NPO Lavochkin. Credit: Roskosmos


vacuum

The Arktika-M1 satellite with the Navigator service module (left) and the Fregat upper stage are being integrated with their payload fairing on Feb. 23, 2021. Click to enlarge. Credit: Roskosmos