JSC Satellite system Gonets (part of the State Corporation Roscosmos) congratulates everyone on the 30th anniversary of the launch of the first working prototype of the low-orbit satellite system Gonets.
In the late 80s - early 90s, the idea of creating a satellite communication system based on small low–orbit spacecraft was born in the depths of the NGO Soyuzmedinform. The interest in this direction was due to the search for communication channels for the needs of telemedicine, when there was a need to provide medical services in remote and hard-to-reach regions.
Since 1989, the complex of works on the Gonets project began in the order of conversion based on the existing technical reserves of systems of a similar class. These works were initiated by the General Director of the NGO "Soyuzmedinform" A.A. Kiselev, supported by the head of the NGO of Applied Mechanics M.F. Reshetnev and the NGO of Precision Instruments V.A. Gorkov.
As a result of this work, on July 13, 1992, two spacecraft of the Gonets-D demonstration project were launched, which together with a network of subscriber ground stations made up the first prototype of the Gonets low-orbit satellite communication system.
Space craft Gonets-D
