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Yantar-2K Yantar was the Soviet Union's second series of photo reconnaissance satellites, succeeding the Zenit series in the primary film reconnaissance role. Yantars were identified in the West as 'Fourth Generation Photo Reconnaissance Satellite'. In comparison with the Zenit series, the Yantar was equipped with maneuvering engines to change the spacecraft's orbit, thereby providing more flexibility and surprise in photographing targets of interest. In common with the Zenit it was equipped with a large re-entry capsule which returned the camera and primary electronics for reuse. However it also had two small capsules for return of film before return of the main capsule. The design lifetime of Yantar was 30 days, as opposed to the 12 days of the Zenit. The SpK capsules would typically make interim film deliveries on the tenth and eighteenth days of flight.
  Yantar-3KF Survey reconnaissance satellite system studied in 1969. Not put into production.
Yantar-1KF Survey reconnaissance satellite project worked on by Kozlov from 1967, succeeding Yantar-1. To be launched on Soyuz 11A511M launch vehicle. Yantar- 1KF test-construction work began in 1970, but was cancelled when the decision was taken not to proceed with the necessary launch vehicle. Never went into production. While it used systems from the Yantar-2K, it retained a re-entry vehicle of the Zenit type.
Yantar-1KFT Version of the Yantar photo satellite for topographic mapping on behalf of the Red Army.
  Yantar-6K Extremely high resolution version of Yantar studied in 1969. A draft project was completed in May 1977, but the decision was made to keep the basic Yantar-2K satellite bus instead., and the code name was subsequently applied to the resulting Orlets-1 reconnaissance satellite.
  Yantar-6KS Electro-optical imaging operational high resolution version of Yantar studied in 1969. A draft project was completed in May 1977, but the decision was made to keep the basic Yantar-2K satellite bus instead, resulting in the Yantar-4KS1 reconnaissance satellite.
Yantar-4K1 Flight trials of the Yantar-2K indicated the satellite was not capable of providing strategic warning of attack. A meeting of the Council of Chief Designers at TsSKB in May 1977 reviewed alternative approaches. Three additional variants were to be developed, one of them the high resolution Yantar-4K. The project was to be implemented in two phases: the Yantar-4K1, launched by the existing Soyuz-U launch vehicle, and the Yantar-4K2, to be launched by the new more powerful Zenit launch vehicle.
  Yantar-2K-M Planned upgrade of Yantar-2K. Not put into production.
Yantar-4KS1 The Yantar-2K was not capable of providing strategic warning of attack. Therefore three additional variants were developed, one of them the detailed electro-optical and operational reconnaissance satellite Yantar-4KS. A resolution of the chief designers dated 1 July 1977 began work on the project; this was confirmed by decree # 7-3 of the Soviet Ministers and Communist Party Central Committee dated 4 January 1978. The spacecraft was designed to relay visual and infrared band images via a digital data link to the planned Potok-Luch GKRSS satellite system.
Yantar-4KS2 The Yantar-4KS2 was a heavy military optical reconnaissance satellite, required to have the same capabilities as the KH-11/Crystal reconnaissance satellite of the United States. Cancelled when it proved impossible to provide such capability within the payload capacity of the Zenit-2 booster.
Orlets-2 Orlets-2 was a late-model Soviet photo-reconnaissance satellite, to be launched by the Zenit-2 launch vehicle, equipped with 22 return capsules, and have a 180 day design life. Only one was flown after the breakup of the Soviet Union since the prime contractor was in the Ukraine.
Orlets-1 Orlets-1 was a multi-purpose military reconnaissance satellite, designed for both close-look and survey missions, equipped with a panoramic camera, launched by the Soyuz-U2 launch vehicle, equipped with 8 film return capsules, and having a design life of 60 days
Yantar-4K2 Improved military photo-reconnaissance satellite. Although using the basic Yantar-4K1 bus, the Yantar-4K2 would be launched by the Zenit-2 launch vehicle, allowing the number of precision-landing film return capsules to be increased to 22, and the duration in orbit to be increased to 120 to 180 days.
  Resurs-Spektr As early as 1989 Russian officials indicated that future civil Earth observation satellites could employ digital electronic transmission techniques in real-time or near-real-time (as used on the Yantar 4KS1 military photographic reconnaissance satellite). This capability was to be realized under the civilian Resurs-Spektr program. The Resurs-Spektr V spacecraft was a modified Yantar 4KS1 satellite and reportedly would produce 3-5 m resolution stereo images. Almaz-class phased-array antennas enabled downlinks via geostationary relay satellites. A second Resurs-Spektr variant, Resurs-Spektr R1, with a side-looking radar, was also proposed. Another possible replacement was an imaging variant of the Kuban spacecraft, which was under development for several years for microgravity research. None of these commercial variants of the Yantar satellite went into production in post-Soviet Russia.

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