science

Kondor (satellite)

Kondor (satellite) is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Kondor (satellite) rather than just read about it. In short: Kondor, GRAU index 14F133, is a series of Earth imaging or military reconnaissance satellites developed by NPO Mashinostroyeniya for the Russian Aerospace Defence Forces which in 2015 became the Russian Space Forces and export customers. Satellites for the Russian military are designated "Kondor", whilst those for export are designated Kondor-E.

Key takeaways

Kondor (satellite) belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Kondor (satellite) to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Kondor (satellite) from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Kondor, GRAU index 14F133, is a series of Earth imaging or military reconnaissance satellites developed by NPO Mashinostroyeniya for the Russian Aerospace Defence Forces which in 2015 became the Russian Space Forces and export customers. Satellites for the Russian military are designated "Kondor", whilst those for export are designated Kondor-E. Kondor satellites are equipped to carry either synthetic aperture radar or electro-optical imaging payloads, with the first satellite, and are launched using the Strela carrier rocket, developed by NPO Mashinostroyeniya from retired UR-100NUTTKh missiles. A mass simulator named Gruzomaket (aka Kondor-E-GVM, COSPAR 2003-055A ) was launched on 5 December 2003, and almost ten years later, on 27 June 2013, the first spacecraft was launched. Kondor No.202 (aka Kosmos 2487, Kondor 1, COSPAR 2013-032A) was operated by the Russian military, and carried a radar imaging payload. It was the first radar imaging satellite to be operated by the Russian military after the Soviet RORSAT and Almaz-T series. The first Kondor-E (Kondor-E 1, COSPAR 2014-084A) launched 19 December 2014 for South Africa. Civilian versions of the satellite have been designed under the name Kondor-FKA or Kondor-FKA-M. The launch of the first Kondor-FKA satellite took place on 26 May 2023, while the launch of the second took place on 29 November 2024, both from the Vostochny Cosmodrome.

References

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Kondor (satellite)

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Kondor (satellite) claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Kondor (satellite) before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Kondor (satellite) ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Kondor (satellite)

In research: Kondor (satellite) appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Kondor (satellite) in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Kondor (satellite) is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics NPO Mashinostroyeniya products, Reconnaissance satellites of Russia, Russian spacecraft stubs, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Kondor (satellite) outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Kondor (satellite) in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Kondor (satellite) means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Kondor (satellite) out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Kondor (satellite) in simple terms?

Why does Kondor (satellite) matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Kondor (satellite)?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Kondor (satellite).