The first Soviet communications satellite Molniya-1 was launched into orbit

On 23 April 1965, the Soviet communications satellite Molniya-1 was successfully launched, capable of providing multichannel telegraph and telephone communications, as well as transmitting television signals over long distances.

The development of the first Soviet artificial satellite, the Molniya-1 active repeater, began in 1961 under the leadership of the outstanding Soviet designer Sergei Pavlovich Korolyov. On the basis of Molniya-1 communication satellites it was planned to create an operational radio communication system covering the entire territory of the USSR and the countries of the northern hemisphere. Such a system was to ensure the transmission of television programmes of Central Television to all major areas of the Soviet Union. By the early 1960s, Soviet scientists had already accumulated some experience in creating long-distance space communications systems for launches of the Luna and Venera-1 series of automatic interplanetary stations (AMS).

The successful launch of the Molniya-1 satellite took place on 23 April 1965. This year, for the first time, residents of the Far East were able to watch the broadcast of the May Day parade in Moscow and the celebration of the 20th anniversary of the end of the Great Patriotic War. In turn, residents of the central region were able to watch the broadcast of the Pacific Fleet parade in Vladivostok.

Two years later, in honour of the 50th anniversary of the October Revolution, the Soviet television network Orbita was officially launched on 2 November 1967 using Molniya-1 series satellites. The Orbita system was the world's first circular television distribution satellite system, which utilised satellite communications capabilities in the most efficient way.

As Academician S. P. Korolev noted, "the Molniya satellite reflects the main tendency of cosmonautics - its achievements are put at the service of the national economy, they are already beginning to bring real benefit not only to science, but also to every person".

To solve the problems of organising communication channels and distribution of state television and radio programmes through satellite communication systems, in 1968, by order of the USSR Ministry of Communications, "Space Communication Station" was established, which eventually became the state enterprise "Space Communication" (SCS) - the operator of the Russian orbital constellation of civil communication and broadcasting satellites.

Lit.: Astashenkov P. T. Chief Designer. M., 1975; Vetrov G.S.. S.P. Korolev and cosmonautics. First Steps. M., 1994; History // FSUE "Space Communications". [Electronic resource]. URL: https://www.rscc.ru/about/#!tab=panel-0; The first communication satellite Molniya-1 was put into orbit // North-West Union of Veterans of Space Troops [Electronic resource]. URL: https://vks.spb.ru/pamyatnye-daty/112-na-orbitu-vyveden-pervyy-sputnik-svyazi-molniya-1.html; Roscosmos [Electronic resource]. URL: https://www.roscosmos.ru/.

Based on the materials of Presidential Library:

Outer Space: [digital collection];

The first artificial Earth satellite in the world is launched in USSR // On this day. 4 October 1957