CLASSIFIED
COSMOS 2498 (RODNIK-S 12)
Russian Military Store-and-Forward Communications · Russian Ministry of Defence
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Cosmos 2498 (Rodnik-S), part of Russia's Rodnik-S family of military store-and-forward communications satellites — small, relatively short-lived spacecraft relaying encrypted tactical data for Russian military units in the field. Russia has launched dozens of these under generic Cosmos designations specifically to avoid revealing operational details of its battlefield communications network.
Its orbit
- Orbit
- Low Earth Orbitcan appear as a fast-moving star at dawn or dusk
- Altitude
- 921–941 mi (1,482–1,515 km)
- Inclination
- 82.4°
- One orbit
- 115.8 minutes12.4 orbits a day
- NORAD ID
- 39763
- Int’l designator
- 2014-028C
- Launched
- 2014
Orbital elements from CelesTrak, as of 22 Sep 2026.
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