Meridian 1

{{about|the satellite|the telephone|Nortel Meridian}}

{{Infobox spaceflight

| name = Meridian 1

| image =

| image_caption =

| mission_type = Communications

| operator = VKS

| website =

| COSPAR_ID = 2006-061A

| SATCAT = 29668

| mission_duration = less than {{time interval|24 December 2006|May 2009}}

| spacecraft_bus =

| manufacturer = ISS Reshetnev

| dry_mass =

| launch_mass =

| power =

| launch_date = {{start-date|24 December 2006, 08:34:44 UTC}}

| launch_rocket = Soyuz-2.1a/Fregat

| launch_site = Plesetsk 43/4

| launch_contractor =

| entered_service = 1 February 2007

| disposal_type = Re-entered

| deactivated =

| last_contact = before {{end-date|May 2009}}

| decay_date = {{end-date|6 July 2021, 12:20 UTC}}

| orbit_epoch = 6 July 2014

| orbit_reference = Geocentric

| orbit_regime = Molniya

| orbit_periapsis = {{convert|2473|km|mi}}

| orbit_apoapsis = {{convert|37882|km|mi}}

| orbit_inclination = 65 degrees

| orbit_period = 717 minutes

| apsis = gee

}}

Meridian 1 ({{langx|ru|Меридиан-1}}), also known as Meridian No.11L, was a Russian communications satellite. It was the first satellite to be launched as part of the Meridian system to replace the older Molniya series.

Meridian 1 was the first Russian Government satellite to be launched by a Soyuz-2 rocket. The Soyuz-2.1a configuration was used, along with a Fregat upper stage. The launch occurred from Site 43/4 at the Plesetsk Cosmodrome at 08:34:44 GMT on 24 December 2006.{{cite web|url=http://planet4589.org/space/log/launchlog.txt|title=Launch Log|last=McDowell|first=Jonathan|publisher=Jonathan's Space Page|accessdate=22 May 2009}}

It was constructed by ISS Reshetnev (at the time known as NPO-PM) and was believed to be based on the Uragan-M satellite bus,{{cite web|url=http://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/meridian.htm|title=Meridian (14F112)|last=Krebs|first=Gunter|publisher=Gunter's Space Page|accessdate=21 May 2009}} which has also been used for GLONASS navigation satellites. It operated in a Molniya orbit with a perigee of {{convert|900|km}}, an apogee of {{convert|39000|km}}, and 65° inclination.

The satellite entered service on 1 February 2007. By May 2009 it had failed, before the end of its projected lifespan. NPO-PM reported that an impact with a piece of debris had caused the spacecraft to malfunction.{{cite web|url=http://www.russianspaceweb.com/meridian.html |title=The Meridian satellite (14F112) |first=Anatoly |last=Zak |work=RussianSpaceWeb |accessdate=3 May 2011 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110526025425/http://www.russianspaceweb.com/meridian.html |archivedate=26 May 2011 }}

Meridian 1 re-entered on 6 July 2021, around 12:20 UTC.{{cite tweet |author-link=Jonathan McDowell |last=McDowell |first=Jonathan |user=planet4589 |number=1412959917095505926 |title=Russia's Meridian 11L military communications satellite, launched in 2006, reentered around 1220 UTC Jul 6, probably near the Falkland Is. Final orbit perigee height was around 80 km. |date=7 July 2021 |access-date=8 July 2021}}{{cite web |url=https://www.n2yo.com/satellite/?s=29668 |title=MERIDIAN 1 |work=N2YO.com |date=6 July 2021 |access-date=8 July 2021}}