Russia To Use Domestic Comm Channel With International Space Station - Roscosmos

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 02nd December, 2020) Russia's state space corporation Roscosmos on Wednesday announced plans to switch from using a US broadband communication channel with the International Space Station (ISS) to communicating through its own "Luch" multifunctional space system relay.

Until now, the US tracking and data relay satellites (TDRS) have been used to transfer large volumes of data from the station to Earth and vice versa for a fee.

"A new communication channel is being tested and we plan its full-time deployment.

This will allow abandoning the use of the elements of the US TDRS broadband relay system at the Russian section of the ISS," Roscosmos said in a statement.

The "Luch" multifunctional space system relay consists of three satellite-relays, Luch-5A, Luch-5B and Luch-5V, deployed to orbit in 2011-2014.

In May, Russian cosmonauts tested the Russian system via these satellites. Back then, cosmonaut Alexander Skvortsov praised it for the quality of broadcast video and for the small lag in relaying voice.