What is the use of the Gonets network?

Question

What is the use of the Gonets satelites?

Is ir for consumers, satellite phone or for govt institutions?

Answer 1

Gonets (Messenger) satellites are used for so-called store and dump communications. The spacecraft of this type records communication messages, such as fax, telex or an e-mail, in its onboard recorder as it overflies the sender and later transmits it to the addressee, when it reaches the range of its receiving antennas. The method was intended primarily for communications in very remote areas without ground-based communications channels.

Gonets satellites derived from their military precursors called Strela (Arrow), which served Soviet security and military intelligence services -- KGB and GRU. Soviet intelligence officials and staff at Soviet embassies overseas reportedly used the Strela satellites to transmit highly sensitive and urgent information, such as documents and images to Moscow. The decision to develop a civilian version of the spacecraft was made at the end of the 1980s.

In June 2012, the head of ISS Reshetnev said that a total of five Gonets-M satellites had been ready for launch and additional eight had been in production. He promised the launch of a pair of satellites followed by a trio of spacecraft all during 2012. These new satellites would form the initial constellation capable of providing limited practical services, such as e-mail exchanges with up to half-hour interruption. When directly within the 5,000-kilometer range of the satellite, customers could make telephone calls. With the launch of eight additional satellites then planned during 2013-2015, e-mail and telephone services would be available across the entire Russian territory. Outside Russia communications via Gonets would still be available, but with various levels of interruption.

Gonets designations

• Gonets-D1 - Low-orbital system of personal satellite communications, NSPSS, (original version)
• Gonets-D1M - Low-orbital system of personal satellite communications, NSPSS, (modified version)
• Gonets-D - A demonstration satellite for the Gonets-D1 constellation
• Gonets-M - An original satellite for the Gonets-D1 network; later used for the -
• Gonets-D1M network along with new-generation satellites.
• Gonets-M1 - A new-generation satellite for the Gonets-D1M network

http://www.russianspaceweb.com/gonets.html

The network is also used by civilians. https://gonets.ru/eng/ The service is used:

• Oil and gas industry
• Remote regions
• Fishing fleet
• Environmental monitoring