Molniya

The term "Molniya" refers to a series of Soviet satellites launched into a highly elliptical orbit. This specific orbit allowed them to reach far northern regions of the Soviet Union, which were difficult to cover with other satellite systems. The first Molniya satellite was launched in 1965, and by 1967, six of these satellites were providing coverage across the country.1

Artificial satellites, in general, are objects launched into orbit around Earth. The concept dates back to Isaac Newton, but the first artificial satellite, Sputnik 1, was launched by the Soviet Union in 1957. Since then, thousands of satellites have been launched for various purposes, including scientific research, weather forecasting, communication, and navigation. Satellite communication uses these artificial objects to relay signals between different points on Earth, playing a crucial role in global telecommunications.21