Orlets () was a series of Russian, and previously Soviet photoreconnaissance satellites derived from and intended to augment the Yantar series of spacecraft. Ten satellites were launched between 1989 and 2006; eight in the Orlets-1 configuration and two in the Orlets-2 configuration.
Orlets satellites conducted optical imaging, returning images by means of film capsules. Orlets-1 spacecraft carried eight film capsules, whilst Orlets-2 carried twenty-two. Orlets-1 were launched by Soyuz-U and Soyuz-U2 carrier rockets, with the larger Zenit-2 being used to launch Orlets-2.
Satellites SpacecraftTypeLaunch Date (UTC)Carrier rocketLaunch padOrbitTermination*Remarks Kosmos 2031 Orlets-1 12:10 Soyuz-U 1/5 Kosmos 2101 Orlets-1 11:00 Soyuz-U2 1/5 Kosmos 2163 Orlets-1 13:15 Soyuz-U2 1/5 Kosmos 2225 Orlets-1 12:00:00 Soyuz-U 31/6 Kosmos 2262 Orlets-1 13:25:00 Soyuz-U2 31/6 Kosmos 2290 Orlets-2 12:00 Zenit-2 45/1 Kosmos 2343 Orlets-1 12:10:00 Soyuz-U 31/6 Kosmos 2372 Orlets-2 10:10 Zenit-2 45/1 Kosmos 2399 Orlets-1 14:20:00 Soyuz-U 31/6 Kosmos 2423 Orlets-1 13:41:00 Soyuz-U 31/6 * — Orlets-1 missions terminated by self-destruct, Orlets-2 by controlled deorbit
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