Yantar-4K2M

Yantar-4K2M, also known as Kobalt-M, was a type of Russian reconnaissance satellite and the last operational member of the Yantar series. Like most Yantar satellites it recorded its images on film rather than with digital cameras, so the pictures could not be sent to the ground as easily as digital data. It was an improved version of the Kobalt satellite, and the first of the type flew as Kosmos 2410 in 2004. During a mission it returned three sets of film: two came down in film return canisters, and the last set came back in the special equipment module of the satellite itself. Image resolution is reportedly 30 centimetres. Ten satellites of this series were launched, the last one in 2015, and no further orders were planned. Later reconnaissance missions were taken over by the Persona class of satellites. The design bureau that built it, TsSKB, is a predecessor of the Progress Rocket Space Centre, which lists the Yantar series among the satellites it produced.