| Parus | |
| Manufacturer: | JSC Information Satellite Systems |
| Country: | Soviet Union Russia |
| Bus: | KAUR-1 |
| Applications: | Navigation Communications |
| Orbits: | Low Earth |
| Operator: | VKS |
| Lifetime: | 18-24 months |
| Derivedfrom: | Tsikada |
| Status: | Operational |
| Operational: | Unknown |
| Built: | >99 |
| Launched: | 99 |
| Lost: | 1-4 |
| First: | Kosmos 700, 26 December 1974 |
| Autoconvert: | off |
Parus (Russian: Парус meaning Sail), also Tsyklon-B or Tsiklon-B (Russian: Циклон-Б meaning Cyclone-B) and Tsikada-M (Russian: Цикада-М meaning Cicada-M),[1] GRAU index 11F627, is a Russian, previously Soviet satellite constellation used for communication and navigation. As of 2010, 99 Parus satellites have been launched, starting with Kosmos 700 in 1974.[2] All launches have been conducted using Kosmos-3M carrier rockets, flying from sites 132 and 133 at the Plesetsk Cosmodrome.[3]
The prime function of Parus satellites is to provide location information for Tsiklon-B navigation system.[4]
Parus satellites are produced by JSC Information Satellite Systems (formerly NPO PM), based on the KAUR-1 satellite bus. They have a mass of around, and a design life of 18–24 months.[1] The satellites operate in low Earth orbits, typically with a perigee of about, an apogee of and 82.9° inclination.[2] They are operated by the Russian Aerospace Defence Forces, and are used primarily for navigation, Store and forward communication, and to relay data from US-P satellites.[2] Some of the navigation functions are believed to have been superseded by the GLONASS system.[2]