The Molniya-1 (“lightning” in Russian) satellite was intended for civilian telecommunications. From 1964 to 1975, the USSR launched 37 Molniya-1 satellites into an elliptical orbit of high eccentricity known as the Molniya orbit. This orbit allowed permanent coverage of the extreme regions of the Soviet Union with three satellites. The Molniya was cylindrical in shape with a conical tip 4 metres high and a diameter of 1.4 metre. Once in orbit, the device deployed its six solar panels towards the Sun and its antennas towards the Earth. The Musée de l’Air et de l’Espace (Air and Space Museum) has a life-size model of the Molniya-1.