Author Topic: Soyuz launch vehicle umbilical towers  (Read 3225 times)

Offline pr1268

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Soyuz launch vehicle umbilical towers
« on: 04/09/2008 08:36 pm »
What is the function/purpose of each of the umbilical towers connected to the Soyuz launch vehicle prior to launch?  Why two towers?  Thanks!
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Offline edkyle99

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RE: Soyuz launch vehicle umbilical towers
« Reply #1 on: 04/09/2008 09:13 pm »
Quote
pr1268 - 9/4/2008  3:36 PM

What is the function/purpose of each of the umbilical towers connected to the Soyuz launch vehicle prior to launch?  Why two towers?  Thanks!

The following links provide an interesting overview of the R-7 launch sites.

http://suzymchale.com/kosmonavtka/rocklaunch.html
http://suzymchale.com/kosmonavtka/images/r7launchpad.jpg

The sites were originally designed to launch R-7 ICBM's, so they were designed to quickly handle an already horizontally-processed missile.  That helps explain the "why".  As for the "how", I seem to remember that one of the final two "tall" umbilical towers was called a "fueling mast" in some reports.  The komonavtka article only mentions that the masts provide power, fuel, pneumatics, gases, etc. (presumably to the upper stage and spacecraft).

 - Ed Kyle

Offline meiza

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Re: Soyuz launch vehicle umbilical towers
« Reply #2 on: 04/09/2008 11:19 pm »
Umm, crew access?

Offline Mark Dave

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Re: Soyuz launch vehicle umbilical towers
« Reply #3 on: 04/10/2008 12:10 am »
Yep, the R7 pad diagram doesn't have the two large access gantries  for crew to enter the Soyuz.  


Offline pr1268

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Re: Soyuz launch vehicle umbilical towers
« Reply #4 on: 04/10/2008 01:54 am »
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meiza - 9/4/2008  6:19 PM

Umm, crew access?

You mean the cosmonauts don't strap in when the LV is still horizontal, two days before launch, and ride to the launch pad on the railcar?

(Just kidding - I'm laughing at my own stupidity for not noticing the absence of a conning tower in the recent TMA-12 launch video.)
Computer scientists often get Halloween and Christmas confused because Oct 31 = Dec 25.

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