Jim - 27/7/2006 4:01 PMI am talking spacelaunches, so not MM or PK and not derived. Converted ICBM is one pulled from the hole. Atlas E&F were the only ones that fit this. The Titan 23G had T-II tanks taken apart, refurbed, swapped and reassembled. So potentially, a T-23G could have tanks from 4 different vehicles. That's why they cost so much. Lessons learned from the Altas E&F.BTW Coriolis was USAF, Quikscat was NASA and so was NOAA.
Cretan126 - 28/7/2006 11:58 AMJim,Given your response, I think we agree. Adapting all of the guidance, software, payload interfaces, etc. that was specifically designed for the ICBM application to make it a space launch vehicle is not an easy thing. My interpretation was more aligned with Aero's response and was focused on the solid rocket motors. They have been proven reliable over many launches and have already been paid for by the U.S. taxpayers, so we might as well use them for providing lower cost launches.C
anik - 27/7/2006 5:15 PMRumour from Novosti kosmonavtiki forum... The current most probable reason of yesterday's failure of Dnepr rocket is abnormal work of one of four 15L423 hydrodrives of propulsion system of first stage... The complex of command devices has given out the command for switching off the propulsion system of first stage on 73.89 seconds after liftoff after Dnepr rocket has exceeded a maximum yaw deviation...
edkyle99 - 30/7/2006 9:23 PMWeren't the engines made in Russia?
edkyle99 - 31/7/2006 5:33 PMI've run into some conflicting information about whether Dnepr uses R-36M2 (newest type) or R-36MU series (slightly older type) missiles. Are there any solid sources of info about this? - Ed Kyle
Jester - 1/8/2006 9:50 AMEdit: sorry that statement above is WRONG ! I didn't post the complete story, hit submit too soon, here it is:The R-36MU = R-36MUTTKh with Improved Tactical and Technical Characteristics was replaced by the R-36M2A tactical-technical specification was issued on July 1979 for a fourth generation heavy ICBM to replace the R-36MUTTKhThe draft project was completed in June 1982 and featured uprated engines better resistant to nearby nuclear blastsA formal decree authorising development of the entire missile was issued on 9 August 1983Dnepr uses the approximately 150 R-36M2 ICBM's which were to be destroyed by 2007 under the START-2 treaty (Code: 15A18M2)
edkyle99 - 12/8/2006 2:08 PM"Overheated combustion chamber caused Dnepr crash11.08.2006, 15.15ASTANA, August 11 (Itar-Tass) - An overheated combustion chamber caused emergency shutdown of a Dnepr engine and the subsequent crash of the booster rocket, according to a preliminary version of the accident, Director of Russia's Roskosmos Federal Space Agency Anatoly Perminov said here on Friday.It is this malfunction that might have caused the failure of the engine of the nozzle rotator mechanism. However, "there can be numerous reasons," Perminov added." http://www.itar-tass.com/eng/level2.html?NewsID=10699502&PageNum=0 - Ed Kyle
anik - 28/7/2006 10:22 PMExtraction from the press-release of RSC Energiya - http://www.energia.ru/english/energia/news/news-2006/press_release-07-27.html"BelKA spacecraft had been insured. The Belorussian side expressed a wish to order again the identical satellite at RSC Energia. There is a possibility of its repeated launch within next 1.5 years."