Author Topic: Cancelled: Cyclone 4 from Alcantara (Read 147008 times)

Danderman · « **Reply #80 on:** 09/17/2013 05:26 pm »

I believe that this video is from last year. The launch complex seems to be at the site of the manufacturer in the Ukraine - I am not sure if this actual hardware will be disassembled and then transported to Brazil, or if the hardware is merely some sort of prototype.

When we see the hardware in Alcantara, then we will be close to first launch.

Salo · « **Reply #81 on:** 09/26/2013 11:59 am »

Ukraine, Brazil Prepare for 2015 Cyclone 4 Launch
Posted by Amy Svitak 3:09 AM on Sep 24, 2013

Brazilian-Ukainian joint venture Alcantara Cyclone Space (ACS) continues preparations for the 2015 debut of a new variant of the Cyclone rocket fr om a 30-year-old launch facility on Brazil's north-Atlantic coast.

At 2.3 deg. N. Lat., Alcantara is even closer to the Equator than Europe's Guiana Space Center in Kourou, wh ere commercial launch services consortium Arianespace manages missions of Europe's heavy-lift Ariane 5, Russia's medium-class Soyuz and Italy's Vega light launcher. From Alcantara, ACS's three-stage Cyclone 4 rocket—equipped with a restartable upper stage engine and 4-m payload fairing—is designed to put 5,685 kg. (12,500 lb.) into a circular low Earth orbit at 200 km (124 mi.), and a 3,910-kg spacecraft to a 400-km sun-synchronous orbit.
For geostationary missions, Cyclone 4 will initially deliver a 1,600 kg into geostationary transfer orbit. The goal, however, is to gradually boost performance to 2,200 kg with per-launch costs ranging from $50-$55 million.

“Originally, we were planning to focus on LEO only. But now, as we're witnessing the growth of electric propulsion satellites, we're working to increase payload capability,” says ACS Chief Commercial Officer Sergiy Guchenkov.

Manufactured in Ukraine by the Yuzhnoye State Design Office, Cyclone 4 will use first and second stages similar to the Soviet-era Cyclone 2 and Cyclone 3 rockets. Guchenkov notes that the first and second stages of the Cyclone 2 and Cyclone 3 rockets have launched 228 times with just one failure, which he says was due to a first-stage propellant leak.

An all-new third stage based on Ukrainian Zenit and Dnepr technology will carry up to 9 tons of propellant and allow Cyclone 4 to execute up to five burns.

Since breaking ground on the ACS launch pad in 2010, the government-backed venture has spent close to $300 million developing the site, which is now 48% complete. The project is running almost three years behind schedule, however, as funding delays and legal wrangling with local tribes has stalled development of the launch center. In May, Guchenkov says the governments of Ukraine and Brazil jointly approved an increase in total ACS spending for the site, from around $487 million to $918 million.

He says ACS is planning to complete construction of the launch pad at Alcantara next year, with Cyclone 4 hardware delivery and testing at the site to begin in early 2015. He says the launch vehicle is 76% complete and has undergone 73% of its scheduled test regime, including completion of ground tests.

Guchenkov says ACS expects to conduct a qualificaiton mission of Cyclone 4 in late 2015, launching multiple small payloads to low Earth orbit, including a Japanese satellite.

Soheil · « **Reply #82 on:** 09/26/2013 12:18 pm »

2015 !!!

another time !?

I bet ! they can't make it operational before 2020 !

Salo · « **Reply #83 on:** 12/10/2013 06:02 am »

http://player.rutv.ru/index/iframe/video_id/688300/sid/vh/?acc_video_id=688300

Salo · « **Reply #84 on:** 12/10/2013 06:44 am »

http://www.alcantaracyclonespace.com/for-customers/project-status

Quote

Project Status

Currently, about 78% of the Launch Vehicle have been manufactured and 73% tested. About 48% of the Launch Site civil construction have been completed. Most of Ground Support Equipment has been contracted, and some has already been received in Alcantara. The first Cyclone-4 launch is estimated to take place in 2015.
Below are some pictures showing the current situation:

Salo · « **Reply #85 on:** 12/10/2013 06:46 am »

Launch Site:

Salo · « **Reply #86 on:** 12/10/2013 06:48 am »

Ground Support Equipment:

Salo · « **Reply #87 on:** 12/10/2013 06:50 am »

Ground Support Equipment (continue):

Prober · « **Reply #88 on:** 12/10/2013 02:06 pm »

Solo thx for posting pics of the impressive factory in Ukraine.

If you have more please post.

Danderman · « **Reply #89 on:** 12/10/2013 02:15 pm »

I should note that this is a photo of the small assembly room at Yushzmash. The larger assembly hall contains completed Zenit and Tsiklons.

Salo · « **Reply #90 on:** 12/10/2013 08:27 pm »

Quote from: Prober on 12/10/2013 02:06 pm

Solo thx for posting pics of the impressive factory in Ukraine.

If you have more please post.

Salo · « **Reply #91 on:** 12/10/2013 08:33 pm »

http://www.alcantaracyclonespace.com/media-kit/photos?start=20

Salo · « **Reply #92 on:** 12/10/2013 08:35 pm »

http://www.alcantaracyclonespace.com/phocadownload/cyclone4_users_guide.pdf

Danderman · « **Reply #93 on:** 01/24/2014 03:19 am »

http://www.gaussteam.com/activities-services-and-products/launch-services/cyclone-iv/

The University of Rome is taking orders for smallsat launches on Cyclone IV, starting in 2015.

Fuji · « **Reply #94 on:** 01/29/2014 01:49 am »

QB50 CubeSat Launch Contract Signed
http://amsat-uk.org/2014/01/28/qb50-cubesat-launch-contract-signed/

Quote

The 7th QB50 workshop opened on Tuesday with the announcement that on Monday, January 27, 2014, the Von Karman Institute of Belgium signed the launch contract with Alcantara Cyclone Space for the launch of the QB50 constellation of 50 2U CubeSats into a 350 km low earth orbit for scientific research. The QB50 project is funded via the FP7 programme of the European Commission.

Quote

The precise QB50 launch date is still to be confirmed but the launch window is defined as being between December 2015 and November 2016.

albatros68 · « **Reply #95 on:** 03/03/2014 10:52 am »

In the wake of recent events in Ukraine, ¿this project schedule will still be kept?

Skyrocket · « **Reply #96 on:** 03/03/2014 11:27 am »

Too early to assess, what impact the events in the Ukraine will have - not only for this project.

baldusi · « **Reply #97 on:** 03/03/2014 02:46 pm »

Also the events on Brazil. The Worl Cup mismanagement has them making cuts everywhere.

Satori · « **Reply #98 on:** 04/22/2014 11:23 am »

The current events in Ukraine have not impacted the Cyclone-4 Project development. Currently, the Launch Vehicle development is progressing as scheduled, and it will be ready for delivery to Alcantara in the second half of 2015. A significant portion of the Launch Site civil construction activities has been completed as well. Most of Ground Support Equipment has been contracted, and some has already been received in Alcantara.

http://alcantaracyclonespace.com/en/for-customers/project-status

Prober · « **Reply #99 on:** 04/22/2014 05:59 pm »

Quote from: Satori on 04/22/2014 11:23 am

The current events in Ukraine have not impacted the Cyclone-4 Project development. Currently, the Launch Vehicle development is progressing as scheduled, and it will be ready for delivery to Alcantara in the second half of 2015. A significant portion of the Launch Site civil construction activities has been completed as well. Most of Ground Support Equipment has been contracted, and some has already been received in Alcantara.

http://alcantaracyclonespace.com/en/for-customers/project-status

Great work those Yushzmash people do. Any news from the "funding end" for this project?

Satori I still can't understand the choice of introducing the toxic chemicals into the country when Myak could have been done. Havn't run any numbers; but for the payloads they wish to launch couldn't this project compete with Vega, and Soyuz?
http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=31969.0

Just don't see the toxic tradeoff being worth it.