Author Topic: Strela launch with Kondor (Kosmos-2487) satellite - June 27, 2013  (Read 64994 times)

Offline Danderman

  • Extreme Veteran
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10288
  • Liked: 699
  • Likes Given: 723
NPO Mash has translated some of their site in English, so if you were ever wondering about that Strela rocket that was supposed to orbit the Condor-E satellite for the last 5 years, its all here:

http://npomash.ru/activities/en/krk.htm

STRELA ROCKET SPACE COMPLEX

   
One of the basic elements of the “Pragmatic space” program implemented by the company is building of Strela rocket space complex at the Svobodny launch site. This complex will use technological equipment and mechanisms being dismantled from the objects belonging to Strategic Missile Forces and from retiring RS-18 ICBM. Strela LV was derived from UR-100 Н U ТТХ (RS-18B) ICBM, which was developed by the company at the second half of 1970s and commissioned in 1980. The missile complexes UR-100 Н U ТТХ are still in service in the Army being a one of the most threatening and effective means of the nuclear containment. High reliability and combat readiness of the complexes are verified by their long-term operation.

The principal concept of this project is to maintain succession of Strela rocket complex to the basic complex having high reliability indices. Employment of Strela complex will allow to perform cost effective launches of spacecraft into orbits with different altitudes and inclinations.

Recent decisions on extending the service life of the basic complexes gave a possibility to launch in next decades. The program of extending the RS-18 ICBM service life is ensured by launches performed annually and by flaw detection of the missiles commissioned long ago.

The cosmodrome selected for launches of Strela LV is Baikonur ( Kazakhstan , 45.6 deg. North, 63.3 deg. East). To prepare customers' spacecraft for launch, if it is launched by Strela LV from Baikonur, a special technical position has been arranged in one of test shops of the cosmodrome, which has all necessary preparatory equipment.

Power characteristics of Strela LV allow to use Baikonur cosmodrome for launching S/C with a weight up to 1500 kg into low orbits with inclinations close to 63 deg. It is possible to change the inclination within few degrees due to S/C lateral maneuver in the launching trajectory and it depends on the orbit altitude and payload weight. If required, the drop zones can be provided for the cases, when S/C are launched at other inclinations. JSC MIC Mashinostroyenia” is ready to conclude contracts for commercial launches of Strela LV from Baikonur cosmodrome.

The first demonstration launch of Strela LV from Baikonur cosmodrome was performed on December 5, 2003 . Strela LV injected he weight dummy of S/C (978 kg) into the orbit the orbit with inclination of 67.067 deg, apogee of 458.8 km, perigee of 458 km.
« Last Edit: 07/04/2013 07:53 pm by Satori »

Offline Danderman

  • Extreme Veteran
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10288
  • Liked: 699
  • Likes Given: 723
Re: Strela Launch Vehicle (NPO Mash) + Condor-E Spacecraft
« Reply #1 on: 10/18/2012 05:02 pm »
Some images of Condor-E, and a brochure.
« Last Edit: 10/18/2012 05:04 pm by Danderman »

Offline Prober

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10348
  • Save the spin....I'm keeping you honest!
  • Nevada
  • Liked: 721
  • Likes Given: 729
Re: Strela Launch Vehicle (NPO Mash) + Condor-E Spacecraft
« Reply #2 on: 10/18/2012 05:39 pm »
Some images of Condor-E, and a brochure.

That aperture radar screen might be better in another orbit to track debris.
2017 - Everything Old is New Again.
"I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant..." --Isoroku Yamamoto

Offline Danderman

  • Extreme Veteran
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10288
  • Liked: 699
  • Likes Given: 723
Re: Condor-E/Strela NET November 29 2012
« Reply #3 on: 11/03/2012 01:22 pm »
Anik reports a launch date of November 29.

Online Galactic Penguin SST

Re: Condor-E/Strela NET November 29 2012
« Reply #4 on: 11/03/2012 01:33 pm »
Anik reports a launch date of November 29.

I wonder where will the launch vehicle and the satellite (have both reached Baikonur?) be prepared in Baikonur before launch? The old Tskylon MIK?
Astronomy & spaceflight geek penguin. In a relationship w/ Space Shuttle Discovery. Current Priority: Chasing the Chinese Spaceflight Wonder Egg & A Certain Chinese Mars Rover

Online Satori

  • Moderator
  • Global Moderator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 14426
  • Campo do Gerês - Portugal
  • Liked: 1969
  • Likes Given: 1157
Re: Condor-E/Strela NET November 29 2012
« Reply #5 on: 11/03/2012 01:44 pm »
Anik reports a launch date of November 29.

I wonder where will the launch vehicle and the satellite (have both reached Baikonur?) be prepared in Baikonur before launch? The old Tskylon MIK?

Strela is in Baykonur for a few months now. Kondor-E will probably arrive next week.

Offline Danderman

  • Extreme Veteran
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10288
  • Liked: 699
  • Likes Given: 723
Re: Condor-E/Strela NET November 29 2012
« Reply #6 on: 11/03/2012 01:44 pm »
Along these lines, Eurockot is fairly consistent in stating that their vehicle cannot be launched from Baikonour without some extra work, so how NPO-Mash can pull that launch of a similar vehicle from Baikonur is a mystery to me.

Offline anik

  • Global Moderator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 7776
  • Liked: 955
  • Likes Given: 368
Re: Condor-E/Strela NET November 29 2012
« Reply #7 on: 11/03/2012 01:57 pm »
I wonder where will the launch vehicle and the satellite (have both reached Baikonur?) be prepared in Baikonur before launch? The old Tskylon MIK?

Strela rocket is on Baikonur cosmodrome for a long time, probably in silo 175/59 already. Kondor-E satellite should arrive soon (if the launch still planned on November 29). The head unit for previous Strela rocket, which has been launched in 2003, was prepared in MIK-2A on area 2.

Online Galactic Penguin SST

Re: Condor-E/Strela NET November 29 2012
« Reply #8 on: 11/03/2012 02:40 pm »
BTW is this going to sun-synchronous? So how can the launch proceed if the drop zone conflicts (in Russia, BTW) has not been resolved?

http://www.russianspaceweb.com/strela.html

Quote
uring 2011 several reports surfaced about negotiations between Roskosmos and officials in Chelyabinsk Oblast of Russia on the establishment of a new drop zone for the first stage of the Strela rocket, scheduled to carry the Kondor radar satellite into orbit in 2012. The impact site was expected to be in Nyazepetrovsk Region between towns of Shemakha, Araslanovo, Skaz and Tabuska. However, as it had previously happened in other regions of Russia and Kazakhstan, concerns over the contamination of the pristine environment became a cause of public protests by local population on February 25, 2011, the official RIA Novosti news agency reported. As a result, local authorities reportedly rejected the proposed agreement at the beginning of March 2011. Two months later, Interfax news agency reported that all work on the drop zone agreement had been stopped as "launches of payloads along this flight path had not being currently planned." This was an indication that a long-delayed Kondor mission hit a new snag if had not been outright canceled.
Astronomy & spaceflight geek penguin. In a relationship w/ Space Shuttle Discovery. Current Priority: Chasing the Chinese Spaceflight Wonder Egg & A Certain Chinese Mars Rover

Offline Danderman

  • Extreme Veteran
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10288
  • Liked: 699
  • Likes Given: 723
Re: Condor-E/Strela - 2013 TBD
« Reply #9 on: 11/27/2012 03:19 am »
According to Anik, this has been pushed back into 2013:

TBD – Kosmos (Kondor-E) – Strela – Baikonur 175/59

Offline sammie

  • Veteran
  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 553
  • Liked: 1
  • Likes Given: 0
Re: Condor-E/Strela NET November 29 2012
« Reply #10 on: 11/27/2012 08:09 am »
Quote
Eurockot is fairly consistent in stating that their vehicle cannot be launched from Baikonour without some extra work, so how NPO-Mash can pull that launch of a similar vehicle from Baikonur is a mystery to me.

I believe that Eurockot is being launched from a converted Cosmos 3M pad. The last Cosmos 3M flew from Baikonur in 1968, so doubt there would have been a working pad to convert. Integration of Eurocket happens vertical at the launch pad. Fairly unique for a Russian rocket. I reckon the flight profile from a silo launched rocket is very different (acoustic, acceleration and vibration characteristics). So Eurocket has evolved quite a bit from it's SS-19 feedstock. A new third stage, vertical integration and a regular launch versus a silo launch. All this results in a very different launch environment, you can't just stick it back into a silo an expect the same results.

Eurocket was created to fly complicated missions with highly sophisticated payloads to various orbits. Strela is a simpler rocket, cheaper but not as capable.
"The dreams ain't broken downhere, they're just walking with a limp"

Offline anik

  • Global Moderator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 7776
  • Liked: 955
  • Likes Given: 368
Re: Condor-E/Strela - March 29, 2013
« Reply #11 on: 02/04/2013 08:27 pm »
As per Rui Barbosa (aka Satori), the launch is planned on March 29th.

http://www.zenite.nu/orbita/index.php?catid=4

Offline russianhalo117

  • Global Moderator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 8755
  • Liked: 4673
  • Likes Given: 768
Re: Condor-E/Strela NET November 29 2012
« Reply #12 on: 02/05/2013 12:25 am »
Quote
Eurockot is fairly consistent in stating that their vehicle cannot be launched from Baikonour without some extra work, so how NPO-Mash can pull that launch of a similar vehicle from Baikonur is a mystery to me.
I believe that Eurockot is being launched from a converted Cosmos 3M pad. The last Cosmos 3M flew from Baikonur in 1968, so doubt there would have been a working pad to convert. Integration of Eurocket happens vertical at the launch pad. Fairly unique for a Russian rocket. I reckon the flight profile from a silo launched rocket is very different (acoustic, acceleration and vibration characteristics). So Eurocket has evolved quite a bit from it's SS-19 feedstock. A new third stage, vertical integration and a regular launch versus a silo launch. All this results in a very different launch environment, you can't just stick it back into a silo an expect the same results.

Eurocket was created to fly complicated missions with highly sophisticated payloads to various orbits. Strela is a simpler rocket, cheaper but not as capable.
I) To my present knowledge, the Baikonur silo's used to test Rockot/Briz-K ILV are currently not in active service.

II) The extra work required in the silo is primarily removal of associated Briz-K hardware and interfaces which are not compatible with Briz-KM and installation of Briz-KM systems as well a payload interfaces at a higher silo elevation platform from its current location. Constructing or restoring a UR-100 mobile transporter erector vehicle. These are no longer kept at Baikonur anymore and were returned to Russian mainland for new tasks and/or scrapping.

III) Yes, Rockot is indeed launched from converted Cosmos 3M Complex 133 via Pad 3, Pad 4 is no longer in active Service and its mobile service tower was dismantled shortly before 2000.

IV) Wrong, each Rockot is fired from inside its original UR-100 silo launch tube which are modified with an additional launcher tube segment to account for Briz-KM and longer fairings types and are disposed of after single use.

Offline Danderman

  • Extreme Veteran
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10288
  • Liked: 699
  • Likes Given: 723
Re: Condor-E/Strela NET November 29 2012
« Reply #13 on: 02/05/2013 02:07 am »
IV) Wrong, each Rockot is fired from inside its original UR-100 silo launch tube which are modified with an additional launcher tube segment to account for Briz-KM and longer fairings types and are disposed of after single use.

Since we are talking about a UR-100 launch, and not a Rockot launch, it should be noted that no Briz stage is involved in this launch.

Offline russianhalo117

  • Global Moderator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 8755
  • Liked: 4673
  • Likes Given: 768
Re: Condor-E/Strela NET November 29 2012
« Reply #14 on: 02/05/2013 03:23 pm »
IV) Wrong, each Rockot is fired from inside its original UR-100 silo launch tube which are modified with an additional launcher tube segment to account for Briz-KM and longer fairings types and are disposed of after single use.

Since we are talking about a UR-100 launch, and not a Rockot launch, it should be noted that no Briz stage is involved in this launch.

Yes, I know that. The post that I was responding to was about Rockot and why EuroRockot no longer launches from Baikonur even though if one pays more currency for that option, they can launch from their previously used silos with extensive upgrades and modifications to silo, such as relocating Briz and Payload interfaces to account for increased length of Rockot/Briz-KM compared to shorter Rockot/Briz-K. Strela is not affected because it can use all of original UR-100 silo interfaces as well as its original silo launch tube without major modifications.
« Last Edit: 02/05/2013 03:30 pm by russianhalo117 »

Offline owais.usmani

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 729
  • Liked: 368
  • Likes Given: 582
Re: Condor-E/Strela - March 29, 2013
« Reply #15 on: 02/18/2013 10:53 am »
News report about launching Condor & Condor-E in 2013:

http://total.kz/politics/2013/01/14/rossiya_planiruet_vypolnit_dva_z/

Offline owais.usmani

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 729
  • Liked: 368
  • Likes Given: 582
Re: Condor-E/Strela - March 29, 2013
« Reply #16 on: 02/22/2013 01:39 pm »
AZ has done a nice write-up on the Kondor series:  :)

http://www.russianspaceweb.com/kondor.html

 

Offline anik

  • Global Moderator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 7776
  • Liked: 955
  • Likes Given: 368
Re: Condor/Strela
« Reply #17 on: 02/27/2013 09:00 am »
According to Rui Barbosa, the launch is postponed for indefinite time.
« Last Edit: 03/01/2013 08:12 am by anik »

Offline russianhalo117

  • Global Moderator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 8755
  • Liked: 4673
  • Likes Given: 768
Re: Condor/Strela
« Reply #18 on: 02/28/2013 11:51 pm »
Anik,
As of NPO Mash statement released at IDEX 2013 in late February 2013:
Kondor-E No. 1 NET 29 March 2013
Kondor-E No. 2 2013 (TBD)

Previous and current statements from NPO Mash mention two Kondor launches per year using Strela Conversional Launcher.

"During the IDEX 2013 show in February, NPO Mash disclosed that it had been preparing not one but two launches of satellites in the Kondor series during the year -- one for the Russian Ministry of Defense and one for an undisclosed foreign customer. A successful military launch would clear the way for the mission of an "export" version. At the time, the first launch was expected on March 29."

LINK (NPO Mash Statement at end of page): http://www.russianspaceweb.com/kondor.html

RH117

Offline Danderman

  • Extreme Veteran
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10288
  • Liked: 699
  • Likes Given: 723
Re: Condor/Strela
« Reply #19 on: 04/30/2013 06:42 pm »
Article by Anatoly Zak on Condor-E:

http://www.russianspaceweb.com/kondor.html

Tags:
 

Advertisement NovaTech
Advertisement Northrop Grumman
Advertisement
Advertisement Margaritaville Beach Resort South Padre Island
Advertisement Brady Kenniston
Advertisement NextSpaceflight
Advertisement Nathan Barker Photography
1