Author Topic: Vostochniy Cosmodrome - Updates  (Read 279758 times)

Offline Danderman

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Re: Vostochniy cosmodrome - updates
« Reply #20 on: 08/21/2012 10:54 pm »


Lopota yesterday also said that RKK Energiya will take part in a tender to develop a heavy rocket announced by Roskosmos on 2 August. However, he seems to have been referring here to another rocket than the 70-ton class Commonwealth. The purpose of the tender is to build a more modest 20-ton class launch vehicle to fly from Vostochnyy

I am guessing that this is the Proton replacement for Vostochnyy, which presumably will be won by some Angara derivative. But, maybe not.

Offline B. Hendrickx

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Re: Vostochniy cosmodrome - updates
« Reply #21 on: 08/22/2012 12:21 am »
Vitaliy Lopota yesterday announced that RKK Energiya will be taking part in a tender for a new heavy rocket to fly from Vostochnyy.

http://ria.ru/science/20120820/727297619.html

The tender (called "Amur") was announced by Roskosmos on 2 August. The technical requirements for the rocket were publicly announced and posted on the NK forum earlier this month :

http://www.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=7214&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=8670

(see post by Salo)

There will be a two and three stage version of the rocket. The upper stage will be Blok-DM or cryogenic.

Payload requirements are :
at least 20 tons to LEO (51.7°, 200 km)
with Blok-D :
6.5 tons to GTO, 3.7 tons to geostationary orbit
with the cryogenic upper stage :
8.0 tons to GTO, 5.0 tons to geostationary orbit

The 20-ton LEO capacity is mainly required for the new-generation manned spaceship (PPTS).

Press reports about the tender announcement in early August singled out the capability to send manned vehicles to the Moon. Although this *is* mentioned in the requirements, the idea probably is that an outgrowth of this rocket should eventually be capable of sending manned vehicles to the Moon. Lopota yesterday said that the lunar vehicle itself will weigh about 20 tons (minus an Earth-departure and Earth-return stage) and that in order to send such a vehicle to the Moon a rocket with a LEO capacity of 120 to 130 tons will be required. He added that with current technology Russia can only field a 60 to 70-ton class booster and that the lunar mission may therefore have to use a dual-launch scheme. One rocket would orbit the spacecraft+Earth return stage and another the Earth departure stage.

RKK Energiya's plan may be to build some kind of Zenit upgrade to reach the 20-ton LEO capacity from Vostochnyy and this could then evolve into the 70-ton class Russian/Ukrainian/Kazakhstan Commonwealth booster also announced by Lopota yesterday (essentially several Zenit first stages strapped together plus a Zenit second stage). Lopota's comments suggest this vehicle would fly from an existing Energiya pad at Baikonur (which also explains Kazakhstan's involvement in the proposal). However, the idea may be to eventually fly it from Vostochnyy as well. This at least is suggested by this RKK Energiya slide (dated 8 December 2011) posted on the NK forum :

http://www.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=13135&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=450

(scroll to the middle, the second rocket in the slide looks very much like Commonwealth and Vostochnyy is given as the launch site)

The tender announcement specifically says that the new heavy rocket should be based on "the heavy rocket being developed in accordance with  the presidential edict of 6 January 1995". This is the Yeltsin edict that gave Khrunichev the go-ahead to build the Angara rocket. Therefore, it would seem that this tender is no more than a formality, with RKK Energiya standing little or no chance of winning it  (reminiscent of the Kliper and Rus-M tenders that were clearly tailored to RKK Energiya proposals). Interestingly enough though, a Russian press report yesterday claimed that Khrunichev has not yet formally submitted its tender proposal :

http://www.vz.ru/economy/2012/8/20/594260.print.html

The deadline for submitting proposals is 28 August. The winner will be announced on 6 September and the "draft project" (preliminary design) is to be completed by 31 May 2013. 

This is just my attempt to make sense of the rather confusing reports on heavy boosters that have been coming out of Russia lately...

Offline B. Hendrickx

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Re: Vostochniy cosmodrome - updates
« Reply #22 on: 08/24/2012 11:34 pm »
The RKK Energiya Vostochnyy proposal could be a Zenit first stage (with a single LOX/kerosene RD-171 engine) and a second stage inherited from the Rus-M (with four RD-0146 LOX/LH2 engines). The first stage may also be equipped with a set of solid-fuel rockets to boost the rocket away from the pad in case the RD-171 fails shortly after liftoff. This has, of course, happened twice, the first time at Baikonur in 1990 and the second time during a Sea Launch mission in 2007.

This configuration was described last April in the "Voenno-promyshlennyy kur'er" newspaper by Vyacheslav Filin, who was in charge of rocket design at RKK Energiya until the Proton/Glonass launch failure in December 2010. The article can be found here :

http://vpk-news.ru/articles/8759

This vehicle has been called Energiya-K or Energiya-KV. It can be seen in an RKK Energiya slide dating back to last August. A major advantage over Angara is that this vehicle could fly from the existing Zenit pad at Baikonur if Vostochnyy is not ready in time to support launches of the new manned vehicle.

The August 2011 RKK Energiya slide also shows a super heavy launch vehicle (Energiya-KVT) with a core stage and four strap-on boosters. This also showed up in a more recent RKK Energiya slide (December 2011). The strap-ons are equipped with an RD-171 and the core stage would carry two or three LOX/LH2 RD-0120 engines, so this would essentially be a reincarnation of the old Energiya, except that the latter had four RD-0120 engines in the core and had the payload strapped to the side. Payload capacity to LEO is given as 74 tons in the first slide and 100 tons in the second slide (the latter is probably closer to the truth). At any rate, this seems no more than a distant idea that is not part of the current tender.

The 70-ton class vehicle in the centre of the December 2011 slide looks very much like the Sodruzhestvo (Commonwealth) rocket announced by Lopota a couple of days ago. 



Offline B. Hendrickx

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Re: Vostochniy cosmodrome - updates
« Reply #23 on: 08/31/2012 12:56 pm »
http://zakupki.gov.ru/pgz/public/action/orders/info/commission_work_result/show?notificationId=3918423

Despite last week's statement by Vitaliy Lopota that RKK Energiya would take part in the tender to develop a 20-ton class booster for Vostochnyy, the August 28 deadline has gone by with only Khrunichev submitting a proposal. Khrunichev should therefore automatically get the contract to draw up the preliminary design. This is, of course, not a big surprise since the tender was clearly tailored to an Angara-type vehicle and also because Popovkin has made it clear that he wants to see Angara fly from Vostochnyy rather than a new vehicle.

Offline Satori

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Re: Vostochniy cosmodrome - updates
« Reply #24 on: 09/03/2012 11:15 pm »

Offline Art LeBrun

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Re: Vostochniy cosmodrome - updates
« Reply #25 on: 09/03/2012 11:35 pm »
Is this new? Roscosmos Studios in English?
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Offline Prober

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Re: Vostochniy cosmodrome - updates
« Reply #26 on: 09/04/2012 12:06 am »
Receive Space Shuttles?
« Last Edit: 09/04/2012 12:07 am by Prober »
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Offline patchfree

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Re: Vostochniy cosmodrome - updates
« Reply #27 on: 09/05/2012 07:32 pm »
The tender for the medium launch vehicle was won by Khrunichev, so an Angara derivative will flight from Vostochny.
Only one company (Khrunichev) participated to the tender...

Quote
   
09.05.2012 / 00:05 Khrunichev Center may obtain an order for "lunar" booster

Russian Khrunichev Center may obtain an order from the Russian Space Agency to create a launcher for heavy-class flight to the moon, to the materials published on the website of state purchases.
Roscosmos in early August announced a tender for the preparation of preliminary design of the launch vehicle heavy class-based missiles "Angara" capable, in particular, to deliver a manned spacecraft to the moon. Winner will be required to prepare a preliminary design of the complex to the May 31, 2013. The maximum price of the contract - 10 million rubles for the competition were accepted until August 28, the results will be announced on September 6.
In particular, according to the materials, after the submission deadline for the competition has been submitted only one application for participation in the competition - from the Khrunichev Center, which was allowed to participate in the competition.
"To recognize the Offeror one bidder who has submitted an application to participate in the competition ... and to recommend to the Customer (Roskosmos - Ed.) To make a state contract with a single bidder who has submitted an application to participate in the competition and was recognized by the Offeror (Center Khrunichev - ed.) on the terms and price of the state contract 10,000,000 (ten million), which are provided by the application for participation in the tender and the tender documents, "- according to the materials.
The representative of the Khrunichev confirmed RIA Novosti that the company, in accordance with the law, provided all the necessary documents and participated in the competition. However, no further comment, he refused to take stock of the competition.
In the Russian Space Agency RIA Novosti earlier also reported that before the announcement of the competition results the information on it is not published and will not comment.
Meanwhile, the previous president - general designer Russian Rocket and Space Corporation (RSC) "Energy" Vitaly Lopota said that the company planned to bid for the development of a heavy launch vehicle class.
RIA Novosti has not yet managed to get comments from the RSC "Energia" over whether a corporation filed an application for participation in the tender Roscosmos or not.
As noted in the technical requirements for development work, space rocket complex (CRC) should ensure elimination of manned transport spacecraft prospective manned transportation system on trajectory to the moon and near-Earth space station.
In addition, according tehtrebovaniyam, the rocket should be able to remove the satellites in geosynchronous transfer (weighing eight tons when using boosters) and geostationary orbit (five tons), displaying modules of space stations and platforms to low earth orbit (not less than 20 tons).
Heavy vehicle will be created for future launches from the cosmodrom East in Amur region. Provides for the development of two variants missiles - a two-stage and three-stage. They should be the basis of the missile "Angara".
In the specifications stated that in preparation for the launch of all the operations from the start of fueling rockets should be automatic, unattended.
From Novosti Kosmonavtiki news: http://www.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/content/news.shtml, automatically translated.
« Last Edit: 09/05/2012 07:36 pm by patchfree »
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Offline anik

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Re: Vostochniy cosmodrome - updates
« Reply #28 on: 09/06/2012 11:18 am »
New photos of construction (July 4 and July 18).

http://www.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=990772#990772

Offline anik

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Re: Vostochniy cosmodrome - updates
« Reply #29 on: 10/16/2012 07:40 am »
Eros-B photos from NK forum.

Online Galactic Penguin SST

Re: Vostochniy cosmodrome - updates
« Reply #30 on: 10/16/2012 08:08 am »
So let me get the facts straight: the first phase of the project will include two launch pads, one for the Soyuz-2 and one for the Angara. Is that correct? Do they have any designations? And is there an up to date map showing the relative positions of the facilities at the cosmodrome that is newer than those earlier in the thread?

Thanks!  :)
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Offline anik

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Re: Vostochniy cosmodrome - updates
« Reply #31 on: 10/16/2012 10:37 am »
So let me get the facts straight: the first phase of the project will include two launch pads, one for the Soyuz-2 and one for the Angara. Is that correct?

I think that "the first phase" includes only one launch pad for Soyuz-2 rockets.

Do they have any designations?

Launch pad for Soyuz-2 rocket is on area 1, assembly-testing building - on area 2.

Offline osiossim

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Re: Vostochniy cosmodrome - updates
« Reply #32 on: 10/16/2012 01:20 pm »
Is there any plan to lauch Start-1 from here or they supposed to continue operations from Svobodny, if ZAO Puskovie Uslugi is not bankrupt yet?
« Last Edit: 10/16/2012 01:21 pm by osiossim »

Online Galactic Penguin SST

Re: Vostochniy cosmodrome - updates
« Reply #33 on: 10/29/2012 01:28 pm »
An excellent article by Anatoly Zak about how the Vostochniy cosmodrome - with only one redundent Soyuz-2 pad in active construction right now - is turning into a "rocket base to nowhere"  ::).

The real rocket to nowhere - A strange case of Soyuz in Vostochny: http://www.russianspaceweb.com/vostochny_soyuz.html

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Offline zaitcev

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Re: Vostochniy cosmodrome - updates
« Reply #34 on: 10/30/2012 05:54 pm »
An excellent article by Anatoly Zak about how the Vostochniy cosmodrome - with only one redundent Soyuz-2 pad in active construction right now - is turning into a "rocket base to nowhere"  ::).

Zak's position on the topic of Vostochnyi is well known to anyone who heard about Zak. In the article, he could not help to admit the essential necessity of the spaceport with "besides serving as an insurance policy against political quarrels between Russia and Kazakhstan", but then continued to apply "useless" and "redundant" to it. Not really excellent. Hard to say what kind of rein hit him under the tail, to use a Russian proverb.

Offline baldusi

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Re: Vostochniy cosmodrome - updates
« Reply #35 on: 10/30/2012 07:34 pm »
An excellent article by Anatoly Zak about how the Vostochniy cosmodrome - with only one redundent Soyuz-2 pad in active construction right now - is turning into a "rocket base to nowhere"  ::).

Zak's position on the topic of Vostochnyi is well known to anyone who heard about Zak. In the article, he could not help to admit the essential necessity of the spaceport with "besides serving as an insurance policy against political quarrels between Russia and Kazakhstan", but then continued to apply "useless" and "redundant" to it. Not really excellent. Hard to say what kind of rein hit him under the tail, to use a Russian proverb.
If I might ask, what's wrong with Vanino? It would seem a much easier launch site. No drop zones problems, a few degrees of margin for the equator, already have a city close by. Sea access for oversized payloads. What's not to like?

Offline zaitcev

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Re: Vostochniy cosmodrome - updates
« Reply #36 on: 10/30/2012 09:16 pm »
If I might ask, what's wrong with Vanino? It would seem a much easier launch site. No drop zones problems, a few degrees of margin for the equator, already have a city close by. Sea access for oversized payloads. What's not to like?
Sovetskaya Gavan' is a great place geographically, but for some reason the cost estimates for the construction came out more than 2 times greater than for Vostochnyi. Difficulties of taking a large plot of land in the relatively populated area were probably a part in the post-Soviet Russia. The earthquake danger required costly construction, too. The dramatic difference in budget was the deciding factor, I think.

Offline anik

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Re: Vostochniy cosmodrome - updates
« Reply #37 on: 11/08/2012 07:16 am »

Online owais.usmani

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Re: Vostochniy cosmodrome - updates
« Reply #38 on: 11/08/2012 11:00 am »
http://www.ampravda.ru/2012/11/07/036807.html

Lots of pictures of the ongoing construction.

Offline 360-180

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Re: Vostochniy cosmodrome - updates
« Reply #39 on: 11/14/2012 06:27 am »

Tags: vostochny angara-a5 
 

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