NASASpaceFlight.com Forum
International Space Flight (ESA, Russia, China and others) => Russian Launchers - Soyuz, Progress and Uncrewed => Topic started by: pr1268 on 04/09/2008 08:36 pm
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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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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
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Umm, crew access?
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Yep, the R7 pad diagram doesn't have the two large access gantries for crew to enter the Soyuz.
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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.)