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International Space Flight (ESA, Russia, China and others) => Russian Launchers - Soyuz, Progress and Uncrewed => Topic started by: Skyrocket on 07/03/2006 09:58 am

Title: Molniya-M launch vehicle upper stage variants
Post by: Skyrocket on 07/03/2006 09:58 am
Hello,

has anyone information, how the versions of the Blok-L upperstage of the Molnyia-M launch vehicle differ from each other.

As far as i know, there are at least following versions:

- Blok-L for interplanetary missions and a few initial Molniya satellites
- Blok-ML for Molniya satellites
- Blok-2BL for Oko satellites, but also Interbol 1, 2 and IRS-1C
- Blok-SO-L for Prognoz satellites

Gunter
Title: Re: Molniya-M launch vehicle upper stage variants
Post by: Tobi on 02/26/2007 04:04 pm
That is really a pity that no one answered your question, Gunther!
I would also like to know the differences between the Blok L variants.
The website http://hometown.aol.de/b14643/space-rockets by N. Brügge gives the following variants:
Blok-L,-MVL,-SOL,-2BL and -2BLM
Maybe the only differences can be found in the type of payload adapter and/or preprogrammed type of trajectory.
Tobi
Title: Re: Molniya-M launch vehicle upper stage variants
Post by: Danderman on 03/26/2007 12:49 am
I would imagine that most of the differences were involved in the avionics - much as the various Block-DM stages differ by avionics packages, the same is probably true for Block-L.  In particular, given that the avionics for Molniya is pretty made up by gears, probably the flight control system for a Molniya comsat launch and a Prognoz launch are very different.

Title: Re: Molniya-M launch vehicle upper stage variants
Post by: Stan Black on 06/26/2009 04:38 pm
The only major variations were the Blok-L for the E-6 Luna missions and the Blok-NVL for Venera-7 and Venera-8. Blok-NVL feature modified tanks containing 140 kilogrammes of additional propellant.

http://www.laspace.ru/rus/venera7.php

Blok-VL used for Venera-4, Venera-5 and Venera-6.

http://www.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=3498&start=15&postdays=0&postorder=asc

Blok ML - Molniya
Blok 2BL - US-K and Interbol
Blok SO/L - Prognoz

Edit: correction to Blok-NVL
Title: Re: Molniya-M launch vehicle upper stage variants
Post by: Skyrocket on 06/29/2009 09:02 am
Quote from: Stan Black on 06/26/2009 04:38 pm
The only major variations were the Blok-L for the E-6 Luna missions and the Blok-IVL for Venera-7 and Venera-8. Blok-IVL feature modified tanks containing 140 kilogrammes of additional propellant.

http://www.laspace.ru/rus/venera7.php
On the laspace website, the upperstage is called "блок НВЛ", therefore the transcription should be "NVL", not "IVL"
Title: Re: Molniya-M launch vehicle upper stage variants
Post by: Stan Black on 06/29/2009 03:42 pm
Quote from: Skyrocket on 06/29/2009 09:02 am
Quote from: Stan Black on 06/26/2009 04:38 pm
The only major variations were the Blok-L for the E-6 Luna missions and the Blok-IVL for Venera-7 and Venera-8. Blok-IVL feature modified tanks containing 140 kilogrammes of additional propellant.

http://www.laspace.ru/rus/venera7.php
On the laspace website, the upperstage is called "блок НВЛ", therefore the transcription should be "NVL", not "IVL"

Me and my dyslexia!

Sorry for the confusion

Stan


P.S. I'm now sitting in the stupid corner...