Author Topic: Proton-K launch with Oko satellite - March 30, 2012 (Read 46526 times)

Satori · « **Reply #20 on:** 03/27/2012 08:37 am »

Quote from: anik on 03/26/2012 08:29 am

I was told, Proton-K rocket will be transported to the launch pad 81/24 tomorrow.

Is it already on the launch pad?!

anik · « **Reply #21 on:** 03/27/2012 11:09 am »

Quote from: Satori on 03/27/2012 08:37 am

Is it already on the launch pad?!

Yes.

Satori · « **Reply #22 on:** 03/27/2012 11:13 am »

Quote from: anik on 03/27/2012 11:09 am

Quote from: Satori on 03/27/2012 08:37 am
Is it already on the launch pad?!

Yes.

Thank you Andrey.

Prober · « **Reply #23 on:** 03/27/2012 03:00 pm »

Any major differences in the K model vs the M model?

Galactic Penguin SST · « **Reply #24 on:** 03/27/2012 03:43 pm »

Quote from: Prober on 03/27/2012 03:00 pm

Any major differences in the K model vs the M model?

IIRC, new avionics and control system, lighter tank structures (still improving with different variations of the Proton-M), slightly larger thrust and performance for the first stage engines etc. The last ILS Proton-K mission was flown quite some time ago (June 2003), however the Russians continued to produce the K version for sometime for Russian commercial, government and (especially) MoD launches. This booster was in storage for several years already, as the last Proton-K launch was 32 launches ago (in February 2009).

anik · « **Reply #25 on:** 03/29/2012 05:42 pm »

The launch is planned at 05:49 UTC and satellite separation - at 12:27 UTC.

Chris Bergin · « **Reply #26 on:** 03/29/2012 10:04 pm »

Anyone know of any coverage? (Such as that channel which shows the Progress launches?)

Satori · « **Reply #27 on:** 03/29/2012 10:20 pm »

Quote from: Chris Bergin on 03/29/2012 10:04 pm

Anyone know of any coverage? (Such as that channel which shows the Progress launches?)

Military launch, so no coverage.

Chris Bergin · « **Reply #28 on:** 03/29/2012 11:46 pm »

Ah, ok - we'll have an article via William, but we won't change this to a live thread due to the lack of webcast.

Rahkashi · « **Reply #29 on:** 03/30/2012 12:20 am »

So there's no coverage at all?

Chris Bergin · « **Reply #30 on:** 03/30/2012 12:25 am »

Quote from: Rahkashi on 03/30/2012 12:20 am

So there's no coverage at all?

Nope.

Prober · « **Reply #31 on:** 03/30/2012 01:01 am »

Quote from: Satori on 03/29/2012 10:20 pm

Quote from: Chris Bergin on 03/29/2012 10:04 pm
Anyone know of any coverage? (Such as that channel which shows the Progress launches?)

Military launch, so no coverage.

some things never change. Why not show the launch? Unless they fear mistakes?

Rahkashi · « **Reply #32 on:** 03/30/2012 01:19 am »

Sad I won't be able to see the last Proton-K launch

Chris Bergin · « **Reply #33 on:** 03/30/2012 03:36 am »

Amazing read - especially the history - via this article by William Graham:

Russian Proton-K to complete 45 years of service with US-KMO satellite launch
http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2012/03/russian-proton-k-rocket-launch-us-kmo/

Very fitting for its final launch.