Khrunichev
Encyclopedia
Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center (ГКНПЦ им. М. В. Хру́ничева in Russian
) is a Moscow
-based producer of spacecraft and space-launch systems, including the Proton and Rokot rockets. The company's history dates back to 1916, when an automobile factory was established outside Moscow. It soon switched production to airplanes and during World War II
produced Ilyushin Il-4
and Tupolev Tu-2
bombers. A design bureau, OKB-23, was added to the company in 1951. In 1959, the company started developing intercontinental ballistic missile
s, and later spacecraft
and space launch vehicles. The company designed and produced all Soviet space stations, including Mir
. OKB-23, renamed to Salyut Design Bureau, became an independent company in 1988. In 1993, the Khrunichev Plant and the Salyut Design Bureau were joined again to form Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center. In the 1990s, the company entered the International Launch Services
joint-venture to market launches on its Proton rocket. Khrunichev subsequently became a successful launch service provider on the international space launch market.
The company currently has an over 30% market share of the global space launch market, and its revenue from commercial space launches in 2009 was $584 million. Current number of employees - about 35,000. It is named after Mikhail Khrunichev
, a Soviet minister.
Khrunichev's history dates back to April 1916, when an automobile factory called Second "Russo-Balt" automobile plant was established outside Moscow
. The first cars of the Russo-Balt
brand were produced there in 1922. The next year, the factory switched to producing Ju-20
and Ju-21 aircraft for the German company Junkers
. The development of a Russia
n aircraft industry started soon after. During World War II
, the plant produced Russian-designed Ilyushin Il-4
and Tu-2
long-range bombers. This factory later became the Khrunichev Machine Building Plant.
In 1951 the Experimental Design Bureau No. 23 (OKB-23) headed by V. Myasishchev was created and added to Khrunichev. In the 1950s, it designed the Myasishchev M-4
, Myasishchev M-50
and Myasishchev M-52 planes, among others. The Khrunichev plant was responsible for manufacturing OKB-23 designs.
In 1959, the company's focus switched from aircraft to rocket technology, in accordange with a government decision. In the 1960s, Khrunichev and OKB-23 were subordinated to OKB-52, whose successor today is NPO Mashinostroyeniya. Under the new leadership, OKB-23 started to design intercontinental ballistic missile
s. Its first designs were the UR-200
, which never flew, followed by the successful UR-100
family of missiles. In 1962, the design process of the UR-500 super-heavy ICBM was started. This later evolved into the Proton space launch vehicle in 1964. The first Proton rocket was first launched in 16 July 1965.
The parent company, OKB-52, was renamed the Central Design Bureau of Machine-Building (TsKBM) in 1966. OKB-23 now became became known as the Fili Branch of TsKBM. It was splitted off from TsKBM in the late 1970s, and renamed the Salyut Design Bureau, or KB Salyut for short. In 1981—1988, KB Salyut was part of the large NPO Energiya company, and become an independent design bureau in 1988. The partnership with Khrunichev Machine-Building plant continued through all this time.
KB Salyut and Khrunichev were responsible for designing and producing all Soviet space stations, including Salyut, Almaz
and Mir
, as well as every heavy-weight module used for these stations.
The dissolution of the Soviet Union
resulted in great difficulties for the Russian space industry. Over the years 1989—1999, the county's space budget dropped by 88% and established production cooperation chains disintegrated. Both Khrunichev and the Salyut Design Bureau, which were now separate companies, attempted to remedy the situation by seeking earning possibilities abroad. Salyut managed to win a contract for producing the 12KRB booster for the Indian GSLV rocket and entered an agreement with Daimler Benz Aerospace to develop a recoverable capsule used for experiments in the German-Japanese Express project.
At this time, the Proton launch vehicle proved as the most profitable product for both companies. The Khrunichev plant signed a $156 million contract to launch 21 Iridium
satellites on three Proton-K
rockets in 1997-1998. Salyut managed to sign only one contract for launching the Inmarsat-3 F satellite with Proton-K at the low price of $36 million. Both companies attempted to enter partnerships with foreign companies to market Proton launches.
The situation where two companies, the design bureau and the factory, competed with each other to sell the same product proved problematic. To solve this, on 7 June 1993, President of Russia Boris Yeltsin
issued a decree to merge Khrunichev and Salyut, forming the company Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center. The new company's status was unique in that it was not subordinate to any ministries or to the Russian Space Agency. Vladimir Kirillov, writing for the Eksport Vooruzheniy journal, speculates that this was because Yeltsin's daughter Tatyana Dyachenko
, who had worked at Salyut and continued to work for Khrunichev until 1994, wished to secure a high status for the her employer.
, it was transformed into International Launch Services
(ILS). The joint venture marketed launches on both the Proton and the American Atlas rockets. The United States
had given permission for the appearance of Proton on the international launch market, but introduced a quota to protect the launch market from "Russian dumping." Despite this, the Proton, built by Khrunichev, was successful and by the end of 2000 had earned launch contracts worth over $1.5 billion.
The income from commercial launch contracts and investments from Lockheed enabled Khrunichev to conduct a serious upgrade of its facilities. This included an upgrade of the company's launch facilities in Baikonur
, for which several hundred million dollars were invested. The commercial earnings also allowed the company to develop new launch vehicles, boosters and spacecraft on its own without government support. Since its creation, International Launch Services has signed contracts for more than 100 launches valued at more than $8 billion.
In 1998, Khrunichev was made subordinate to the Russian Space Agency, then called Rosaviakosmos. Khrunichev resisted the move for a long time, and managed to prevent the agency from installing its own leadership in the company.
One disadvantage for Khrunichev was that the Blok DM upper stage, used by Proton, was manufactured by the company RSC Energia, and Khrunichev had to pay 40% of its launch revenue for its usage. Due to this, in 1996—1998, Khrunichev started the development of its own upper stage, called the Briz-KM. Party because of funding difficulties, the development process was slow and Briz-KM experienced several failures in its early days. After a Briz-M failure prevented the AMC-14
satellite from reaching its designated orbit, several modifications were made to the Briz-M.
As of 2010, the integration has resulted in the share of in-house production for Proton and the Breeze upper stage rising from 30% to 65% of the product value.
Khrunichev's main product is the Proton rocket, which has been launched more than 350 times since its creation in 1968. Latest version of the venerable rocket, which has been subject to several incremental upgrades, is Proton-M
Enhanced; it has a lifting capability of 6,150 kg to geostationary transfer orbit
. For use as Proton's upper stage, Khrunichev produces Briz-M
, which first flew in 2000. Rockot
, a converted ballistic missile, is offered for launching smaller payloads. For international marketing of Rockot launches, Khrunichev has created the joint-venture Eurockot GmbH. Another version of the Briz-M upper stage, Briz-KM, is used as Rockot's third stage.
In 2009, the company manufactured a total of 25 launch vehicles, upper stage boosters and spacecraft, while in 2005 the figure was 11. In 2010, Khrunichev aims to raise the figure to 30.
A record 15 rockets were launched by the company in 2009. In 2008, the company was responsible for lofting every third kilogram of the world's combined satellite payload.
In 2006-2009, investments in modernization and retooling amounted to RUR 2.6 billion.
in northern Russia as well as the upcoming Vostochny Cosmodrome
, instead of having to rely on Baikonur Cosmodrome
, which is located on the territory of Kazakhstan. Angara also does not use the toxic fuel that is used by Proton. The Angara programme has been hit by several delays. State funding started to reach appropriate levels only in 2005. In 2009, it was estimated that Angara had 95-97% completion rate over all major program indicators. The main stumbling block is the construction of the new launch pad in Plesetsk. Due to unrealistic deflator-indexes set by the Ministry of Defense, Khrunichev has not received enough money to order all necessary equipment for finishing the pad, pushing Angara's expected first flight to 2013. When completed, the Angara rockets are intended to replace several existing launchers, including Proton.
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
) is a Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
-based producer of spacecraft and space-launch systems, including the Proton and Rokot rockets. The company's history dates back to 1916, when an automobile factory was established outside Moscow. It soon switched production to airplanes and during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
produced Ilyushin Il-4
Ilyushin Il-4
|-See also:-Bibliography:* Gordon, Yefim and Khazanov, Dmitri. Soviet Combat Aircraft of the Second World War, Volume 2: Twin-Engined Fighters, Attack Aircraft and Bombers. Earl Shilton, UK: Midland Publishing Ltd., 2006. ISBN 1-85780-084-2...
and Tupolev Tu-2
Tupolev Tu-2
|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Bishop, Chris. The Encyclopedia of Weapons of WWII: The Comprehensive Guide to Over 1,500 Weapons Systems, Including Tanks, Small Arms, Warplanes, Artillery, Ships, and Submarines. New York: Sterling, 2002. ISBN 1-58663-762-2.* Ethell, Jeffrey L. Aircraft...
bombers. A design bureau, OKB-23, was added to the company in 1951. In 1959, the company started developing intercontinental ballistic missile
Intercontinental ballistic missile
An intercontinental ballistic missile is a ballistic missile with a long range typically designed for nuclear weapons delivery...
s, and later spacecraft
Spacecraft
A spacecraft or spaceship is a craft or machine designed for spaceflight. Spacecraft are used for a variety of purposes, including communications, earth observation, meteorology, navigation, planetary exploration and transportation of humans and cargo....
and space launch vehicles. The company designed and produced all Soviet space stations, including Mir
Mir
Mir was a space station operated in low Earth orbit from 1986 to 2001, at first by the Soviet Union and then by Russia. Assembled in orbit from 1986 to 1996, Mir was the first modular space station and had a greater mass than that of any previous spacecraft, holding the record for the...
. OKB-23, renamed to Salyut Design Bureau, became an independent company in 1988. In 1993, the Khrunichev Plant and the Salyut Design Bureau were joined again to form Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center. In the 1990s, the company entered the International Launch Services
International Launch Services
International Launch Services is a U.S.-Russian joint venture with exclusive rights to the worldwide sale of commercial Proton rocket launch services from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.- Ownership :...
joint-venture to market launches on its Proton rocket. Khrunichev subsequently became a successful launch service provider on the international space launch market.
The company currently has an over 30% market share of the global space launch market, and its revenue from commercial space launches in 2009 was $584 million. Current number of employees - about 35,000. It is named after Mikhail Khrunichev
Mikhail Khrunichev
Mikhail Vasilyevich Khrunichev was a Soviet Union statesman, lieutenant-general in the technical and engineering corps , who was awarded the title of Soviet Hero of Socialist Labour in 1945....
, a Soviet minister.
Beginnings
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
. The first cars of the Russo-Balt
Russo-Balt
Russo-Balt was one of the first Russian companies that produced cars between 1909 and 1923.- Russo-Baltic Wagon Corp. :...
brand were produced there in 1922. The next year, the factory switched to producing Ju-20
Junkers A 35
-See also:*...
and Ju-21 aircraft for the German company Junkers
Junkers
Junkers Flugzeug- und Motorenwerke AG , more commonly Junkers, was a major German aircraft manufacturer. It produced some of the world's most innovative and best-known airplanes over the course of its fifty-plus year history in Dessau, Germany. It was founded there in 1895 by Hugo Junkers,...
. The development of a Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n aircraft industry started soon after. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the plant produced Russian-designed Ilyushin Il-4
Ilyushin Il-4
|-See also:-Bibliography:* Gordon, Yefim and Khazanov, Dmitri. Soviet Combat Aircraft of the Second World War, Volume 2: Twin-Engined Fighters, Attack Aircraft and Bombers. Earl Shilton, UK: Midland Publishing Ltd., 2006. ISBN 1-85780-084-2...
and Tu-2
Tupolev Tu-2
|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Bishop, Chris. The Encyclopedia of Weapons of WWII: The Comprehensive Guide to Over 1,500 Weapons Systems, Including Tanks, Small Arms, Warplanes, Artillery, Ships, and Submarines. New York: Sterling, 2002. ISBN 1-58663-762-2.* Ethell, Jeffrey L. Aircraft...
long-range bombers. This factory later became the Khrunichev Machine Building Plant.
Soviet era
Myasishchev M-4
The Myasishchev M-4 Molot , USAF/DoD reporting name "Type 37", NATO reporting name 'Bison'.) is a four-engined strategic bomber designed by Vladimir Myasishchev and manufactured by the Soviet Union in the 1950s to provide a bomber capable of attacking targets in North America...
, Myasishchev M-50
Myasishchev M-50
-External links:* http://www.aviation.ru/Mya/#50* *...
and Myasishchev M-52 planes, among others. The Khrunichev plant was responsible for manufacturing OKB-23 designs.
In 1959, the company's focus switched from aircraft to rocket technology, in accordange with a government decision. In the 1960s, Khrunichev and OKB-23 were subordinated to OKB-52, whose successor today is NPO Mashinostroyeniya. Under the new leadership, OKB-23 started to design intercontinental ballistic missile
Intercontinental ballistic missile
An intercontinental ballistic missile is a ballistic missile with a long range typically designed for nuclear weapons delivery...
s. Its first designs were the UR-200
UR-200
The UR-200 was an intercontinental ballistic missile developed by OKB-52 of Vladimir Nikolaevich Chelomey in the Soviet Union. It was known during the Cold War by the NATO reporting name SS-10 Scrag and internally by the GRAU index 8K81...
, which never flew, followed by the successful UR-100
UR-100
The UR-100 was an intercontinental ballistic missile developed and deployed by the Soviet Union from 1966 to 1996. УР in its designation stands for "универсальная ракета"...
family of missiles. In 1962, the design process of the UR-500 super-heavy ICBM was started. This later evolved into the Proton space launch vehicle in 1964. The first Proton rocket was first launched in 16 July 1965.
The parent company, OKB-52, was renamed the Central Design Bureau of Machine-Building (TsKBM) in 1966. OKB-23 now became became known as the Fili Branch of TsKBM. It was splitted off from TsKBM in the late 1970s, and renamed the Salyut Design Bureau, or KB Salyut for short. In 1981—1988, KB Salyut was part of the large NPO Energiya company, and become an independent design bureau in 1988. The partnership with Khrunichev Machine-Building plant continued through all this time.
KB Salyut and Khrunichev were responsible for designing and producing all Soviet space stations, including Salyut, Almaz
Almaz
The Almaz program was a series of military space stations launched by the Soviet Union under cover of the civilian Salyut DOS-17K program after 1971....
and Mir
Mir
Mir was a space station operated in low Earth orbit from 1986 to 2001, at first by the Soviet Union and then by Russia. Assembled in orbit from 1986 to 1996, Mir was the first modular space station and had a greater mass than that of any previous spacecraft, holding the record for the...
, as well as every heavy-weight module used for these stations.
Post-1991 adjustments
Dissolution of the Soviet Union
The dissolution of the Soviet Union was the disintegration of the federal political structures and central government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , resulting in the independence of all fifteen republics of the Soviet Union between March 11, 1990 and December 25, 1991...
resulted in great difficulties for the Russian space industry. Over the years 1989—1999, the county's space budget dropped by 88% and established production cooperation chains disintegrated. Both Khrunichev and the Salyut Design Bureau, which were now separate companies, attempted to remedy the situation by seeking earning possibilities abroad. Salyut managed to win a contract for producing the 12KRB booster for the Indian GSLV rocket and entered an agreement with Daimler Benz Aerospace to develop a recoverable capsule used for experiments in the German-Japanese Express project.
At this time, the Proton launch vehicle proved as the most profitable product for both companies. The Khrunichev plant signed a $156 million contract to launch 21 Iridium
Iridium (satellite)
Iridium Communications Inc. is a company, based in McLean, VA, United States which operates the Iridium satellite constellation, a system of 66 active satellites used for worldwide voice and data communication from hand-held satellite phones and other transceiver units...
satellites on three Proton-K
Proton-K
The Proton-K, also designated Proton 8K82K after its GRAU index, 8K82K, is a Russian, previously Soviet, carrier rocket derived from the earlier Proton. It was built by Khrunichev, and is launched from sites 81 and 200 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan...
rockets in 1997-1998. Salyut managed to sign only one contract for launching the Inmarsat-3 F satellite with Proton-K at the low price of $36 million. Both companies attempted to enter partnerships with foreign companies to market Proton launches.
The situation where two companies, the design bureau and the factory, competed with each other to sell the same product proved problematic. To solve this, on 7 June 1993, President of Russia Boris Yeltsin
Boris Yeltsin
Boris Nikolayevich Yeltsin was the first President of the Russian Federation, serving from 1991 to 1999.Originally a supporter of Mikhail Gorbachev, Yeltsin emerged under the perestroika reforms as one of Gorbachev's most powerful political opponents. On 29 May 1990 he was elected the chairman of...
issued a decree to merge Khrunichev and Salyut, forming the company Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center. The new company's status was unique in that it was not subordinate to any ministries or to the Russian Space Agency. Vladimir Kirillov, writing for the Eksport Vooruzheniy journal, speculates that this was because Yeltsin's daughter Tatyana Dyachenko
Tatyana Dyachenko
Tatyana Borisovna Yumasheva is a daughter of former Russian President Boris Yeltsin. She was trained in computer science.She worked at the Salyut Design Bureau and later at Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center until 1994....
, who had worked at Salyut and continued to work for Khrunichev until 1994, wished to secure a high status for the her employer.
Success on the international launch market
On 15 April 1993 Khrunichev had created the Lockheed-Khrunichev-Energia joint venture with the American company Lockheed, and in 1995, due to the merger of Lockheed and Martin MariettaMartin Marietta
Martin Marietta Corporation was an American company founded in 1961 through the merger of The Martin Company and American-Marietta Corporation. The combined company became a leader in chemicals, aerospace, and electronics. In 1995, it merged with Lockheed Corporation to form Lockheed Martin. The...
, it was transformed into International Launch Services
International Launch Services
International Launch Services is a U.S.-Russian joint venture with exclusive rights to the worldwide sale of commercial Proton rocket launch services from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.- Ownership :...
(ILS). The joint venture marketed launches on both the Proton and the American Atlas rockets. The United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
had given permission for the appearance of Proton on the international launch market, but introduced a quota to protect the launch market from "Russian dumping." Despite this, the Proton, built by Khrunichev, was successful and by the end of 2000 had earned launch contracts worth over $1.5 billion.
The income from commercial launch contracts and investments from Lockheed enabled Khrunichev to conduct a serious upgrade of its facilities. This included an upgrade of the company's launch facilities in Baikonur
Baikonur Cosmodrome
The Baikonur Cosmodrome , also called Tyuratam, is the world's first and largest operational space launch facility. It is located in the desert steppe of Kazakhstan, about east of the Aral Sea, north of the Syr Darya river, near Tyuratam railway station, at 90 meters above sea level...
, for which several hundred million dollars were invested. The commercial earnings also allowed the company to develop new launch vehicles, boosters and spacecraft on its own without government support. Since its creation, International Launch Services has signed contracts for more than 100 launches valued at more than $8 billion.
In 1998, Khrunichev was made subordinate to the Russian Space Agency, then called Rosaviakosmos. Khrunichev resisted the move for a long time, and managed to prevent the agency from installing its own leadership in the company.
One disadvantage for Khrunichev was that the Blok DM upper stage, used by Proton, was manufactured by the company RSC Energia, and Khrunichev had to pay 40% of its launch revenue for its usage. Due to this, in 1996—1998, Khrunichev started the development of its own upper stage, called the Briz-KM. Party because of funding difficulties, the development process was slow and Briz-KM experienced several failures in its early days. After a Briz-M failure prevented the AMC-14
AMC-14 (satellite)
AMC-14 is a communications satellite initially owned by SES Americom which was to have been placed in geostationary orbit, following launch by a Proton rocket. Built by Lockheed Martin and based on the A2100 satellite bus, AMC-14 was to have been located at 61.5° west longitude and would have been...
satellite from reaching its designated orbit, several modifications were made to the Briz-M.
Integration programme
In the 2000s, Khrunichev entered a vertical integration programme to bring its principal suppliers under a single management. For this purpose, Khrunichev absorbed the following companies:- PO Polyot, a rocket manufacturer located in OmskOmsk-History:The wooden fort of Omsk was erected in 1716 to protect the expanding Russian frontier along the Ishim and the Irtysh rivers against the Kyrgyz nomads of the Steppes...
- Proton-PM, an engine maker located in PermPermPerm is a city and the administrative center of Perm Krai, Russia, located on the banks of the Kama River, in the European part of Russia near the Ural Mountains. From 1940 to 1957 it was named Molotov ....
- Voronezh Mechanical Plant, which manufactures engines for Proton Stages II and III, Soyuz Stage III and Zenit upper stage.
- KBKhM, manufacturer of propulsion systems for the Breeze upper stage
- KBKhA, a contractor for production and design issues
As of 2010, the integration has resulted in the share of in-house production for Proton and the Breeze upper stage rising from 30% to 65% of the product value.
Production
Proton-M
The Proton-M, GRAU index 8K82M or 8K82KM, is a Russian carrier rocket derived from the Soviet-developed Proton. It is built by Khrunichev, and launched from sites 81 and 200 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Commercial launches are marketed by International Launch Services , and generally...
Enhanced; it has a lifting capability of 6,150 kg to geostationary transfer orbit
Geostationary transfer orbit
A geosynchronous transfer orbit or geostationary transfer orbit is a Hohmann transfer orbit used to reach geosynchronous or geostationary orbit....
. For use as Proton's upper stage, Khrunichev produces Briz-M
Briz-M
The Briz-M , is a Russian orbit insertion upper stage manufactured by Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center and used on the Proton-M rocket.- Characteristics :...
, which first flew in 2000. Rockot
Rockot
The Rokot , also transliterated as a the pun Rockot, is a Russian space launch vehicle that can launch a payload of 1,950 kilograms into a 200 kilometre high Earth orbit with 63° inclination. It is a derivative of the UR-100N intercontinental ballistic missile , supplied and operated by Eurockot...
, a converted ballistic missile, is offered for launching smaller payloads. For international marketing of Rockot launches, Khrunichev has created the joint-venture Eurockot GmbH. Another version of the Briz-M upper stage, Briz-KM, is used as Rockot's third stage.
In 2009, the company manufactured a total of 25 launch vehicles, upper stage boosters and spacecraft, while in 2005 the figure was 11. In 2010, Khrunichev aims to raise the figure to 30.
A record 15 rockets were launched by the company in 2009. In 2008, the company was responsible for lofting every third kilogram of the world's combined satellite payload.
Revenue
Khrunichev's revenue from commercial launches (not including launches for the Ministry of Defense) in 2009 was $584 million—growing considerably from the $198 million figure in 2004. Since 1994, Proton has earned $4.3 billion for the Russian space industry as a whole, and in 2011 this figure is expected to raise to $6 billion.In 2006-2009, investments in modernization and retooling amounted to RUR 2.6 billion.
Angara rocket family
Since 1995, Khrunichev has been developing the Angara rocket family. The main purpose of Angara is to ensure Russia's independent access to space, as the rockets can be launched from the Plesetsk CosmodromePlesetsk Cosmodrome
Plesetsk Cosmodrome is a Russian spaceport, located in Arkhangelsk Oblast, about 800 km north of Moscow and approximately 200 km south of Arkhangelsk.-Overview:...
in northern Russia as well as the upcoming Vostochny Cosmodrome
Vostochny Cosmodrome
The Vostochny Cosmodrome is a planned Russian spaceport, to be located at 51 degrees north in the Amur Oblast, in the Russian Far East. It is intended to reduce Russia's dependency on the Baikonur Cosmodrome, which is located in Kazakhstan...
, instead of having to rely on Baikonur Cosmodrome
Baikonur Cosmodrome
The Baikonur Cosmodrome , also called Tyuratam, is the world's first and largest operational space launch facility. It is located in the desert steppe of Kazakhstan, about east of the Aral Sea, north of the Syr Darya river, near Tyuratam railway station, at 90 meters above sea level...
, which is located on the territory of Kazakhstan. Angara also does not use the toxic fuel that is used by Proton. The Angara programme has been hit by several delays. State funding started to reach appropriate levels only in 2005. In 2009, it was estimated that Angara had 95-97% completion rate over all major program indicators. The main stumbling block is the construction of the new launch pad in Plesetsk. Due to unrealistic deflator-indexes set by the Ministry of Defense, Khrunichev has not received enough money to order all necessary equipment for finishing the pad, pushing Angara's expected first flight to 2013. When completed, the Angara rockets are intended to replace several existing launchers, including Proton.
List of rockets and missiles
- Angara (rocket)
- Briz-MBriz-MThe Briz-M , is a Russian orbit insertion upper stage manufactured by Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center and used on the Proton-M rocket.- Characteristics :...
- Proton (rocket)
- RockotRockotThe Rokot , also transliterated as a the pun Rockot, is a Russian space launch vehicle that can launch a payload of 1,950 kilograms into a 200 kilometre high Earth orbit with 63° inclination. It is a derivative of the UR-100N intercontinental ballistic missile , supplied and operated by Eurockot...
- Universal RocketUniversal RocketThe Universal Rocket or UR family of missiles and carrier rockets is a Russian, previously Soviet rocket family. Intended to allow the same technology to be used in all Soviet rockets, the UR is produced by the Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Centre. Several variants were originally...
- UR-100UR-100The UR-100 was an intercontinental ballistic missile developed and deployed by the Soviet Union from 1966 to 1996. УР in its designation stands for "универсальная ракета"...
- UR-100N
- MR-UR-100 Sotka
- UR-200UR-200The UR-200 was an intercontinental ballistic missile developed by OKB-52 of Vladimir Nikolaevich Chelomey in the Soviet Union. It was known during the Cold War by the NATO reporting name SS-10 Scrag and internally by the GRAU index 8K81...
- UR-100
External links
- Khrunichev web-site
- Khrunichev State Space Scientific Production Center at the Nuclear Threat Initiative
- http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/economics/staff/faculty/harrison/vpk/data/