Rockot

The Rockot (also Rokot) () 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 (SS-19 Stiletto) intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), supplied and operated by Eurockot Launch Services. The first launches started in the 1990s from Baikonur Cosmodrome out of a silo. Later commercial launches commenced from Plesetsk Cosmodrome using a launch ramp specially rebuilt from one for the Cosmos-3M rocket. The cost of a commercial launch is estimated at 13 to 15 million United States dollars.

Specifications

Rockot's total mass is 107 tonnes, its length 29 metres and its maximum diameter 2.5 metres. The liquid-fueled rocket comprises three stages: the lower two are based on the Soviet UR-100N ICBM; the third stage is a Breeze-KM. All stages use UDMH (unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine) as fuel and dinitrogen tetroxide as oxidiser. The Strela is a similar rocket, also based on the SS-19.

History

The first suborbital test launch succeeded on 1990 November 20 in Baikonur Cosmodrome. On 1994 December 26 Rockot brought its first satellite into Earth orbit. Eurockot Launch Services GmbH, a joint venture between EADS SPACE Transportation and the Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center, markets the rockets today, moving the launch site to Plesetsk. There, the first launch took place on 2000 May 16. Also the Russian space centre Svobodny has SS-19 launch silos, which can be modified for Rockots if required.

After a number of successful launches, on 2005 October 8 a Rockot carrying a European Space Agency satellite, CryoSat, the launch vehicle 2nd stage main engine was not shut down properly, resulting in a catastrophic failure and automatic termination of the launch mission by the on-board computer, resulting in the loss of the payload. After the failed CryoSat launch, all Rockot launches were suspended until the failure was identified. The root cause was unambiguously identified and the corrective measures for Rockot's return-to-flight were implemented for the South Korean Kompsat-2 earth observation satellite launch which took place successfully on July 28, 2006.

Launch table

Planned launches

References

External links

• www.eurockot.com Website of Eurockot Launch Service Provider
• www.russianspaceweb.com/rockot.html Rockot history
• Space.com article on CryoSat launch failure

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