DOCSLIB.ORG

Monitoring of Rockets Launching from Baykonur Cosmodrome by Data of Seismic and Infrasound Stations of Kazakhstan

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Monitoring of Rockets Launching from Baykonur Cosmodrome by Data of Seismic and Infrasound Stations of Kazakhstan (T2-P47) MONITORING OF ROCKETS LAUNCHING FROM BAYKONUR COSMODROME BY DATA OF SEISMIC AND INFRASOUND STATIONS OF KAZAKHSTAN Sokolova I.N., Mikhailova N.N. Institute of Geophysical Research, Kazakhstan Each year tens of rockets are launched from Baykonur cosmodrome located in Central Kazakhstan. The traces of rockets launched from “Baykonur” pass over the territory of some Kazakhstan regions. The specific of most foreign cosmodromes is that the main trace of rockets flight and fall of vehicle stages is under oceans. Analysis of waveforms of signals related to carrier rockets flights. It is known that some stages of flight and emergency launches of carrier rockets have negative ecological consequences related to emission of toxic fuel into atmosphere or ground. For The selected fragments of the records allowed to process the signals that included revealing of seismic phases, determination of seismic urgent assessment for such situations consequences it is necessary to determine the coordinates of a carrier rocket fall, and at explosion in atmosphere – height of explosion and coordinates. The database of seismo-acoustic data fragments related to carrier rockets launch from Baykonur cosmodrome was created using records of the RSE IGR network stations for waves arrival time. After that, basing on this data the event was located, the time of fall onto the Earth surface and energy characteristics of Currently, in Kazakhstan there is no special service for recording such events using seismic and infrasound monitoring methods. Thus, much time is required to find the places of rockets the period 1994-2012. The fragments duration is 45 minutes beginning from the rocket launch time, the database is in CSS3.0 format. All fragments were analyzed on presence of the event were determined. Note that recorded signals were quite weak, thus frequency filtering was used for its clear extraction on the fall, sometimes those are not found at all, in the case of explosion in air the explosion yield is not measured making impossible to assess the volume of released fuel. seismo-acoustic signals. As a result, several types of recorded phenomena corresponding to the rocket flight were revealed on active part of its trajectory. background of seismic noise. Since 1994 the monitoring network of the IGR RK that includes 8 seismic arrays, 7 three-component stations and 2 infrasound arrays (Figure 1) has been operating successfully on the The first class are launches recorded by IS31 infrasound station located ~610 km away from the cosmodrome. Figure 8 shows the record of Proton-M carrier rocket launch from The final processing results showed that the event epicenter was 571 km away from Akbulak station and 725 km away from Karatayu territory of Kazakhstan. 5 stations are included into the IMS. The main feature of Kazakhstan monitoring network is that all stations are located throughout the perimeter of the Republic; launching mount-39 on June 3, 2010 in 22-00-07.9. The launch signal and several infrasound phases are clearly seen. The beginning of the record corresponds to 1936s after station. The time of the carrier rocket fall was 19 h 47 min 10.59 sec Greenwich time. The released seismic energy corresponds to earthquake the network contains large number of high-sensitive seismic arrays of different aperture and configuration. Owing to good stations location in view of geology and characteristics of seismic launching, the first train corresponds to the moment of the rocket takeoff, v~315 m/s. Despite close location to the cosmodrome, IS31 station does not record all launches from energy with energy class 6, magnitude mpv = 2.44. This seismic event is related to small one, and the fact that the signals were recorded and noise, well-configured arrays, location of most stations in boreholes, joint operation of broadband and short-period instruments, all system stations are high sensitive to regional and Baykonur space port. The reasons are unfavorable conditions for recording during the flight, large wind velocity at the station region, and unfavorable atmosphere conditions at discriminated on the background of noise is a result of high sensitivity of seismic arrays. Note that the event magnitude is not a representative teleseismic events of different nature. In addition to permanent stations, the network of field seismic stations is often installed which data can be used for more detailed monitoring of the launch moment. In total, the station records 45% of all launches, maximum number of recorded launches are in June-August [8]. events. The task of this work is investigation of possibility of seismo-acoustic recording of phenomena related to flights of carrier rockets over the territory of Kazakhstan by the IGR one for the region and at other noise conditions it could remain unrecorded. Another widespread type of signals is the moment of the second stage separation from the rocket and PLF jettison. These phenomena are recorded by the stations located at the monitoring network. The seismic records allowed to determine the coordinates of the rocket fall place: latitude 44.53 N., longitude 62.95 E. Calculation error STS regions in amount ~50% of all launches. Figure 9 shows the record of seismo-acoustic signal at the moment of the second stage separation and PLF jettison of Proton-M carrier for latitude was 44.53 - 44.57=-0.04, that corresponds to 4.8 km. Calculation error for longitude was 62.95 - 62.97=-0.02, i.e. 1.3 km. rocket launched from launching mount-24 on May 17, 2012 in 19-12-14, the height is ~120 km by data of KURIS infrasound station, Kurchatov-Cross seismic array and KURK Brief characteristics of rockets launching from Baykonur cosmodrome. Thus, the IGR seismic stations allowed to locate the crater formed as a result of “Dnepr” carrier rocket explosion with high accuracy at station. Kurchatov-Cross seismic array records clearly show low-frequency surface signal followed by acoustic signal. Arrival time from the start time is tRg(KURBB)=914 s, distances 600 – 700 km [5]. The cosmodrome consists of 9 launching sites with 14 launching mounts [2], carrier rockets “Proton-K”, “Zenit-2”, “Soyuz-U”, “Soyuz-U2”, “Molniya-M”, “Cyclon-2”, “Rokot” are tI(KURBB)=920 s, for infrasound station tI1=911 s, tI2=923 s. Such signals are recorded from carrier rockets Proton-M, Soyuz-2, Soyuz-FG, Soyuz-U, Zenit launched with inclination IS31 infrasound station recorded launch and fall of “Dnepr” carrier rocket. The original records by low- and high frequency channels launched from here. Total area of the cosmodrome is 6717 square kilometers. About 40 percent of all space vehicles of the former USSR and Russia were placed into orbit from Baykonur angle to orbit 51.6, 64.8, and by geostationary. are shown in Figure 15, the records after filtration – in Figure 16. cosmodrome. The cosmodrome consists of the center site, left and right sides and fall area. After the carrier rockets launch, its first and second stages, and fairings of space vehicles fall During operation of the field stations network the signals of PLF jettison were recorded (Figure 10). Figure 11 shows a seismogram of this phenomena recorded by DEG1 station onto ground in different areas. First stages fall onto the territory of Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan, second stages fall mostly at Tomsk and Novosibirsk areas, however there are other fall located at Degelen site of the STS, and seismograms of a tectonic earthquake of July 24, 2010, 2010, 0-58-24.2, 49.784, 77.995, quarry blast conducted at Karazhal quarry on July 24, areas, for example, Yakutia [2]. 2010, 14-25-15.7, 49.869, 78.049; the record of collapse of May 23, 2010, 23-17-27.9, 49.7802, 78.0336 recorded at close distances from the station. The earthquake record shows clear As KAZNET stations network has been operating since July 21, 1994 the present work analysis the rocket launches starting from that moment until 2012. During that period 365 arrivals of P and S waves, As/Ap>1. Low-frequency surface wave is prevailing in explosion record, and clear arrivals of P and S waves are observed in the high-frequency record of rockets were launched from Baykonur (Table 3, Figure 3), i.e. about 20 launches per year. The rocket flight trace depends on inclination angle of an orbit to which the rocket is placed. Table rock fall, As/Ap<1. The record of PLF jettison differs from seismic records of other events, and consists of low-frequency surface wave and high-frequency infrasound signal. 1 (Figure 2) shows information about number of launches for the period 27.07.1994-31.12.2012 for different carrier rockets launched from the cosmodrome, and inclination angles of orbits to which space vehicles were placed [2, 3, 4]. For the investigated period, Proton and Soyuz carrier rockets were launched most frequently. Figure 3 shows a diagram of an orbit inclination angle distribution to which orbital units were placed for investigated period, the usual inclination angles are ~51.6 and ~64.8, the corresponding flight traces are shown in Figure 1. Interesting to note that both traces are near Kurchatov-Cross seismic array (KUR) and infrasound array (KURIS). The infrasound sources during the carrier rockets flights in active part of its trajectory are: turbulent fluctuations of jet flame products, “attached” shock wave at carrier rocket stages fall, explosion of the carrier rocket in crash [6]. The sources of seismic fluctuations during the carrier rockets flight could be: chock wave at carrier rocket stages fall, the carrier rocket stages fall, fall and explosion of a carrier rocket in crash. Standard cyclograms of the carrier rockets flights and trajectories of space vehicles flights and stages after launching can be used for interpreting of seismic and acoustic fluctuations (by information from Scientific and Developmental Center named after Khrunichev) (Figure 4) [4].
Load more

Recommended publications
  • GLONASS Spacecraft
    INNO V AT IO N The task of designing and developing the GLONASS GLONASS spacecraft fell to the Scientific Production Association of Applied Mechan­ ics (Nauchno Proizvodstvennoe Ob"edinenie Spacecraft Prikladnoi Mekaniki or NPO PM) , located near Krasnoyarsk in Siberia. This major aero­ Nicholas L. Johnson space industrial complex was established in 1959 as a division of Sergei Korolev 's Kaman Sciences Corporation Expe1imental Design Bureau (Opytno Kon­ struktorskoe Byuro or OKB). (Korolev , among other notable achievements , led the Fourteen years after the launch of the effort to develop the Soviet Union's first first test spacecraft, the Russian Global Nav­ launch vehicle - the A launcher - which igation Satellite System (Global 'naya Navi­ placed Sputnik 1 into orbit.) The founding gatsionnaya Sputnikovaya Sistema or and current general director and chief GLONASS) program remains viable and designer is Mikhail Fyodorovich Reshetnev, essentially on schedule despite the economic one of only two still-active chief designers and political turmoil surrounding the final from Russia's fledgling 1950s-era space years of the Soviet Union and the emergence program. of the Commonwealth of Independent States A closed facility until the early 1990s, (CIS). By the summer of 1994, a total of 53 NPO PM has been responsible for all major GLONASS spacecraft had been successfully Russian operational communications, navi­ Despite the significant economic hardships deployed in nearly semisynchronous orbits; gation, and geodetic satellite systems to associated with the breakup of the Soviet Union of the 53 , nearly 12 had been normally oper­ date. Serial (or assembly-line) production of and the transition to a modern market economy, ational since the establishment of the Phase I some spacecraft, including Tsikada and Russia continues to develop its space programs, constellation in 1990.
    [Show full text]
  • Trade Studies Towards an Australian Indigenous Space Launch System
    TRADE STUDIES TOWARDS AN AUSTRALIAN INDIGENOUS SPACE LAUNCH SYSTEM A thesis submitted for the degree of Master of Engineering by Gordon P. Briggs B.Sc. (Hons), M.Sc. (Astron) School of Engineering and Information Technology, University College, University of New South Wales, Australian Defence Force Academy January 2010 Abstract During the project Apollo moon landings of the mid 1970s the United States of America was the pre-eminent space faring nation followed closely by only the USSR. Since that time many other nations have realised the potential of spaceflight not only for immediate financial gain in areas such as communications and earth observation but also in the strategic areas of scientific discovery, industrial development and national prestige. Australia on the other hand has resolutely refused to participate by instituting its own space program. Successive Australian governments have preferred to obtain any required space hardware or services by purchasing off-the-shelf from foreign suppliers. This policy or attitude is a matter of frustration to those sections of the Australian technical community who believe that the nation should be participating in space technology. In particular the provision of an indigenous launch vehicle that would guarantee the nation independent access to the space frontier. It would therefore appear that any launch vehicle development in Australia will be left to non- government organisations to at least define the requirements for such a vehicle and to initiate development of long-lead items for such a project. It is therefore the aim of this thesis to attempt to define some of the requirements for a nascent Australian indigenous launch vehicle system.
    [Show full text]
  • Igor AFANASYEV, Dmitry VORONTSOV Cosmonautics | Event
    cosmonautics | event Andrey Morgunov Igor AFANASYEV, Dmitry VORONTSOV AANGARA’SNGARA’S FFIRSTIRST BBLASTOFFLASTOFF At 16.04 hrs Moscow time on 9 July 2014, the Plesetsk space launch centre saw the launching facility in February 2014 to the first launch of the Angara-1.2PP launch vehicle of the advanced space rocket practice its fuelling and the nose fairing was family being developed by the Khrunichev state space research and production fitted on the rocket in March. The successful ground tests were followed by the prelaunch centre. The maiden blastoff conducted as part of the Angara flight test programme preparations. was aimed at testing the solutions embodied in the design of the URM-1 and URM-2 The date of the launch was put off for versatile rocket modules and the Angara’s launch and technical facilities as well. 27 June 2014 due to extra checks required. In this connection, orbiting an actual spacecraft had not been considered, with On 9 June, Khrunichev hosted a session of an inseparable full-scale mock-up used as payload. The flight was suborbital to the Chief Designers Council, dedicated to prevent cluttering near-Earth orbit with space junk. the preparation of the Angara to its flight tests. The session pronounced the rocket fit To say the Angara’s first launch had been In spite of the hurdles, the developer, for the trials. anticipated for a long time would be an nevertheless, got in the stretch with the Angara The LV had been taken out of the assembly understatement: it was slated for 2005 under programme.
    [Show full text]
  • The European Launchers Between Commerce and Geopolitics
    The European Launchers between Commerce and Geopolitics Report 56 March 2016 Marco Aliberti Matteo Tugnoli Short title: ESPI Report 56 ISSN: 2218-0931 (print), 2076-6688 (online) Published in March 2016 Editor and publisher: European Space Policy Institute, ESPI Schwarzenbergplatz 6 • 1030 Vienna • Austria http://www.espi.or.at Tel. +43 1 7181118-0; Fax -99 Rights reserved – No part of this report may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or for any purpose with- out permission from ESPI. Citations and extracts to be published by other means are subject to mentioning “Source: ESPI Report 56; March 2016. All rights reserved” and sample transmission to ESPI before publishing. ESPI is not responsible for any losses, injury or damage caused to any person or property (including under contract, by negligence, product liability or otherwise) whether they may be direct or indirect, special, inciden- tal or consequential, resulting from the information contained in this publication. Design: Panthera.cc ESPI Report 56 2 March 2016 The European Launchers between Commerce and Geopolitics Table of Contents Executive Summary 5 1. Introduction 10 1.1 Access to Space at the Nexus of Commerce and Geopolitics 10 1.2 Objectives of the Report 12 1.3 Methodology and Structure 12 2. Access to Space in Europe 14 2.1 European Launchers: from Political Autonomy to Market Dominance 14 2.1.1 The Quest for European Independent Access to Space 14 2.1.3 European Launchers: the Current Family 16 2.1.3 The Working System: Launcher Strategy, Development and Exploitation 19 2.2 Preparing for the Future: the 2014 ESA Ministerial Council 22 2.2.1 The Path to the Ministerial 22 2.2.2 A Look at Europe’s Future Launchers and Infrastructure 26 2.2.3 A Revolution in Governance 30 3.
    [Show full text]
  • Redalyc.Status and Trends of Smallsats and Their Launch Vehicles
    Journal of Aerospace Technology and Management ISSN: 1984-9648 [email protected] Instituto de Aeronáutica e Espaço Brasil Wekerle, Timo; Bezerra Pessoa Filho, José; Vergueiro Loures da Costa, Luís Eduardo; Gonzaga Trabasso, Luís Status and Trends of Smallsats and Their Launch Vehicles — An Up-to-date Review Journal of Aerospace Technology and Management, vol. 9, núm. 3, julio-septiembre, 2017, pp. 269-286 Instituto de Aeronáutica e Espaço São Paulo, Brasil Available in: http://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=309452133001 How to cite Complete issue Scientific Information System More information about this article Network of Scientific Journals from Latin America, the Caribbean, Spain and Portugal Journal's homepage in redalyc.org Non-profit academic project, developed under the open access initiative doi: 10.5028/jatm.v9i3.853 Status and Trends of Smallsats and Their Launch Vehicles — An Up-to-date Review Timo Wekerle1, José Bezerra Pessoa Filho2, Luís Eduardo Vergueiro Loures da Costa1, Luís Gonzaga Trabasso1 ABSTRACT: This paper presents an analysis of the scenario of small satellites and its correspondent launch vehicles. The INTRODUCTION miniaturization of electronics, together with reliability and performance increase as well as reduction of cost, have During the past 30 years, electronic devices have experienced allowed the use of commercials-off-the-shelf in the space industry, fostering the Smallsat use. An analysis of the enormous advancements in terms of performance, reliability and launched Smallsats during the last 20 years is accomplished lower prices. In the mid-80s, a USD 36 million supercomputer and the main factors for the Smallsat (r)evolution, outlined.
    [Show full text]
  • Launch Vehicle Classification for Decision-Making of Small
    Trans. Japan Soc. Aero. Space Sci. Vol. 64, No. 4, pp. 234–241, 2021 DOI: 10.2322/tjsass.64.234 Launch Vehicle Classification for Decision-Making of Small Satellite Launch Options* Mengying ZHANG,1) Qin XU,2)† and Qingbin ZHANG1) 1)College of Aerospace Science and Engineering, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha, Hunan 410073, China 2)Center for Assessment and Demonstration Research, Academy of Military Science, Beijing 100091, China In recent years, there has been a steady increase in the small satellite launch market. With the rapid development of novel launchers, for small satellite owners and operators, how to effectively and efficiently choose appropriate launch ve- hicles has become a major concern. Based on updated launch records, a reliable launch data source for multi-attribute eval- uation and reclassification is established. Using a statistical classification process, active launch vehicles are classified into five representative-in-class launchers on the basis of their capabilities and performance. Unlike the previous categorisation based on payload ability, this method captures launch cost, technology maturity, reliability and availability of each cat- egory within the current launch vehicles in service. Moreover, representatives are selected as the baseline types for the high-level planning and designing of complex small satellite launch missions. The analysis indicates that this study pro- vides a valid statistical classification and selection strategy of representative-in-class launch vehicles to support decision- making for rapid assessment on a large number of small satellite launch missions. Key Words: Small Satellite, Launcher Selection, Reliability, Launch Cost 1. Introduction 350 Small satellites (<=1000kg) 300 The past decade has witnessed a boom in the small satellite Large satellites (>1000kg) market.
    [Show full text]
  • Russia Missile Chronology
    Russia Missile Chronology 2007-2000 NPO MASHINOSTROYENIYA | KBM | MAKEYEV DESIGN BUREAU | MITT | ZLATOUST MACHINE-BUILDING PLANT KHRUNICHEV | STRELA PRODUCTION ASSOCIATION | AAK PROGRESS | DMZ | NOVATOR | TsSKB-PROGRESS MKB RADUGA | ENERGOMASH | ISAYEV KB KHIMMASH | PLESETSK TEST SITE | SVOBODNYY COSMODROME 1999-1996 KRASNOYARSK MACHINE-BUILDING PLANT | MAKEYEV DESIGN BUREAU | MITT | AAK PROGRESS NOVATOR | SVOBODNYY COSMODROME Last update: March 2009 This annotated chronology is based on the data sources that follow each entry. Public sources often provide conflicting information on classified military programs. In some cases we are unable to resolve these discrepancies, in others we have deliberately refrained from doing so to highlight the potential influence of false or misleading information as it appeared over time. In many cases, we are unable to independently verify claims. Hence in reviewing this chronology, readers should take into account the credibility of the sources employed here. Inclusion in this chronology does not necessarily indicate that a particular development is of direct or indirect proliferation significance. Some entries provide international or domestic context for technological development and national policymaking. Moreover, some entries may refer to developments with positive consequences for nonproliferation 2007-2000: NPO MASHINOSTROYENIYA 28 August 2007 NPO MASHINOSTROYENIYA TO FORM CORPORATION NPO Mashinostroyeniya is set to form a vertically-integrated corporation, combining producers and designers of various supply and support elements. The new holding will absorb OAO Strela Production Association (PO Strela), OAO Permsky Zavod Mashinostroitel, OAO NPO Elektromekhaniki, OAO NII Elektromekhaniki, OAO Avangard, OAO Uralskiy NII Kompositsionnykh Materialov, and OAO Kontsern Granit-Elektron. While these entities have acted in coordination for some time, formation of the new corporation has yet to be finalized.
    [Show full text]
  • THINK LOGISTICS – SPACE LOGISTICS ! Florian Loire Strategy for Civil Launchers
    THINK LOGISTICS – SPACE LOGISTICS ! Florian Loire Strategy for civil launchers Space School - 25 June 2019 #spaceenablers 1 DISRUPTION IN THE SPACE MARKET COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE THIS DOCUMENT AND ITS CONTENTS ARE PROPERTY OF ARIANEGROUP. IT SHALL NOT BE COMMUNICATED TO ANY THIRD PARTY WITHOUT THE OWNER’S WRITTEN CONSENT | ARIANEGROUP SAS – ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. SPACE LOGISTICS @ ESTACA - 25/06/2019 Existing Space Economy has real economic value to society Science & Meteorology …. Exploration Navigation/Positioning Earth Observation Telecommunications THIS DOCUMENT AND ITS CONTENTS ARE PROPERTY OF ARIANEGROUP. IT SHALL NOT BE COMMUNICATED TO ANY THIRD PARTY WITHOUT THE OWNER’S WRITTEN CONSENT | ARIANEGROUP SAS – ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. #space- enablers THE GOOD OLD DAYS: A FEW WELL SEGMENTED LAUNCH SERVICE MARKET SEGMENTS THIS DOCUMENT AND ITS CONTENTS ARE PROPERTY OF ARIANEGROUP. IT SHALL NOT BE COMMUNICATED TO ANY THIRD PARTY WITHOUT THE OWNER’S SPACE LOGISTICS @ ESTACA 07/12/2018 WRITTEN CONSENT | ARIANEGROUP SAS – ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. - ARIANE 5 THE EUROPEAN WORKHORSE WITH 104 LAUNCHES PERFORMED ARIANE 5 ES Fairing ARIANE 5 ECA Height: 17 m Launch weight: 760 t Ø 5.4 m Launch weight: 780 t Thrust: 1,340 t Thrust: 1,340 t Dual Launch System (SYLDA) Ø 4 m useful Last HM7B engine Still the Thrust: 6.5 t mission in benchmark 2018 Reignitable Aestus engine for GTO Thrust: 2.7 t missions 2 boosters Vulcain 2 engine Thrust: 136 t * All references to tons (t) are metric tons throughout THIS DOCUMENT AND ITS CONTENTS ARE PROPERTY OF ARIANEGROUP. IT SHALL NOT BE COMMUNICATED TO ANY THIRD PARTY WITHOUT THE OWNER’S WRITTEN CONSENT | ARIANEGROUP SASGMBH – ALL– ALL RIGHTS RIGHTS RESERVED.
    [Show full text]
  • SOYUZ THROUGH the AGES the R-7 Rocket That Led to the Family of Soyuz Vehicles Launching Today Lifted Off for the First Time Onfeb
    RUSSIAN SPACE SOYUZ THROUGH THE AGES The R-7 rocket that led to the family of Soyuz vehicles launching today lifted off for the first time onFeb. 17, 1959. The last launch, on Dec. 27, 2018, was number 1,898. Irene Klotz and Maxim Pyadushkin Vostochny Cosmodrome anufactured by the Progress Rocket Space Center in Sama- Evolution of Soyuz-Family Launch Vehicles ra, Russia, the medium-lift expendable booster originally was used for Soviet-era human space missions and later became the R-7 Soyuz Soyuz-L workhorse for the country’s civilian and military space programs. M 1957 First launch of the ICBM (SS-6 1966-76 (32 launches, 1970-71 (three launches, Sapwood) that served as a basis for including 30 successful, all successful, The first rocket officially named Soyuz was launched in Soviet/Russian launch vehicles from Baikonur) from Baikonur) 1966 and has since flown 1,050 times, of which 1,023 were including the Soyuz family successful. Production of Soyuz rockets peaked in the early Soyuz 1980s at about 60 vehicles per year. Medium-Class Launch Vehicle Russia began offering Soyuz launch services internationally in the mid-1980s through Glavkosmos, a commercial entity set up to sell Soviet rocket and space technologies. Manufacturer: Progress Rocket Space Soyuz-U/-U2 Soyuz-M Center, Samara, Russia In 1996, Russia created Starsem, a joint venture (35% ArianeGroup, 25% Roscosmos, 25% RKTs Progress, 15% 1991 Breakup of the 1973-2017 1971-76 (eight launches, Soviet Union, (859 launches, including all successful, from Plesetsk) Dimensions Arianespace) that had exclusive rights to provide commercial launch services on Soyuz launch vehicles.
    [Show full text]
  • Sale Price Drives Potential Effects on DOD and Commercial Launch Providers
    United States Government Accountability Office Report to Congressional Addressees August 2017 SURPLUS MISSILE MOTORS Sale Price Drives Potential Effects on DOD and Commercial Launch Providers Accessible Version GAO-17-609 August 2017 SURPLUS MISSILE MOTORS Sale Price Drives Potential Effects on DOD and Commercial Launch Providers Highlights of GAO-17-609, a report to congressional addressees Why GAO Did This Study What GAO Found The U.S. government spends over a The Department of Defense (DOD) could use several methods to set the sale billion dollars each year on launch prices of surplus intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) motors that could be activities as it strives to help develop a converted and used in vehicles for commercial launch if current rules prohibiting competitive market for space launches such sales were changed. One method would be to determine a breakeven and assure its access to space. Among price. Below this price, DOD would not recuperate its costs, and, above this others, one launch option is to use price, DOD would potentially save. GAO estimated that DOD could sell three vehicles derived from surplus ICBM Peacekeeper motors—the number required for one launch, or, a “motor set”—at motors such as those used on the Peacekeeper and Minuteman missiles. a breakeven price of about $8.36 million and two Minuteman II motors for about The Commercial Space Act of 1998 $3.96 million, as shown below. Other methods for determining motor prices, such prohibits the use of these motors for as fair market value as described in the Federal Accounting Standards Advisory commercial launches and limits their Board Handbook, resulted in stakeholder estimates ranging from $1.3 million per use in government launches in part to motor set to $11.2 million for a first stage Peacekeeper motor.
    [Show full text]
  • Third Quarter 2003 Quarterly Launch Report 1
    Third Quarter 2003 Quarterly Launch Report 1 Introduction The Third Quarter 2003 Quarterly Launch Report features launch results from the second quarter of 2003 (April-June 2003) and launch forecasts for the third quarter of 2003 (July-September 2003) and fourth quarter of 2003 (October-December 2003). This report contains information on worldwide commercial, civil, and military orbital space launch events. Projected launches have been identified from open sources, including industry references, company manifests, periodicals, and government sources. Projected launches are subject to change. This report highlights commercial launch activities, classifying commercial launches as one or both of the following: • Internationally-competed launch events (i.e., launch opportunities considered available in principle to competitors in the international launch services market) • Any launches licensed by the Associate Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation of the Federal Aviation Administration under 49 United States Code Subtitle IX, Chapter 701 (formerly the Commercial Space Launch Act) Contents Second Quarter 2003 Highlights . .2 Vehicle Use . .3 Commercial Launch Events by Country . .4 Commercial vs. Non-commercial Launch Events . .4 Payload Use . .5 Payload Mass Class . .5 Commercial Launch Trends . .6 Appendix A: Second Quarter 2003 Orbital Launch Events . .A-1 Appendix B: Third Quarter 2003 Projected Orbital Launch Events . .B-1 Appendix C: Fourth Quarter 2003 Projected Orbital Launch Events . .C-1 Cover: A Zenit 3SL, marketed by Boeing Launch Services and launched by the multina­ tional consortium Sea Launch, sends Thuraya 2 on its way to geosynchronous orbit on June 10, 2003 from the central Pacific Ocean. Third Quarter 2003 Quarterly Launch Report 2 Second Quarter 2003 Highlights U.S.-based Scaled Composites unveiled its entry for the X PRIZE competition during the second quarter of 2003.
    [Show full text]
  • U S E R M a N U
    •Introduction 6/04/01 11:09 Page 1 SOYUZ USER’ S MANUAL ST-GTD-SUM-01 - ISSUE 3 - REVISION 0 - APRIL 2001 © Starsem 2001. All rights reserved. •Introduction 6/04/01 11:09 Page 2 •Introduction 6/04/01 11:09 Page 3 SOYUZ USER’S MANUAL ST-GTD-SUM-01 ISSUE 3, REVISION 0 APRIL 2001 FOREWORD Starsem is a Russian-European joint venture founded in 1996 that is charged with the commercialization of launch services using the Soyuz launch vehicle, the most frequently launched rocket in the world and the only manned vehicle offered for commercial space launches. Starsem headquarters are located in Paris, France and the Soyuz is launched from the Baikonour Cosmodrome in the Republic of Kazakhstan. Starsem is a partnership with 50% European and 50% Russian ownership. Its shareholders are the European Aeronautic, Defence, and Space Company, EADS (35%), Arianespace (15%), the Russian Aeronautics and Space Agency, Rosaviacosmos (25%), and the Samara Space Center, TsSKB-Progress (25%). Starsem is the sole organization entrusted to finance, market, and conduct the commercial sale of the Soyuz launch vehicle family, including future upgrades such as the Soyuz/ST. Page3 •Introduction 6/04/01 11:09 Page 4 SOYUZ USER’S MANUAL ST-GTD-SUM-01 ISSUE 3, REVISION 0 APRIL 2001 REVISION CONTROL SHEET Revision Date Revision No. Change Description 1996 Issue 1, Revision 0 New issue June 1997 Issue 2, Revision 0 Complete update April 2001 Issue 3, Revision 0 Complete update ST-GTD-SUM-01 General modifications that reflect successful flights in 1999-2000 and Starsem’s future development plans.
    [Show full text]