Dual purpose

Despite the fact that the East was originally marketed as a civilian cosmodrome, Roskosmos already has announced plans for its joint use with DoD. It is logical and natural — a country like Russia is simply obliged to have a guaranteed access to space "from the house" across a range of payloads, including military. And if launched from Baikonur manned spacecraft with international crew and commercial satellites look more harmless, with the apparatus of the Ministry of defence is not the case — their launches from the territory of another state is rather a necessary measure.

— When the "Angara-А5М" will begin to fly from the East and will allow to put out of the military satellites across the whole range and weight, of course, the defense Ministry will leave from Baikonur, — says the chief editor of the magazine "news of cosmonautics" Igor Marinin. — Now is a deep modernization of all spacecraft, including military. I am sure that in the coming years, the Ministry of defence are armed with the newest secret payload that will need to run energy-efficient spaceport.

According to experts, the trend is towards an increase in the mass of satellites due to the replacement of imported components for domestic. Military orbital group is constantly updated by various satellites, from low-orbit reconnaissance and geostationary satellites and ending with the space echelon system of missile warning.

Geography determines

Now the military is forced to use the Baikonur because some heavy satellites cannot be deduced on geostationar from Plesetsk, as "Angara-A5" from there until it flies. In addition, even with the "Angara" Plesetsk will not be able to fully replace the Baikonur cosmodrome with Proton because of its geography. "Capacity "Angara" at the launch from Plesetsk below, because of its Northern location does not allow effectively use the time of rotation of the Earth to throw", — said Igor Marinin.

In this sense, the Vostochny cosmodrome is better. Although it is six degrees North of Baikonur, from the point of view of energy efficiency that hasn't lost. Odds East gives the fact that of Kazakhstan rockets usually start not at the best trajectory due East, a "flight to China" with the fall of the second stages of the Altai.

The high interest of the Ministry of defense to accelerate the training of the heavy "Angara" for launches from the Eastern and says that the Agency intends to populaterecords in the construction of the launch pad.

The only heavy

It is expected that the "Angara-A5", can "pull" in low earth orbit, 24.5 tonnes in the future will become the main Russian rocket of the heavy class. For civil and military applications. Despite the difficult fate, she is unique in many ways. This is the first rocket completely developed in Russia, and not to get her inheritance from the Soviet Union.

An important quality of "Angara" — environmental safety, which it required the use of oxygen-kerosene engines. For comparison: in "the Proton" used highly toxic heptyl. Also the family of rockets "Angara" is distinguished by modularity, which allows to vary the capacity of media for different purposes. A lighter version of "Angara" consists of one module, the heavy seven. Composite materials and plastics to reduce weight and simplify construction. However, experts believe that the most important thing in the "Angara" RD — 191 engine, the top of the rocket engine.

Easy "Angara-1.2 PP" was first launched in July of 2014 from Plesetsk. The first heavy "Angara-A5" at the end of December of the same year successfully launched into geostationary orbit dimensions and mass layout payload. In fact, except for Angara-A5 heavy alternative to the moribund and about "Proton" from Russia yet and in the near future is not expected. Currently being developed to replace the Ukrainian Zenit "Soyuz-5" will be able to output in low orbit for about 17 tons and is another weight niche. Of the missiles, "take it easy" for launches of military satellites from Plesetsk today successfully used the Soyuz rockets light and medium classes.

Source: https://ria.ru/amp/defense_safety/20170816/1500492691.html

Tags: Russia , space