Humanity is actively exploring near and far space. Maintenance of the International Space Station, operation of the satellite navigation system, orbital and interplanetary research programs - all of this requires regular launches of spacecraft. Today there are several countries in the world that have their own launch sites. The largest of them: Russia, USA, EU, China, India, Brazil, Japan and Iran. But are all countries in the same “starting” conditions?
It turns out not. And we are not talking about the different material and technical capabilities of space powers. It's all about geographical location launch points. Interestingly, the most advantageous place for launching rockets, in terms of fuel economy and payload weight, is located at the Earth's equator. A rocket launching at 0 latitude or as close as possible to it most fully uses the energy of our planet’s rotation around its axis. We can say that a “tailwind” effect is created when the speed of the planet’s rotation is added to the speed of the rocket. This effect decreases as you move north or south of the equator. According to experts, a rocket launched from the equator saves up to 10% of fuel compared to rockets launched at mid-latitudes. Compared to higher latitudes, this figure is even higher. And if less fuel is required, then the vacated space can be filled with payload. It turns out that launches from the equator not only save money, but also increase the rocket’s carrying capacity.
Another important fact influencing the choice of location for the construction of a future cosmodrome is the suitable territory on which the separating stages of the launch vehicles will fall. The rockets are launched in an eastern direction, and the separated parts land in several stages at a distance of 300 to 2000 kilometers from the cosmodromes. This is a rather sensitive issue related to pollution. environment and with the safety of the population living there. Therefore, the most convenient place is considered to be the point from which, upon launch, the rocket stages will fall into the ocean. Another acceptable option in the absence of an ocean is your own land territory, the main thing is not a neighboring state.
One of the most convenient launch sites for these parameters is considered to be the Kourou cosmodrome, with coordinates 5°14′21″ north latitude. It is located in the French colony of Guiana, on the east coast of South America, in close proximity to the equator, and to the east of it stretches the endless Atlantic Ocean, which stores the separated parts of rockets. The European Space Agency and France mainly launch their rockets from there. Not far from it, also on the coast, is the Brazilian Alcantara spaceport with coordinates 2°21′54″ south latitude. But the American spaceport Cape Canaveral is located at some distance from the equator, its coordinates are 28°29′20″ north latitude. The United States has 5 more spaceports, the most convenient of which is located in the Marshall Islands in the Pacific Ocean with coordinates 8°59′58″ north latitude.
The location of the Italian San Marco spaceport is quite interesting. This European country has equipped itself with a spaceport on two connected oil platforms off the eastern coast of Africa, in the Gulf of Formosa. These are Kenyan territorial waters. All these difficulties and distance from Italy are more than compensated by its advantageous location: only 2°56′27″ south latitude and the endless ocean in the east. Good positions The Indian spaceport Sriharikota, located at 13°43′12″ north latitude and the ocean coast, also has. China, Iran and Japan are in the middle in terms of geographic advantage.
But who has the hardest time putting rockets into orbit is Russia, whose launch sites have some of the worst positions due to its northern location. The cosmodrome closest to the equator, from which Russia carries out regular launches, is Baikonur with coordinates 45°57′58″ north latitude. It is located on the territory of Kazakhstan, and the spent stages land on the territory of Kazakhstan and Russia. The new Vostochny cosmodrome in the Amur region is even further north and is located at 51°53′04″ north latitude, although the steps will partially fall into the sea. But the Russian Plesetsk cosmodrome is the northernmost in the world and is located at 62°57′36″ north latitude.
Of course, when it comes to choosing the location of a new landfill, not only factors of geographical convenience are taken into account, but also the safety of the future facility, the infrastructure of the region, as well as a number of other parameters. But today, when space launches are becoming widespread, players in the commercial space launch market and government corporations are looking for the cheapest and most convenient sites, moving to the ocean and to the equator.
To launch spacecraft into space, in addition to the launch pad, a complex of structures is required where pre-launch activities are carried out: final assembly and docking of the launch vehicle and the spacecraft, pre-launch testing and diagnostics, refueling and oxidizer.
Typically, cosmodromes occupy a large area and are located at a considerable distance from densely populated areas in order to avoid damage in the event of accidents and falls of stages separated during flight.
Spaceports of the world
The closer the launch point is to the equator, the lower the energy consumption for launching the payload into space. When launched from the equator, it can save about 10% of fuel compared to a rocket launched from a spaceport located in mid-latitudes. Since there are not many states on the equator capable of launching rockets into space, projects for sea-based spaceports have appeared.
Russia
The Russian Federation, being a pioneer in the field of space exploration, this moment holds the lead in the number of launches. In 2012, our country carried out 24 launches of launch vehicles, unfortunately not all were successful.
The largest “space haven” in Russia is the Baikonur Cosmodrome, leased from Kazakhstan. It is located on the territory of Kazakhstan, in the Kyzylorda region between the city of Kazalinsk and the village of Dzhusaly, near the village of Tyuratam. Spaceport area: 6717 km². Construction of the cosmodrome began in 1955. On August 21, 1957, the first successful launch of the R-7 rocket took place.
Diagram of the Baikonur cosmodrome
In Soviet times, a huge infrastructure that had no analogues in the world was created in the Baikonur area, including, in addition to launch, preparatory and control complexes, airfields, access roads, service buildings and residential camps. All this after the collapse of the USSR went to independent Kazakhstan.
According to official data, the operation of the cosmodrome in 2012 cost about 5 billion rubles per year (the cost of renting the Baikonur complex is $115 million - about 3.5 billion rubles per year, and Russia spends about 1.5 billion rubles per year on maintenance of cosmodrome facilities), which amounted to 4.2% of the total Roscosmos budget for 2012. In addition, from the federal budget of Russia to the budget of the city of Baikonur there is an annual gratuitous receipt of 1.16 billion rubles (as of 2012). In total, the cosmodrome and the city cost the Russian budget 6.16 billion rubles per year.
Currently, Baikonur, after its transfer by the military in 2005, is under the jurisdiction of Roscosmos. By the end of 2007, most of the military space units left the cosmodrome; about 500 Russian military personnel remained at the cosmodrome.
Google Earth satellite image: launch pad No. 250
The cosmodrome has infrastructure and launch facilities that allow the launch of launch vehicles:
- medium carriers of the Soyuz family, launch weight up to 313,000 kg (based on R-7) - sites No. 1 (Gagarin launch), No. 31.
-light carriers "Cosmos", launch weight up to 109,000 kg - site No. 41.
- medium carriers of the Zenit family, launch weight up to 462,200 kg - site No. 45.
- heavy carriers "Proton", launch weight up to 705,000 kg - sites No. 81, No. 200.
-light carriers of the Cyclone family, launch weight up to 193,000 kg (based on the R-36 ICBM) - site No. 90.
- light carriers "Dnepr"", launch weight up to 211000 kg (joint Russian-Ukrainian development based on the R-36M ICBM) - site No. 175
-light carriers “Rokot” and “Strela”, launch weight up to 107,500 kg (based on the UR-100N ICBM) – site No. 175.
- heavy carriers “Energia”, launch weight up to 2,400,000 kg (not currently in use) – sites No. 110, No. 250.
Google Earth satellite image: "Gagarin's launch"
Despite regularly receiving payments for the lease of the cosmodrome and interstate agreements, Kazakhstan periodically interferes with the normal operation of the cosmodrome. Thus, in 2012, the launches of the European meteorological spacecraft MetOp-B (the launch was planned for May 23), the Russian satellites Kanopus-V and MKA-PN1, the Belarusian BKA, the Canadian ADS-1B and the German TET-1 (group launch) were postponed of these five devices was scheduled for June 7), the Russian device "Resurs-P" (planned for August).
The reason was the long-term agreement by the Kazakh side on the use of the impact field of the first stage of launch vehicles in the Kustanai and Aktobe regions (used when launching satellites into sun-synchronous orbit by the Soyuz launch vehicle).
Due to the position of the Kazakh side, the project to create a joint Russian-Kazakh rocket and space complex “Baiterek” (based on the new Angara launch vehicle) was not implemented. It was not possible to reach a compromise on the issue of financing the project. Russia will probably build a launch complex for Angara at the new Vostochny cosmodrome.
Proton-K launches the Zvezda module for the ISS into orbit
The northernmost cosmodrome in the world is Plesetsk, also known as the 1st State Test Cosmodrome. It is located 180 kilometers south of Arkhangelsk near railway station Plesetskaya Northern railway. The cosmodrome covers an area of 176,200 hectares. The cosmodrome has been operating its spaceport since January 11, 1957, when the Resolution of the Council of Ministers of the USSR was adopted on the creation of a military facility with the code name “Angara”. The cosmodrome was created as the first military missile formation in the USSR, armed with R-7 and R-7A intercontinental ballistic missiles.
R-7 launch vehicle family
From the 70s to the early 90s, the Plesetsk cosmodrome held the world leadership in the number of rocket launches into space (from 1957 to 1993, 1372 launches were carried out from here, while from Baikonur, which was in 2nd place, only 917).
However, since the 1990s, the annual number of launches from Plesetsk has become less than from Baikonur. The cosmodrome is run by the military; in addition to launching satellites into orbit, test launches of ICBMs are periodically carried out from it.
The cosmodrome has stationary technical and launch complexes for domestic light and medium-class launch vehicles: Rokot, Cyclone-3, Cosmos-3M and Soyuz.
Google Earth satellite image: Soyuz launch pad
Also at the cosmodrome there is a testing complex designed for testing intercontinental ballistic missiles with silo-type launchers.
Construction of launch and technical complexes for Angara launch vehicles is underway at the Zenit SC base.
Launch of the Cyclone-3 rocket from the Plesetsk cosmodrome
The cosmodrome supports a significant part of Russian space programs related to defense, as well as scientific and commercial launches of unmanned spacecraft.
In addition to the main cosmodromes “Baikonur” and “Plesetsk”, launch vehicles and launch of spacecraft into low-Earth orbit are periodically carried out from other cosmodromes.
The most famous of them is the Svobodny cosmodrome. The main reason for the creation of this cosmodrome was that as a result of the collapse of the USSR, the Baikonur cosmodrome found itself outside the territory of Russia and the impossibility of launching heavy Protons from the Plesetsk cosmodrome. It was decided to create a new cosmodrome on the basis of the disbanded 27th Red Banner Far Eastern Division of the Strategic Missile Forces, which was previously armed with the UR-100 ballistic missile. In 1993, its facilities were transferred to the military space forces. On March 1, 1996, by presidential decree, the 2nd State Test Cosmodrome of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation was established here. The total area of this object is about 700 km2.
The first launch of the Start 1.2 launch vehicle based on the Topol ballistic missile with the Zeya spacecraft took place on March 4, 1997. During the entire existence of the cosmodrome, five rocket launches were made here.
In 1999, a decision was made to build a rocket launch complex for the Strela launch vehicle at the cosmodrome. However, the Strela complex did not pass the state environmental assessment due to the high toxicity of the rocket fuel used in it - heptyl. In June 2005, at a meeting of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, it was decided as part of the reduction armed forces, liquidate the Svobodny cosmodrome due to the low intensity of launches and insufficient funding. However, already in 2007 it was decided to create an infrastructure here for launching medium-class launch vehicles. The future cosmodrome received the name “Vostochny”. It is expected that commercial and scientific launches will take place here, while all military launches are planned to take place from Plesetsk.
Launches of light launch vehicles of the Cosmos and Dnepr series were also carried out from the Kapustin Yar test site and the Yasny launch pad.
Promising air defense systems are currently being tested at the Kapustin Yar training ground in the Astrakhan region. In addition, launches of Cosmos series launch vehicles with military satellites take place periodically.
The Yasny complex is located on the territory of the Dombarovsky positional area of the Strategic Missile Forces in the Yasnensky district of the Orenburg region of Russia. Used to launch spacecraft using Dnepr launch vehicles. From July 2006 to August 2013, six successful commercial launches were carried out.
Also in Russia, spacecraft were launched from strategic submarines.
July 7, 1998 from aboard the SSBN "Novomoskovsk" of project 667BDRM "Dolphin", while underwater, in the water area Barents Sea Two German commercial micro-satellites Tubsat-N were launched into low Earth orbit. This is the first in the history of space exploration to launch satellites into low-Earth orbit with a rocket launch from under water.
On May 26, 2006, the Compass 2 satellite was successfully launched from the Ekaterinburg SSBN of Project 667BDRM Dolphin.
The most famous US spaceport is certainly the John Fitzgerald Kennedy Space Center. It is located on Merritt Island in Florida, the center of the spaceport is located near Cape Canaveral, midway between Miami and Jacksonville. Kennedy Space Center is a complex of space launch and mission control facilities (spaceport) owned by NASA. The dimensions of the cosmodrome are 55 km long and about 10 km wide, with an area of 567 km².
The cosmodrome was originally founded in 1950 as a missile testing site. The site's location was one of the most convenient in the United States, since spent rocket stages fall into the Atlantic Ocean. However, the location of the cosmodrome is associated with significant natural and meteorological risks. The space center's buildings and structures were repeatedly seriously damaged by hurricanes, and planned launches had to be postponed. So in September 2004, part of the Kennedy Space Center structures was damaged by Hurricane Frances. The vertical assembly building lost a thousand external panels of approximately 1.2 x 3.0 m each. The outer cladding covering an area of 3,700 m² was destroyed. The roof was partially torn off and there was extensive water damage to the interior.
Top view of the area of launch complex No. 39
The Kennedy Space Center conducted all shuttle launches from Launch Complex 39. The center is served by approximately 15 thousand civilian employees and specialists.
The history of this spaceport is inextricably linked with the American manned space exploration program. Until July 2011, the Kennedy Space Center was the site for the launch of the Space Shuttle using Complex 39 with the infrastructure of the Apollo program. The first launch was the USS Columbia on April 12, 1981. The center is also a landing site for orbital shuttles - there is a 4.6 km long landing strip.
Space Shuttle Atlantis
The last launch of the space shuttle Atlantis took place on May 16, 2011. Then the American reusable spacecraft delivered a cargo of logistics, as well as a magnetic alpha spectrometer, aboard the international space station.
Part of the cosmodrome territory is open to the public; there are several museums, cinemas and exhibition grounds. Bus excursion routes are organized throughout the territory closed to the public. The cost of the bus tour is $38. It includes: a visit to the launch pads of complex No. 39 and a trip to the Apollo-Saturn V center, an overview of the tracking stations.
The Apollo-Saturn V Center is a huge museum built around the most valuable exhibit exhibits include a reconstructed Saturn V launch vehicle and other space-related exhibits such as the Apollo capsule.
Uncrewed spacecraft are launched from launch sites along the coast, operated by the US Air Force and part of Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, which is part of the US Air Force Space Command. There are 38 launch sites at Cape Canaveral, of which only 4 are operational today. Currently, Delta II and IV, Falcon 9 and Atlas V rockets launch from the spaceport.
Google Earth satellite image: Cape Canaveral launch site
From here, on April 22, 2010, the Boeing X-37 unmanned reusable spacecraft was successfully launched for the first time. It was launched into low-Earth orbit using an Atlas V launch vehicle.
On March 5, 2011, the device was launched into orbit by an Atlas V launch vehicle launched from Cape Canaveral. According to the US Air Force, the second X-37B will test sensor instruments and satellite systems. June 16, 2012 aircraft landed at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, spending 468 days and 13 hours in orbit, orbiting the Earth more than seven thousand times.
On December 11, 2012, a device of this type was launched into space for the third time, where it remains to this day.
X-37 is designed to operate at altitudes from 200-750 km, is capable of quickly changing orbits, maneuvering, can perform reconnaissance missions, and deliver and return small cargo.
The second largest and most important US space infrastructure facility is the Vandenberg Air Force Base. The joint space command center is located here. It is home to the 14th Airlift Wing, the 30th Space Wing, the 381st Training Group and the Western Launch and Test Range, where military and military satellites are launched. commercial organizations, and also tests of intercontinental ballistic missiles, including Minuteman-3.
Control and training firing of combat missiles is carried out mainly in a southwestern direction towards the Kwajalein and Canton atolls. The total length of the equipped route reaches 10 thousand km. Rocket launches are carried out in south direction. Due to the geographical location of the base, their entire flight route passes over uninhabited areas of the Pacific Ocean.
On December 16, 1958, the first Thor ballistic missile was launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base. On February 28, 1959, the world's first polar-orbiting satellite, Discoverer 1, was launched from Vandenberg on a Tor-Agena launch vehicle. Vandenberg was chosen as the launch and landing site for the Space Shuttle on the West Coast of the United States.
To launch the shuttles, technical structures, an assembly building, and launch complex No. 6 were rebuilt. In addition, the base's existing 2,590-meter runway was extended to 4,580 meters to facilitate shuttle landings. Full maintenance and restoration of the orbital vehicle was carried out using equipment located here. However, the Challenger explosion led to the cancellation of all shuttle flights from the West Coast.
After the shuttle program was frozen at Vandenberg, Launch Complex 6 Once again was converted to launch Delta IV launch vehicles. The first of the Delta IV series spacecraft launched from pad No. 6 was a rocket launched on June 27, 2006; it launched the NROL-22 reconnaissance satellite into orbit.
Launch of a Delta IV rocket from Vandenberg Space Center
Currently, Vandenberg Base facilities are used to launch military satellites, some of them, for example the NROL-28 device, are used to “fight terrorism.” NROL-28 launched into highly elliptical orbit to collect intelligence on terrorist groups in the Middle East; for example, sensors on board such satellites can track the movements of military personnel Vehicle over the surface of the Earth. This satellite was launched into space by the Atlas V carrier, which used Russian RD-180 engines.
For testing within the framework of the missile defense program, the Reagan Proving Ground is used. Launch sites are located on Kwajelein Atoll and Wake Island. It has been around since 1959. In 1999, the test site was named in honor of former US President Ronald Reagan.
Since 2004, Omelek Island, which is part of the test site, has been the launch pad for the Falcon 1 launch vehicle created by SpaceX. A total of 4 orbital launch attempts were made from Omelek Island.
The first three ended unsuccessfully, the fourth rocket launched a mass-dimensional mock-up of the satellite into orbit. The first commercial launch occurred on July 13, 2009. The delay was caused by compatibility problems between the rocket and the Malaysian RazakSat satellite.
The Falcon 1 light launch vehicle is partially reusable; the first stage splashes down after separation and can be reused.
The Wallops Spaceport is located on NASA-owned land and consists of three separate sites with a total area of 25 km²: the main base, the center on the mainland and Wallops Island, where the launch complex is located. The main base is located on the east coast of Virginia. It was founded in 1945, the first successful launch was made on February 16, 1961, when the Explorer-9 research satellite was launched into low-Earth orbit using the Scout X-1 launch vehicle. Has several starting complexes.
In 1986, NASA deployed a control and measurement complex on the territory of the test site to track and control the spacecraft flight. Several radars with antenna diameters of 2.4-26 m provide reception and high-speed transmission of information coming from objects directly to their owners. The technical capabilities of the complex make it possible to carry out trajectory measurements of objects located at a distance of 60 thousand km, with an accuracy of 3 m in range and up to 9 cm/s in speed.
Over the years of its existence, over 15 thousand rocket launches of various types were carried out from the station’s territory, including Lately There are about 30 starts per year.
Since 2006, part of the site has been leased by a private aerospace corporation and used for commercial launches under the name Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport. In 2013, the Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer probe was launched from the Wallops Space Center on a Minotaur-V launch vehicle to the Moon.
Also here, launches of the Antares launch vehicle are carried out; in their first stage, two oxygen-kerosene rocket engines AJ-26 are installed - a modification of the NK-33 engine developed by Aerojet and licensed in the USA for use on American launch vehicles.
Antares launch vehicle
As of March 31, 2010, Aerojet Rocketdyne purchased from SNTK im. Kuznetsov about 40 NK-33 engines at a price of 1 million US dollars.
Another commercial spaceport was the Kodiak Launch Complex, located on the island of the same name off the coast of Alaska. It is designed to launch light rockets along a suborbital trajectory and launch small spacecraft into polar orbit.
The first experimental launch of a rocket from the cosmodrome took place on November 5, 1998. The first orbital launch took place on September 29, 2001, when the Athena-1 launch vehicle launched 4 small satellites into orbit.
Launch of the Afina-1 launch vehicle from the launch pad on Kodiak Island. September 30, 2001
Despite the “commercial” purpose of the cosmodrome, Minotaur launch vehicles are regularly launched from it. The Minotaur family of American, all-solid-propellant launch vehicles was developed by the Orbital Science Corporation for the US Air Force on the basis of the sustainer stages of the Minuteman and Peacekeeper ICBMs.
Launch vehicle "Minotaur"
According to US laws prohibiting the sale of government equipment, the Minotaur launch vehicle can only be used to launch government satellites and is not available for commercial orders. The most successful launch of Minotaur V took place on September 6, 2013.
In addition to launching cargo into space using launch vehicles, other programs are being implemented in the United States. In particular, objects were launched into orbit using Pegasus series rockets launched from a Stargazer aircraft, a modified Lockheed L-1011.
The system was developed by Orbital Sciences Corporation, which specializes in providing commercial services for delivering objects into space.
Another example of a private initiative is the reusable Space Ship One, developed by Scaled Composites LLC.
The takeoff is carried out using a special White Knight aircraft. Then undocking occurs and Space Ship One rises to an altitude of about 50 km. In space, Space Ship One is located about three minutes. Flights are carried out from the private Mojave Aerospace Center in the interests of “space tourism”.
In 2012, 13 launch vehicles were launched in the United States. Although inferior to Russia in this indicator, the United States is actively working on the creation of promising launch vehicles and reusable spacecraft.
Based on materials:
http://geimint.blogspot.ru/2007/07/fire-from-space.html
http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosmodrome
http://georg071941.ru/kosmodromyi-ssha
http://www.walkinspace.ru/blog/2010-12-22-588
All satellite images courtesy of Google Earth
The Baikonur Cosmodrome is the first and largest in the world, the most popular cosmodrome, located on the territory of Kazakhstan, in the Kyzylorda region. In 1994, the cosmodrome with the city of Leninsk (now Baikonur) was leased by Kazakhstan to Russia until 2050. The cosmodrome covers an area of 6717 km². The world's first intercontinental ballistic missile, the world's first satellite, the first cosmonaut of the Earth, Yu. A. Gagarin, and the first automatic interplanetary stations to the planets Mars and Venus were launched from here.
The cosmodrome was called in different time in different ways: Research Test Site No. 5 of the Ministry of Defense, Kazalinsky Test Site, Tyura-Tam Test Site, Southern Test Site, State Test Cosmodrome No. 5, but became best known as the Baikonur Cosmodrome.
It was originally created as a test site for the R-7 intercontinental ballistic missile. Very high requirements were placed on the location of the landfill. For example, there should not be large settlements nearby, and the alienation of land plots for landfill construction should not cause significant damage to the national economy. Several possible locations for the landfill were examined, including Far East, Northern Caucasus, in the Caspian region. As a result, on February 12, 1955, a government decree was issued on the creation of a new training ground in the area of the Tyura-Tam junction in the Kzyl-Orda region of Kazakhstan. The presence of the Moscow-Tashkent railway, a dismantled narrow-gauge railway from Tyura-Tama to the future launch site and the presence of a river were big advantages of this place.
In the spring of 1955, military construction brigades and detachments numbering more than 3 thousand people were concentrated in the bare desert. At first, the builders lived in tents, then the first dugouts appeared on the banks of the Syr Darya, and on May 5, 1955, the first permanent (wooden) building of a residential town was laid. Despite the difficult conditions, in the first months a road and railway were laid and construction began on the main facility - the future first launch complex.
On May 5, 1957, a special commission accepted the first launch complex of the test site, and on May 6, the first R-7 rocket was already installed at this complex. On May 15, testing of the R-7 intercontinental ballistic missile began at the test site.
The birth of Baikonur as a cosmodrome took place and was recognized by the whole world on October 4, 1957, when the first artificial Earth satellite PS-1 was launched into orbit.
On April 12, 1961, the Vostok-1 spacecraft (8K72K launch vehicle) was launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome with the first person on Earth on board - cosmonaut Yu. A. Gagarin.
Over the years of its existence, 45 main types of rockets and their modifications, 142 main types of spacecraft and their modifications (of which 34 types of automatic interplanetary stations and their modifications) have been launched and tested at Baikonur.
Launching any satellite from Baikonur is cheaper than from other cosmodromes in the country, due to its greater proximity to the equator. From here it is more profitable to launch satellites into a stationary orbit and safer to carry out manned launches spaceships.
Currently, several dozen technical and launch complexes have been created and are operating at the cosmodrome, designed for the assembly and preparation of launches of launch vehicles such as Soyuz, Proton, Cyclone, Zenit, Energia with various space objects.
The most famous cosmodrome in Russia is Baikonur. It carried out the largest number of launch vehicles. Russia is currently building a new Vostochny cosmodrome.
How many spaceports are there in the world?
Baikonur is the oldest cosmodrome in Russia and the entire planet. Moreover, it is also the largest. It was founded in 1955 on the territory of Kazakhstan. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the spaceport was leased by the Russian government from the Kazakh side. The lease agreement is currently signed until 2050.
In total, there are 14 cosmodromes in the world from which launch vehicles were launched. The territory itself is a complex of structures designed for launching special vehicles into space. As a rule, they occupy huge areas and are located at a great distance from populated areas. After all, stages that separate during flight can cause damage to residential buildings or neighboring launch sites.
Scientists have long noticed that the most advantageous location for cosmodromes is right on the equator. Thus, the launch vehicle saves about 10% of fuel compared to a rocket that is launched from mid-latitudes.
In addition to Russia, spaceports from which launch vehicles have already been launched exist in the USA, French Guiana, China, India, Japan, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and Iran. There is also an international launch platform "Odyssey", located in the Pacific Ocean.
No. 1 - Baikonur
Construction of the largest cosmodrome in Russia began in 1955. Initially, a special commission was created to determine the location where this structure would appear. This territory had to meet several conditions. They chose a vast, but at the same time sparsely populated area; there had to be a railway nearby. Also mandatory conditions are the availability of drinking and process water in large volumes.
Several options were considered. As a result, the choice was made in the Kyzylorda region on the territory of the Kazakh SSR. The construction of the cosmodrome began in the desert, not far from the Aral Sea, the Syr Darya rivers and the Moscow-Tashkent railway line. Another advantage was the sunny weather, which persists in these places for about 300 days a year. In addition, the desert is relatively close to the equator.
The construction of the cosmodrome was led by Georgy Shubnikov, Major General of the Engineering and Technical Service. It is interesting that in order to disorient a possible enemy, in addition to the main cosmodrome, several camouflage structures were built. This is a false cosmodrome in the Karaganda region. It is located near the village of Baikonur. After the successful flight of the first man, Yuri Gagarin, into space, it was the name Baikonur that stuck in people’s minds. As a result, this is now the name given to a real spaceport located in a different location.
History of the object
The first rocket was launched from Baikonur in 1957. True, unsuccessful. On August 21, for the first time, a rocket successfully delivered a conditional cargo from Baikonur to Kamchatka.
At 10:28 p.m. on October 4, 1957, the space age began. Soviet Union launched the world's first artificial satellite from Baikonur. And at 9.07, the first man went on a space flight from here.
A large-scale infrastructure has been organized at Baikonur. The cosmodrome has 9 launch complexes and 15 launchers. There are two airfields, more than a thousand kilometers of roads, thousands of kilometers of communication and power lines.
No. 2 - Vostochny cosmodrome
In 2007, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree to begin construction of a new facility. Construction of the Vostochny Cosmodrome in Russia began in 2012.
It must provide the country with independent access to space. In addition, it must guarantee the fulfillment of all obligations under commercial and international space programs, and will also significantly reduce the cost of maintaining Baikonur. Ultimately, the socio-economic situation in the Amur region, where construction is underway, will improve.
The territory on which the Vostochny cosmodrome is being built has a number of advantages. Russia will have the opportunity to send rockets into space, bypassing densely populated areas of the country and the territories of foreign states. There are highways, railways, and airfields nearby. With the advent of the new cosmodrome, political risks associated with location of Baikonur in Kazakhstan.
Corruption scandals
The construction of a new spaceport is regularly accompanied by scandals. More than 80 billion rubles were allocated for the first stage alone; in total they plan to spend about 300 billion on construction.
At the same time, corruption scandals constantly occur. They began back in 2012, when workers at Vostochny began to go on strike because they were not being paid their wages. To solve this problem, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin was sent there. In 2014, he became the main construction coordinator. Since then, he has visited the site of the future cosmodrome more than fifty times.
Despite this, by the spring of 2015, the wage arrears amounted to about 150 million rubles. The construction workers went on an indefinite hunger strike; this became one of the main topics of direct communication with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
At the moment, criminal cases have been opened regarding the theft of 7.5 billion rubles.
The fate of Baikonur
After it became known that there would be a cosmodrome on Russian territory, many were worried about the fate of Baikonur. Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev has officially admitted that the state budget will not be able to support the cosmodrome. For this reason, Astana will not insist on its transfer by Russia.
At the same time, it is obvious that at least for the coming years, the Kazakhstan cosmodrome will remain the main platform for launching heavy rockets. Even after Vostochny was put into operation. Although it is planned that over time this will be the main cosmodrome in Russia.
For example, the Angara super-heavy rocket is expected to be launched at the new cosmodrome no earlier than 2026. Another minus new site for launching space rockets is that it is located approximately 6 degrees north of Baikonur. But the closer the launch site is to the equator, the lower the costs and the higher the efficiency.
Therefore, for sure, Russia will not leave Baikonur in the coming years. The only thing that will decline is the politicization in cooperation between Moscow and Astana, which is often based on the fact that the main Russian cosmodrome is located in foreign territory.
No. 3 - Plesetsk cosmodrome
Another famous Russian cosmodrome is located in Plesetsk. This cosmodrome is engaged in supporting Russian space programs that are related to defense functions, as well as scientific and commercial objectives.
It is located in the Arkhangelsk region, almost 200 kilometers from the regional center. The Plesetsk Northern Railway runs nearby.
The administrative and residential center of the cosmodrome is located in the city of Mirny. Its population is approximately 30,000 people.
The first launch of a launch vehicle from Plesetsk took place in 1966. After that, it served as a test site for intercontinental-range strategic missile systems.
After 1968, international programs were implemented. Other Russian cosmodromes are also carrying out similar work. Plesetsk, for example, hosted a French spacecraft.
Tragedies in Plesetsk
Many Russian cosmodromes, a list of which you will find in this article, have been involved in a sad chronicle of incidents with human casualties. Plesetsk was no exception.
In 1973, 8 people died in the explosion of the Cosmos rocket. This happened while it was being refueled. Another 10 people were hospitalized. One of them died from his burns without regaining consciousness.
In 1980, the largest tragedy occurred, which claimed the lives of 48 people. The explosion occurred again while refueling. This time, the Vostok rocket and its satellite were at the epicenter of the incident.
In 1987, a fire broke out in a nearby military unit. 5 people died.
In 2002, a Soyuz rocket exploded a few seconds after launch. There was one crew member on board.
The last tragedy occurred in 2013. Two were killed and three were hospitalized during a routine cleaning of a rocket fuel container.
Despite this, Plesetsk is the northernmost cosmodrome in Russia, where rocket launches continue.
No. 4 - Kapustin Yar cosmodrome
When listing Russian cosmodromes, the list of which is included in this article, one cannot fail to mention Kapustin Yar. It is located in the north-west of the Astrakhan region. It was originally built as a ballistic missile test site in 1946.
Kapustin Yar is often called the “Russian Roswell”. It is believed that it was here that Soviet scientists explored alien ships. In support of this legend, there are many television programs in which, for example, the layout of the underground complex under the landfill is described in detail.
No. 5 - Svobodny Cosmodrome
Those who are interested in where the cosmodromes are in Russia know about the existence of a launch pad that is not as popular as the previous ones, Svobodny. It is located in the Amur region, near the city of Tsiolkovsky, former Uglegorsk.
A total of five rocket launches were made from here. The last one was in 2006. The cosmodrome has not been operational for 10 years.
In the 2000s, it was planned that the Strela rocket complex would be launched from this cosmodrome. However, it did not pass the state environmental assessment. Primarily due to the highly toxic rocket fuel heptyl. By the way, many Kazakh public and environmental organizations are also against it.
Ultimately, it was decided to liquidate it as part of a large-scale reduction of the armed forces due to low profitability and liquidity. There were very few launches from the Svobodny cosmodrome, and as a result, funding was minimal.
No. 6 - floating cosmodrome "Sea Launch"
Russia also has its own floating cosmodrome - this is a platform " Sea launch". It is located in the Pacific Ocean. The closest landmass to it is Christmas Island.
Since 1995, it has been managed by an international consortium. It includes Russia and the USA. The first demonstration satellite was launched in 1999. At the same time, the first commercial launch of a launch vehicle took place.
At the moment, 36 rockets have been sent from the Sea Launch cosmodrome. Moreover, three of them were failures, one launch was considered partially successful.
To launch spacecraft into space, in addition to the launch pad, a complex of structures is required where pre-launch activities are carried out: final assembly and docking of the launch vehicle and the spacecraft, pre-launch testing and diagnostics, refueling and oxidizer.
Typically, cosmodromes occupy a large area and are located at a considerable distance from densely populated areas in order to avoid damage in the event of accidents and falls of stages separated during flight.
Spaceports of the world
The closer the launch point is to the equator, the lower the energy consumption for launching the payload into space. When launched from the equator, it can save about 10% of fuel compared to a rocket launched from a spaceport located in mid-latitudes. Since there are not many states on the equator capable of launching rockets into space, projects for sea-based spaceports have appeared.
Russia
The Russian Federation, being a pioneer in the field of space exploration, currently holds the lead in the number of launches. In 2012, our country carried out 24 launches of launch vehicles, unfortunately not all were successful.
The largest “space haven” in Russia is the Baikonur Cosmodrome, leased from Kazakhstan. It is located on the territory of Kazakhstan, in the Kyzylorda region between the city of Kazalinsk and the village of Dzhusaly, near the village of Tyuratam. Spaceport area: 6717 km². Construction of the cosmodrome began in 1955. On August 21, 1957, the first successful launch of the R-7 rocket took place.
Diagram of the Baikonur cosmodrome
In Soviet times, a huge infrastructure that had no analogues in the world was created in the Baikonur area, including, in addition to launch, preparatory and control complexes, airfields, access roads, service buildings and residential camps. All this after the collapse of the USSR went to independent Kazakhstan.
According to official data, the operation of the cosmodrome in 2012 cost about 5 billion rubles per year (the cost of renting the Baikonur complex is $115 million - about 3.5 billion rubles per year, and Russia spends about 1.5 billion rubles per year on maintenance of cosmodrome facilities), which amounted to 4.2% of the total Roscosmos budget for 2012. In addition, from the federal budget of Russia to the budget of the city of Baikonur there is an annual gratuitous receipt of 1.16 billion rubles (as of 2012). In total, the cosmodrome and the city cost the Russian budget 6.16 billion rubles per year.
Currently, Baikonur, after its transfer by the military in 2005, is under the jurisdiction of Roscosmos. By the end of 2007, most of the military space units left the cosmodrome; about 500 Russian military personnel remained at the cosmodrome.
Google Earth satellite image: launch pad No. 250
The cosmodrome has infrastructure and launch facilities that allow the launch of launch vehicles:
- medium carriers of the Soyuz family, launch weight up to 313,000 kg (based on R-7) - sites No. 1 (Gagarin launch), No. 31.
-light carriers "Cosmos", launch weight up to 109,000 kg - site No. 41.
- medium carriers of the Zenit family, launch weight up to 462,200 kg - site No. 45.
- heavy carriers "Proton", launch weight up to 705,000 kg - sites No. 81, No. 200.
-light carriers of the Cyclone family, launch weight up to 193,000 kg (based on the R-36 ICBM) - site No. 90.
- light carriers "Dnepr"", launch weight up to 211000 kg (joint Russian-Ukrainian development based on the R-36M ICBM) - site No. 175
-light carriers “Rokot” and “Strela”, launch weight up to 107,500 kg (based on the UR-100N ICBM) – site No. 175.
- heavy carriers “Energia”, launch weight up to 2,400,000 kg (not currently in use) – sites No. 110, No. 250.
Google Earth satellite image: "Gagarin's launch"
Despite regularly receiving payments for the lease of the cosmodrome and interstate agreements, Kazakhstan periodically interferes with the normal operation of the cosmodrome. Thus, in 2012, the launches of the European meteorological spacecraft MetOp-B (the launch was planned for May 23), the Russian satellites Kanopus-V and MKA-PN1, the Belarusian BKA, the Canadian ADS-1B and the German TET-1 (group launch) were postponed of these five devices was scheduled for June 7), the Russian device "Resurs-P" (planned for August).
The reason was the long-term agreement by the Kazakh side on the use of the impact field of the first stage of launch vehicles in the Kustanai and Aktobe regions (used when launching satellites into sun-synchronous orbit by the Soyuz launch vehicle).
Due to the position of the Kazakh side, the project to create a joint Russian-Kazakh rocket and space complex “Baiterek” (based on the new Angara launch vehicle) was not implemented. It was not possible to reach a compromise on the issue of financing the project. Russia will probably build a launch complex for Angara at the new Vostochny cosmodrome.
Proton-K launches the Zvezda module for the ISS into orbit
The northernmost cosmodrome in the world is Plesetsk, also known as the 1st State Test Cosmodrome. It is located 180 kilometers south of Arkhangelsk near the Plesetskaya railway station of the Northern Railway. The cosmodrome covers an area of 176,200 hectares. The cosmodrome traces its history back to January 11, 1957, when the Decree of the Council of Ministers of the USSR was adopted on the creation of a military facility with the code name “Angara”. The cosmodrome was created as the first military missile formation in the USSR, armed with R-7 and R-7A intercontinental ballistic missiles.
R-7 launch vehicle family
From the 70s to the early 90s, the Plesetsk cosmodrome held the world leadership in the number of rocket launches into space (from 1957 to 1993, 1372 launches were carried out from here, while from Baikonur, which was in 2nd place, only 917).
However, since the 1990s, the annual number of launches from Plesetsk has become less than from Baikonur. The cosmodrome is run by the military; in addition to launching satellites into orbit, test launches of ICBMs are periodically carried out from it.
The cosmodrome has stationary technical and launch complexes for domestic light and medium-class launch vehicles: Rokot, Cyclone-3, Cosmos-3M and Soyuz.
Google Earth satellite image: Soyuz launch pad
Also at the cosmodrome there is a testing complex designed for testing intercontinental ballistic missiles with silo-type launchers.
Construction of launch and technical complexes for Angara launch vehicles is underway at the Zenit SC base.
Launch of the Cyclone-3 rocket from the Plesetsk cosmodrome
The cosmodrome supports a significant part of Russian space programs related to defense, as well as scientific and commercial launches of unmanned spacecraft.
In addition to the main cosmodromes “Baikonur” and “Plesetsk”, launch vehicles and launch of spacecraft into low-Earth orbit are periodically carried out from other cosmodromes.
The most famous of them is the Svobodny cosmodrome. The main reason for the creation of this cosmodrome was that as a result of the collapse of the USSR, the Baikonur cosmodrome found itself outside the territory of Russia and the impossibility of launching heavy Protons from the Plesetsk cosmodrome. It was decided to create a new cosmodrome on the basis of the disbanded 27th Red Banner Far Eastern Division of the Strategic Missile Forces, which was previously armed with the UR-100 ballistic missile. In 1993, its facilities were transferred to the military space forces. On March 1, 1996, by presidential decree, the 2nd State Test Cosmodrome of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation was established here. The total area of this object is about 700 km2.
The first launch of the Start 1.2 launch vehicle based on the Topol ballistic missile with the Zeya spacecraft took place on March 4, 1997. During the entire existence of the cosmodrome, five rocket launches were made here.
In 1999, a decision was made to build a rocket launch complex for the Strela launch vehicle at the cosmodrome. However, the Strela complex did not pass the state environmental assessment due to the high toxicity of the rocket fuel used in it - heptyl. In June 2005, at a meeting of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, it was decided, as part of a reduction in armed forces, to liquidate the Svobodny Cosmodrome due to the low intensity of launches and insufficient funding. However, already in 2007 it was decided to create an infrastructure here for launching medium-class launch vehicles. The future cosmodrome received the name “Vostochny”. It is expected that commercial and scientific launches will take place here, while all military launches are planned to take place from Plesetsk.
Launches of light launch vehicles of the Cosmos and Dnepr series were also carried out from the Kapustin Yar test site and the Yasny launch pad.
Promising air defense systems are currently being tested at the Kapustin Yar training ground in the Astrakhan region. In addition, launches of Cosmos series launch vehicles with military satellites take place periodically.
The Yasny complex is located on the territory of the Dombarovsky positional area of the Strategic Missile Forces in the Yasnensky district of the Orenburg region of Russia. Used to launch spacecraft using Dnepr launch vehicles. From July 2006 to August 2013, six successful commercial launches were carried out.
Also in Russia, spacecraft were launched from strategic submarines.
On July 7, 1998, two German commercial micro-satellites Tubsat-N were launched into low Earth orbit from the Novomoskovsk SSBN Project 667BDRM "Dolphin" while submerged in the Barents Sea. This is the first in the history of space exploration to launch satellites into low-Earth orbit with a rocket launch from under water.
On May 26, 2006, the Compass 2 satellite was successfully launched from the Ekaterinburg SSBN of Project 667BDRM Dolphin.
USA
The most famous US spaceport is certainly the John Fitzgerald Kennedy Space Center. It is located on Merritt Island in Florida, the center of the spaceport is located near Cape Canaveral, midway between Miami and Jacksonville. Kennedy Space Center is a complex of space launch and mission control facilities (spaceport) owned by NASA. The dimensions of the cosmodrome are 55 km long and about 10 km wide, with an area of 567 km².
The cosmodrome was originally founded in 1950 as a missile testing site. The site's location was one of the most convenient in the United States, since spent rocket stages fall into the Atlantic Ocean. However, the location of the cosmodrome is associated with significant natural and meteorological risks. The space center's buildings and structures were repeatedly seriously damaged by hurricanes, and planned launches had to be postponed. So in September 2004, part of the Kennedy Space Center structures was damaged by Hurricane Frances. The vertical assembly building lost a thousand external panels of approximately 1.2 x 3.0 m each. The outer cladding covering an area of 3,700 m² was destroyed. The roof was partially torn off and there was extensive water damage to the interior.
Top view of the area of launch complex No. 39
The Kennedy Space Center conducted all shuttle launches from Launch Complex 39. The center is served by approximately 15 thousand civilian employees and specialists.
The history of this spaceport is inextricably linked with the American manned space exploration program. Until July 2011, the Kennedy Space Center was the site for the launch of the Space Shuttle using Complex 39 with the infrastructure of the Apollo program. The first launch was the USS Columbia on April 12, 1981. The center is also a landing site for orbital shuttles - there is a 4.6 km long landing strip.
Space Shuttle Atlantis
The last launch of the space shuttle Atlantis took place on May 16, 2011. Then the American reusable spacecraft delivered a cargo of logistics, as well as a magnetic alpha spectrometer, aboard the international space station.
Part of the cosmodrome territory is open to the public; there are several museums, cinemas and exhibition grounds. Bus excursion routes are organized throughout the territory closed to the public. The cost of the bus tour is $38. It includes: a visit to the launch pads of complex No. 39 and a trip to the Apollo-Saturn V center, an overview of the tracking stations.
The Apollo-Saturn V Center is a huge museum built around the exhibit's most prized exhibit, the reconstructed Saturn V launch vehicle and other space-related artifacts such as the Apollo capsule.
Uncrewed spacecraft are launched from launch sites along the coast, operated by the US Air Force and part of Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, which is part of the US Air Force Space Command. There are 38 launch sites at Cape Canaveral, of which only 4 are operational today. Currently, Delta II and IV, Falcon 9 and Atlas V rockets launch from the spaceport.
Google Earth satellite image: Cape Canaveral launch site
From here, on April 22, 2010, the Boeing X-37 unmanned reusable spacecraft was successfully launched for the first time. It was launched into low-Earth orbit using an Atlas V launch vehicle.
On March 5, 2011, the device was launched into orbit by an Atlas V launch vehicle launched from Cape Canaveral. According to the US Air Force, the second X-37B will test sensor instruments and satellite systems. On June 16, 2012, the aircraft landed at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, spending 468 days and 13 hours in orbit, orbiting the Earth more than seven thousand times.
On December 11, 2012, a device of this type was launched into space for the third time, where it remains to this day.
X-37 is designed to operate at altitudes from 200-750 km, is capable of quickly changing orbits, maneuvering, can perform reconnaissance missions, and deliver and return small cargo.
The second largest and most important US space infrastructure facility is the Vandenberg Air Force Base. The joint space command center is located here. It is home to the 14th Airlift Wing, 30th Space Wing, 381st Training Group and the Western Launch and Test Range, where military and commercial satellites are launched and intercontinental ballistic missiles are tested, including the Minuteman. 3".
Control and training firing of combat missiles is carried out mainly in a southwestern direction towards the Kwajalein and Canton atolls. The total length of the equipped route reaches 10 thousand km. Missile launches are carried out in a southerly direction. Due to the geographical location of the base, their entire flight route passes over uninhabited areas of the Pacific Ocean.
On December 16, 1958, the first Thor ballistic missile was launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base. On February 28, 1959, the world's first polar-orbiting satellite, Discoverer 1, was launched from Vandenberg on a Tor-Agena launch vehicle. Vandenberg was chosen as the launch and landing site for the Space Shuttle on the West Coast of the United States.
To launch the shuttles, technical structures, an assembly building, and launch complex No. 6 were rebuilt. In addition, the base's existing 2,590-meter runway was extended to 4,580 meters to facilitate shuttle landings. Full maintenance and restoration of the orbital vehicle was carried out using equipment located here. However, the Challenger explosion led to the cancellation of all shuttle flights from the West Coast.
After the shuttle program was frozen at Vandenberg, Launch Complex 6 was once again converted to launch Delta IV launch vehicles. The first of the Delta IV series spacecraft launched from pad No. 6 was a rocket launched on June 27, 2006; it launched the NROL-22 reconnaissance satellite into orbit.
Launch of a Delta IV rocket from Vandenberg Space Center
Currently, Vandenberg Base facilities are used to launch military satellites, some of them, for example the NROL-28 device, are used to “fight terrorism.” NROL-28 launched into highly elliptical orbit to collect intelligence on terrorist groups in the Middle East; for example, sensors on board such satellites can track the movements of military vehicles on the surface of the Earth. This satellite was launched into space by the Atlas V carrier, which used Russian RD-180 engines.
For testing within the framework of the missile defense program, the Reagan Proving Ground is used. Launch sites are located on Kwajelein Atoll and Wake Island. It has been around since 1959. In 1999, the test site was named in honor of former US President Ronald Reagan.
Since 2004, Omelek Island, which is part of the test site, has been the launch pad for the Falcon 1 launch vehicle created by SpaceX. A total of 4 orbital launch attempts were made from Omelek Island.
The first three ended unsuccessfully, the fourth rocket launched a mass-dimensional mock-up of the satellite into orbit. The first commercial launch occurred on July 13, 2009. The delay was caused by compatibility problems between the rocket and the Malaysian RazakSat satellite.
The Falcon 1 light launch vehicle is partially reusable; the first stage splashes down after separation and can be reused.
The Wallops Spaceport is located on NASA-owned land and consists of three separate sites with a total area of 25 km²: the main base, the center on the mainland and Wallops Island, where the launch complex is located. The main base is located on the east coast of Virginia. It was founded in 1945, the first successful launch was made on February 16, 1961, when the Explorer-9 research satellite was launched into low-Earth orbit using the Scout X-1 launch vehicle. Has several starting complexes.
In 1986, NASA deployed a control and measurement complex on the territory of the test site to track and control the spacecraft flight. Several radars with antenna diameters of 2.4-26 m provide reception and high-speed transmission of information coming from objects directly to their owners. The technical capabilities of the complex make it possible to carry out trajectory measurements of objects located at a distance of 60 thousand km, with an accuracy of 3 m in range and up to 9 cm/s in speed.
Over the years of its existence, over 15 thousand launches of various types of rockets have been made from the station’s territory; recently, about 30 launches have been made per year.
Since 2006, part of the site has been leased by a private aerospace corporation and used for commercial launches under the name Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport. In 2013, the Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer probe was launched from the Wallops Space Center on a Minotaur-V launch vehicle to the Moon.
Also here, launches of the Antares launch vehicle are carried out; in their first stage, two oxygen-kerosene rocket engines AJ-26 are installed - a modification of the NK-33 engine developed by Aerojet and licensed in the USA for use on American launch vehicles.
Antares launch vehicle
As of March 31, 2010, Aerojet Rocketdyne purchased from SNTK im. Kuznetsov about 40 NK-33 engines at a price of 1 million US dollars.
Another commercial spaceport was the Kodiak Launch Complex, located on the island of the same name off the coast of Alaska. It is designed to launch light rockets along a suborbital trajectory and launch small spacecraft into polar orbit.
The first experimental launch of a rocket from the cosmodrome took place on November 5, 1998. The first orbital launch took place on September 29, 2001, when the Athena-1 launch vehicle launched 4 small satellites into orbit.
Launch of the Afina-1 launch vehicle from the launch pad on Kodiak Island. September 30, 2001
Despite the “commercial” purpose of the cosmodrome, Minotaur launch vehicles are regularly launched from it. The Minotaur family of American, all-solid-propellant launch vehicles was developed by the Orbital Science Corporation for the US Air Force on the basis of the sustainer stages of the Minuteman and Peacekeeper ICBMs.
Launch vehicle "Minotaur"
According to US laws prohibiting the sale of government equipment, the Minotaur launch vehicle can only be used to launch government satellites and is not available for commercial orders. The most successful launch of Minotaur V took place on September 6, 2013.
In addition to launching cargo into space using launch vehicles, other programs are being implemented in the United States. In particular, objects were launched into orbit using Pegasus series rockets launched from a Stargazer aircraft, a modified Lockheed L-1011.
The system was developed by Orbital Sciences Corporation, which specializes in providing commercial services for delivering objects into space.
Another example of a private initiative is the reusable Space Ship One, developed by Scaled Composites LLC.
The takeoff is carried out using a special White Knight aircraft. Then undocking occurs and Space Ship One rises to an altitude of about 50 km. Space Ship One spends about three minutes in space. Flights are carried out from the private Mojave Aerospace Center in the interests of “space tourism”.
In 2012, 13 launch vehicles were launched in the United States. Although inferior to Russia in this indicator, the United States is actively working on the creation of promising launch vehicles and reusable spacecraft.
China
Currently, China is one of the top five space powers in the world. Successful exploration of outer space is largely determined by the level of development of satellite launch facilities, as well as cosmodromes with launching and control complexes. China has four spaceports (one is under construction).
The Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center is China's first spaceport and missile test site and has been operating since 1958. The cosmodrome is located on the edge of the Badan-Jilin Desert in the lower reaches of the Heihe River in Gansu Province, named after the city of Jiuquan, located 100 kilometers from the cosmodrome. The testing ground at the cosmodrome has an area of 2800 km².
The Jiuquan Cosmodrome is often called the Chinese Baikonur. This is the country's very first and, until 1984, only rocket and space test site. It is China's largest spaceport and the only one used in the national manned program. It also launches military missiles. For the period from 1970-1996. 28 space launches were carried out from the Jiuquan Cosmodrome, 23 of which were successful. Mainly reconnaissance satellites and spacecraft for remote sensing of the Earth were launched into low orbits.
Google Earth satellite image: Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center
In the 90s, China had the opportunity to provide commercial services to other states for launching payloads into low-Earth orbits. However, due to its geographical location and the limited sector of launch azimuths, the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center is not capable of providing a wide range of such services. Therefore, it was decided to make this space center the main base for launching controlled spacecraft.
For this purpose, a new launch complex and a building for the vertical assembly of new powerful CZ-2F launch vehicles were built at the Jiuquan cosmodrome in 1999. This building allows for the simultaneous assembly of three or four launch vehicles with subsequent transportation of missiles to the launch site on a movable launch pad in vertical position, as is done in the USA with the Space Shuttle system.
On the territory of the existing launch complex there are two launchers with ground power towers and a common service tower. They provide launches of the CZ-2 and CZ-4 launch vehicles. It is from here that manned spacecraft are launched.
Launch vehicle "Long March-2F"
After the successful launch of the Shenzhou spacecraft on October 15, 2003, China became the world's third largest manned space power.
Launch vehicle "Long March-4"
To implement the manned program in China, it was created new complex control, including a control center (MCC) in Beijing, ground and command and measurement points. According to cosmonaut V.V. Ryumin, the Chinese Mission Control Center is better than those in Russia and the USA. There is no such center in any country in the world. In the main hall of the MCC, there are more than 100 terminals for presenting information to specialists of the control group in five rows, and on the end wall there are four large display screens on which a three-dimensional synthesized image can be displayed.
In 1967, Mao Zedong decided to begin developing his own manned space program. The first Chinese spacecraft, Shuguang-1, was supposed to send two astronauts into orbit as early as 1973. Especially for him, construction of a cosmodrome, also known as “Base 27,” began in Sichuan province, near the city of Xichang.
The location of the launch site was chosen based on the principle of maximum distance from the Soviet border; moreover, the cosmodrome is located closer to the equator, which increases the load thrown into orbit.
After funding for the project was cut in 1972, and several leading scientists were repressed during the cultural revolution the project was closed. Construction of the cosmodrome resumed a decade later, ending in 1984.
The cosmodrome is capable of producing 10-12 launches per year.
The cosmodrome has two launch complexes and three launchers.
The first launch complex provides: assembly, pre-launch preparation and launch of medium-class launch vehicles of the CZ-3 family (“Long March-3”), launch weight up to: 425,800 kg.
Google Earth satellite image: Sichan cosmodrome
The CZ-3B/E modification missiles are currently in operation. The first launch took place on February 14, 1996, but it turned out to be an emergency. 22 seconds after launch, the rocket fell on a village, destroying the Intelsat 708 satellite on board and killing several villagers. Nine subsequent CZ-3B launches and two CZ-3B/E launches were successful, with the exception of one partial failure. In 2009, the CZ-3B launch vehicle, due to abnormal operation of the third stage, launched the Indonesian Palapa-D satellite into a lower orbit than planned. However, the satellite was later able to automatically adjust its orbit.
The first launch of CZ-3B/E took place on May 13, 2007, when the NigComSat-1 telecommunications satellite was launched into geosynchronous orbit. On October 30, 2008, the Venesat-1 satellite was launched into orbit.
Launch vehicle "Long March 3"
The second launch complex has two launchers: one is designed for launching the CZ-2 family of heavy class launch vehicles, the other – CZ-3A, CZ-3B, CZ-3C launch vehicles.
The three-stage heavy-class launch vehicle CZ-2F (“Long March-2F”), with a launch weight of up to: 464,000 kg, like many other Chinese missiles, is a direct successor to ballistic missiles that were developed in China. The main difference is the ability to carry a larger payload thanks to additional upper stages on the first stage of the launch vehicle.
Today, the launch vehicle of this modification is the most “load-lifting”. It has repeatedly launched satellites into orbit, and has also been used for manned flights.
Over the years of its existence, the Sichan cosmodrome has already successfully carried out more than 50 launches of Chinese and foreign satellites.
Taiyuan Cosmodrome is located in the northern province of Shanxi, near the city of Taiyuan. In operation since 1988.
Google Earth satellite image: Taiyuan Space Launch Center
From this cosmodrome, remote sensing, meteorological and reconnaissance spacecraft are launched into orbit. At the cosmodrome there is a launcher, a tower Maintenance and two liquid fuel storage facilities.
Launches of the following types of launch vehicles are carried out here: CZ-4B and CZ-2C/SM. The CZ-4 launch vehicle is built on the basis of the CZ-2C launch vehicle and differs from it by a new third stage using long-lasting fuel.
The fourth Wenchang spaceport under construction is located near the city of Wenchang on the northeastern coast of Hainan Island. The choice of this place as a site for the construction of a new cosmodrome was determined primarily by two factors: firstly, its proximity to the equator, and secondly, its location on the seashore with convenient bays, which facilitates the delivery of CZ-5 launch vehicles (Great March -5) heavy class with a launch weight of 643,000 kg, from the Tianjin plant. The future space center according to the project will occupy an area of up to 30 km2. The first launch of the CZ-5 launch vehicle from the Wenchang Satellite Launch Center is scheduled for 2014.
Today, China demonstrates the highest rates of space exploration. The volume of investments and the number of scientific programs in this area significantly exceed the indicators in Russia. To speed up work, every year hundreds of Chinese specialists receive education in specialized educational institutions Worldwide. The Chinese do not disdain direct copying; so much in the Chinese manned spacecraft Shenzhou is repeated by the Russian Soyuz spacecraft.
Descent module of the Shenzhou-5 spacecraft
The entire design of the ship and all its systems are almost completely identical to the Soviet spacecraft of the Soyuz series, and the orbital module was built using technologies used in the series of Soviet space stations Salyut.
France
Kourou Cosmodrome - located on the coast Atlantic Ocean, on a strip approximately 60 km long and 20 km wide between the towns of Kourou and Sinnamary, 50 km from the capital of French Guiana - Cayenne.
The Kourou cosmodrome is located very well, just 500 km north of the equator. The rotation of the Earth gives the carrier an additional speed of 460 meters per second (1656 km/h) during the launch trajectory in an easterly direction. This saves fuel and money, and also extends active life satellites.
Launch of the Ariane 5 rocket
In 1975, when the European Space Agency (ESA) was formed, the French government proposed using the Kourou spaceport for European space programs. ESA, considering the Kourou spaceport as its integral part, financed the modernization of the Kourou launch sites for the Ariane spacecraft program.
Google Earth satellite image: Kourou Cosmodrome
There are four launch complexes for launch vehicles at the cosmodrome: heavy class - Ariane-5, medium class - Soyuz, light class - Vega, and sounding rockets. In 2012, 10 launch vehicles were launched from the Kourou spaceport, which corresponds to the number of launches from Cape Canaveral.
Launch of the Vega launch vehicle
In 2007, as part of Russian-French cooperation, work began on the construction of launch sites for Russian Soyuz-2 rockets at the Kourou cosmodrome. The first launch of the Russian Soyuz-STB launch vehicle took place on October 21, 2011. The next launch of the Russian Soyuz-STA class launch vehicle took place on December 17, 2011. The last launch of the Soyuz-STB launch vehicle from the cosmodrome took place on June 25, 2013.