From the ship to orbit - light floating cosmodrome "Selena"
“... What seemed unrealizable for centuries, what yesterday was only a bold dream, today is becoming a real task, and tomorrow - an accomplishment.
There are no barriers of human thought! ”
There are no barriers of human thought! ”
S.P. Korolev
In continuation of the topic how to get into orbit (or into space) in a non-trivial way, voiced in articles:
Underwater launch systems: how to get out of water into orbit or into space?
Underwater launch systems: how to get out of the water into orbit or into space? /EndingUnderwater launch systems: how to get out of the water into orbit? Ending
The idea of launching a BR or PH from an offshore platform or ship (aircraft carrier) into space is, of course, not “Russian” know-how. The first were most likely the Americans. V2 rocket launch from USS Midway Aircraft Carrier (1947)
This is understandable: a large stock of expropriated FAU-2 (Vergeltungswaffe-2) and a large number of aircraft carriers.
Advantage: logistics, any latitude of start, large spaces for falling of rockets and their steps. There are disadvantages.
Other significant American projects:
Sea Dragon (“Sea Dragon”) by Aerojet is the 1962 project of the year to create a fully reusable sea-based two-stage launch vehicle. One of the designs created by Robert Truax was a rocket launched from a free-floating position in the ocean.
Truax’s main idea was to create a cheap heavy carrier, now called "Big silly carrier".
Before the dragon, Robert experimented with Sea bee и Sea horse.
From the “latest” US proposals, this is probably the PH Aquarius (Aquarius), developed by Space Systems / Loral, Aerojet, Microcosm in 2000's. Purpose: The cost of outputting the payload (for supplying the ISS) per kg 1000 NOU (2200 lbs) is not more than $ 1 000 000,00. Disposable media.
Low-cost launch and orbital depots: the Aquarius system.
The preface is over, I return to Selene.
Very little information and good quality photos. More likely to turn out about the ships and about the PH.
It will be about one use case fleet Space Research Services of the Department of Marine Expeditionary Works of the USSR Academy of Sciences (SKI OMER AN USSR)
"Sea space fleet", ships of the Star Flotilla, floating measuring points, space service vessels. What is this fleet? What kind of trial?
[1]
Questions and answers here.[1]
The ships with the significant names "Cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin", "Academician Sergey Korolev", "Cosmonaut Georgy Dobrovolsky" and the others were once subordinate to the Ministry of Defense, although they went "under the roof" of the Academy of Sciences:
[3]
In addition to communication with manned spacecraft, they also performed other tasks, including the provision of flight tests of rocket and space technology products.
After the collapse of the USSR, three large ships, the Gagarin, Korolev and Mosquitoes, were sold for scrap. At about the same time, the Ministry of Defense handed over the remaining four ships of the “Selena” type to the NPO measuring equipment of the Russian Space Agency.
"Cosmonaut George Dobrovolsky" and "Cosmonaut Viktor Patsayev" were equipped with TM measurement and communication equipment, and two ships - "Cosmonaut Vladislav Volkov" and "Cosmonaut Pavel Belyaev" - without scientific equipment, since Former owners managed to remove special equipment and some equipment.
In the second half of the 1990-x "Cosmonaut George Dobrovolsky" was prepared for use in the project Sea Launch as a ship measuring complex. According to the original scheme, it should receive telemetry from a rocket in the most critical areas: separation of stages, separation of the upper stage, launching the object into orbit.
Until October 1998, everything was moving according to plan. Additional equipment of the vessel was held for Russian money, taking into account that the Americans will sign a contract. Indeed, they even allocated a bit of finance in advance. But at the last moment they unexpectedly changed their mind and offered to abandon his services, equipping the rocket with the American satellite relay unit and use their TDRS satellite for transmitting telemetry.
Perhaps, this is also true, from the point of view of a business solution: the day of operation of the telemetric vessel was only $ 10 000.
These included the cost of fuel, water, food, navigation services, and only a small proportion of the salaries of Russian personnel.
However, the savings of Americans did not take into account that the launch of the Zenit launch vehicle from the Sea Launch platform has a number of features:
- for the first time, a land-based PH starts from an ocean platform;
- for the first time refueling and storage of fuel components will be carried out in the ocean on the platform from which the launch vehicle starts;
- for the first time, the volume of telemetry adopted for normal operation on the tested RN will be reduced for transmission via the TDRS radio link;
- for the first time on the tested complex in the first launch an experimental telemetry measurement system based on the use of TDRS will be used.
The savings offered by the Americans cannot be compared with the possible losses. Telemetry information is vital for commercial launches. Its absence “hits the pocket”: in case of an unsuccessful launch, insurers do not pay compensation until they unequivocally determine the cause of the accident.
[2]- for the first time refueling and storage of fuel components will be carried out in the ocean on the platform from which the launch vehicle starts;
- for the first time, the volume of telemetry adopted for normal operation on the tested RN will be reduced for transmission via the TDRS radio link;
- for the first time on the tested complex in the first launch an experimental telemetry measurement system based on the use of TDRS will be used.
The savings offered by the Americans cannot be compared with the possible losses. Telemetry information is vital for commercial launches. Its absence “hits the pocket”: in case of an unsuccessful launch, insurers do not pay compensation until they unequivocally determine the cause of the accident.
Russian partners advocated the use of Selena, at least in the first launches. The negotiations ended in nothing. In March, 1998, the Zenit launch vehicle, launched a spacecraft from the platform without recourse to the telemetry vessel Selena-M. To prevent the ships from disappearing, their crew, at every opportunity, took the ships to sea, carrying out many tasks, including working with the Mir station.
A possible way out of the impasse was outlined, as always, “at the junction of two elements” - the sea and space, the ship and the rocket.
The project of the FSUE “Scientific and Production Association of Measuring Equipment” (NPO IT) was very simple and low-cost. In the docks of Kaliningrad and St. Petersburg there were two of the three remaining in Russia (in Soviet times there were 11) vessels of the “Selena-M” series intended for space communications - Cosmonaut Viktor Patsayev and Cosmonaut Georgy Dobrovolsky.
NPO IT specialists suggested that one of them be re-equipped to launch launch vehicles of the “Start” and “Start-1” types. During launch, the second vessel was to provide telemetric tracking of the process of launching spacecraft into orbit. The ships could be based anywhere from the Baltic to the Canary Islands - as more convenient for the customer.
The difference is only in the speed of reaching the starting point (closer to the equator): in the first case it is two or three weeks, in the second - up to 10 days.
More benefits:
- in the geographical breadth of the launch.
Starting from the equator, in the vicinity of which the floating cosmodrome can easily be located, allows you to increase the mass of the satellite being put into orbit and the lower the orbit, the greater the difference in mass: for example, two hundred-kilometer height can be sent from the Plesetsk 535 kg, and from the equator - 742.
- some specific-purpose satellites cannot be launched from the territory of the Russian Federation:
- - The law of high-tech export conditions from 1979;
- - Military items controlled by the US Munitions List
- - Dual-use goods, the list of which is determined by the US Commercial Control List.
-the great difficulty in carrying out commercial launches from Baikonur or Plesetsk is represented by customs procedures (duties on the import of foreign satellites for launches by Russian missiles constitute a significant fraction of the cost of the launch itself).
EEU HS: 10% duty and 18% percent VAT.
I do not understand this nonsense. Well, exactly in the government we have some barges, with a minor mistake.
To a foreign satellite (when running on our own PH from our territory) tear off the 10% duty from the customer of the launch (Israel’s admissible) and 18% VAT from the satellite cost (with delivery to the RF / TS border) + TP (10%), and then return (Israel 18%) if the satellite crosses the Karman line. And if it does not cross and crash down - then do not return, respectively! And VAT returns will be at least 3 a month, or even all 6.
Capitalism
Ps. in the USA, by the way, there is no VAT, duty - I don’t know, but it’s hardly more than 5-7%. So we lived, and we live, but we tell fairy tales about trampolines.
The mobile complex, which independently arrives at the customer’s port, plunges aboard the spacecraft together with an escort team and, under its own power, goes to the launch point offshore exempt from such Mitney and all taxes. Is that the port fees.
Comfortable conditions on board (single and double cabins) make it possible to accommodate representatives of customers, even the most demanding ones (such as "Russian" Ilona Mask-Misha Prokhorov).
There are, of course, and cons.
Main: the sea launch was losing (at that time), and it is losing now (Space x again) in price to the earth’s cosmodrome. A sea launch is more expensive by about 2-4 million $ (12-14 million $ against $ 10 million from the spaceport). Partial “difference” was paid by extra satellite kilograms launched from the equator. Start-class launch vehicles are solid, not requiring refueling on site, which simplified the launch and maintenance team.
The carriers (conversion version RT-2PM / 15Ж58 (SS-25 SICKLE)) are compact in size and have an acceptable mass, which made it possible to place two missiles on the ship at once.
The degree of automation of prelaunch preparation is very high (under 100%).
The total cost of the project "easy" sea launch (in 2005 prices): 20-25 million dollars (almost the price of one space tour), which includes a complete re-equipment of the spacecraft, the launch of two ships at sea and their work. For the year, according to the designers, you can make up to 10 starts.
There is also a security problem: the ship is the land site of the cosmodrome. The designers used the mortar launch principle laid down in the ICBM:
the first will be the charge in the TPC, in which the rocket is located, and “shoot” it into the air, then the cruise engines of the rocket carrier turn on at a safe height.
For complete safety, the option of a remote launch without the presence of the crew was also provided for: the legacy of the combat ICBM.
The marine launch complex, called Selena, includes a transportable rocket-space complex with a solid launch rocket of the Start family, a Selena-M project transport and launch vessel, a complex of rocket launch process measurement systems and a ground-based technical base for preparation and assembly of RKK in the port of registry.
The current measuring points are completely different. Places on the ships of this class will be a lot. The trouble ships almost gone. Mobile measuring points (MIPs) are developed and exist. Since not every country allows them to be brought into their own territory, they are made in the mobile version on a gyro-stabilized platform and can be placed on almost any ship.
In August, the sea-based MIP 2015 (MIP MB), produced by NPOIT, was tested in the Sea of Japan video aboard the icebreaker Admiral Makarov.
The infrastructure of the complex is largely ready. The reliability of the RSC is confirmed during the operation of the original missiles and launch vehicles from Svobodny and Plesetsk.
All starts The Topol ICBM (PC-12M Topol, the RT-2PM / 15Ж58 rocket - SS-25 SICKLE) and the Start-1,2 PH
There were two modifications of the start media:
the four-speed Start-1 and the five-speed Start.
The latter had only one launch from Plesetsk - emergency - 28 March 1995 (the dimensional-weight EKA-2 mockup and Gurwin Techsat 1A and UNAMSat A. satellites were not launched into the orbit. Start-1 ”from Plesetsk had only one launch - 25 March 1993 of the year - with the introduction of the satellite into orbit (or, according to other data, the overall weight model) of the ECA-1.
The remaining five launches of the Start-1 were performed from the Svobodny space center:
4 March 1997 of the year (satellite Zeya), 24 December 1997 of the year (EarlyBird), 5 December 2000 of the year (EROS A), 20 February 2001 of the year (Odin) and 25 April 2006 of the year (EROS B).
Already at that time, and now even more so, there is a boom of interest in low-orbit satellite communication systems based on small satellites and ultra-small satellites.
In 2016 space launched the first in the world satellite, made by students of the American primary school:
In November, SpaceX made another sensation by submitting a request to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for permission to launch 2016 satellites. If you read the document carefully, it says “4425 satellites (plus up to two spare satellites per orbital plane),” that is, on the 4425 orbital planes, the satellite constellation will have to be maximum xnumx satellite.
Devices are launched on large carriers in “bundles” and wait for their turn when the “elder brothers” are ready. But the life of such dwarfs is very limited. Starts are required to maintain the orbital constellation. Probably, small rocket carriers based on conversion marine or land ICBMs will be especially effective here.
Launch of NROL-55 spysat:
And we have removed and will be removed from combat duty of the ICBM "Topol" and "Topol-M" to be replaced by "Yarsy".
...
“Cosmonaut George Dobrovolsky" (project 1929 (Selena-2)), IMO number: 6910245) sold in 2005 year scrapped. Under the name “Cosmos” in March 2006 of the year came to Alang (India), where it was dismantled.
He 10 years survived his older friend:
What is it, do not keep it; lose cry
/ Big Explanatory Phraseological Dictionary of Michelson (1825 - 1908)
Instead of an afterword I quote Vladimir Proshchenko:
Do I need a "Marine Space Fleet"? What in return?
A little boy was playing in the field; he was digging a hole with a scoop.
The satellite is gone! No signals from GLONASare!
Laughed for a long time at the NA DirectorateSA!
The satellite is gone! No signals from GLONASare!
Laughed for a long time at the NA DirectorateSA!
[2]
Telemetry, launched by the PH and SC, again:
The rocket flew - it fell into the marsh ... and who is to blame for Rogozin
Why did she fall and on the basis of what did Rogozin decide to appoint scapegoats? Telemetry is not! And most importantly: "What to do?" And "How to fix?" The data is zero, but on the basis of fortune-telling guesses, managers of the face make smart face faces and give breathtaking conclusions. This is called "I am promoting."
Memory cosmonaut Georgy Dobrovolsky film: died together with other crew members of the Soyuz-11 spacecraft when returning to Earth due to depressurization of the descent module. / Roskosmos television studio.
-> Original sources, links and borrowed photos / videos
[1]V.Proschenko Report to the Korolev readings, January 2016. Section 10. "Cosmonautics and Culture"
KIK USSR website Alexander Neom 2009-2016
[2]Forum NIS "Cosmonaut George Dobrovolsky"
Appendix to NIS CGD website
The television studio of Roskosmos
RV "Georgiy Dobrovolsky" Vladimir Proshchenko
[3]COSMODROMES
Starting place - the ocean / V.M. Filin. - 2000
Children's drawing competition
Launch of the 15Ж65 rocket from the converted P-36М2 "Voyevoda" mine. Polygon Plesetsk. / Research and Development "Universal" / OCR "Topol-M", rocket 15Ж55 / 15Ж65 - SS-X-27 SICKLE-B /
www.nnm.me
www.dimmi-tomsk.livejournal.com
www.militaryrussia.ru
www.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru
www.wikipedia.org
www.itogi.ru
www.ski-omer.ru
www.space.hobby.ru
www.sslmda.com
www.americaspace.com
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