Russian Space: Top 10 Soyuz, Zenit, and Proton Launches of 2010 10min

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The Russian Space Agency Roscosmos shows the "Top 10" launches from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in 2010, including Proton, Soyuz, and Zenit launch vehicles. A nice Christmas video, with a good musical background.

from Proton Launch System Mission Planner's Guide, Oct 2009
http://www.ilslaunch.com/sites/default/files/pdf/Proton%20Mission%20Planner%2...

The Baikonur Cosmodrome is one of the Russian Federation's two major space launch complexes... Baikonur is located in the Republic of Kazakhstan approximately 2100 kilometers from Moscow. Baikonur has been the launch site for Soviet, and later Russian, human spaceflight programs, geostationary satellites and scientific missions to the moon and planets. It is also the site of the first launch of a satellite (Sputnik 1 on October 4, 1957) and the first human into space (Yuri Gagarin in April 12, 1961). The earliest achievements in space exploration have been made at historic Baikonur.

Baikonur is a large Y-shaped complex... that extends about 160 kilometers (100 miles) east to west and 88 kilometers (55 miles) north to south. The vehicle processing and launch areas are connected to each other and to the city of Baikonur by 470 kilometers (290 miles) of wide-gauge railroad lines. The rail system is the principal mode of transportation. Rockets are carried from their vehicle assembly buildings to their launch pads horizontally on railcars and erected onto the launch pad.

The SC is transported to the Baikonur Cosmodrome by air and is offloaded at the on-site Yubileiny Airfield. It is then transported to the state-of the-art processing facility in Area 92 for testing, fueling, mating to the Breeze M Upper Stage and encapsulation with the payload fairing.

- Weather conditions in Baikonur have very few launch restraints, offering additional schedule assurance for customers.
- Two launch pads are available for commercial missions.
- Launch vehicle and SC time on pad is five days.

The Proton has been operational since 1970 (pre-1970 launches were considered developmental), and as of 31 July 2009 has carried out more than 323 operational launches. The Proton has achieved a historical success rate of 96.5%. The Proton M and Breeze M are used to conduct all commercial launch missions, as well as a significant number of missions for the Russian government.

The Proton M completed development and was first launched in April 2001. Although identical in outward appearance to the Proton K, it incorporates improvements to the avionics and structures of the first three stages. It also incorporates improved RD-276 first stage engines that have been flying since 2007. The Breeze M storable propellant Upper Stage offers enhanced performance and operational capability... As of 31 July 2009, the Breeze M has flown successfully 30 times.

rocket, launch, rocket launch, launch vehicle, Baikonur, cosmodrome, Baikonur Cosmodrome, Roscosmos, Soyuz, Proton, Zenit, Soyuz launch, Proton launch, Zenit launch, Russian space program, space, Russian space

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• rocket
• launch
• rocket launch
• launch vehicle
• Baikonur
• cosmodrome
• Baikonur Cosmodrome
• Roscosmos
• Soyuz
• Proton
• Zenit
• Soyuz launch
• Proton launch
• Zenit launch
• Russian space program
• space
• Russian space
• Outer Space
• Rocket Launch
• Proton (rocket)