The ROCKOT Small Launcher for Future ESA Missions
- Paper number
IAC-09.D2.2.4
- Author
Mr. Peter Freeborn, Eurockot Launch Services GmbH, Germany
- Year
2009
- Abstract
Eurockot Launch Services GmbH of Bremen, Germany, is expected to perform two successful launches for the European Space Agency on Rockot launch vehicles during the course of 2009: The GOCE Earth Explorer Core Mission to be launched in March 2009, to be followed by another ESA satellite, the SMOS Earth Explorer Opportunity Mission in July 2009. Eurockot is now looking at continuing launches for the European Space Agency by proposing Rockot for a number of missions between 2010 and 2012, thereby securing their timely entry into service which else would be delayed due to the unavailability of proven other small launch vehicles. These satellites comprise ESA earth observation as well as scientific missions. The paper will describe the launch scenarios surrounding those satellites and the dependability and suitability of Rockot in the face of impediments often associated with current small launch vehicles, namely the continued availability of converted Russian launchers, ITAR issues, commercial terms and the role of Russia as an international partner, to name a few of the relevant topics. The venue of this year's IAC in Daejon is particularly fitting in view of Eurockot's role as a provider of launch services to the Republic of Korea's earth observation satellite community: Eurockot launched the first indigenously assembled earth observation satellite KOMPSAT-2 successfully in July 2006 from its facilities at Plesetsk Cosmodrome in Northern Russia. Eurockot Launch Services GmbH is the joint venture of EADS Astrium and Khrunichev Space Center and performs launches of small satellites of up to 1,500 kg into Low Earth Orbits using the Rockot launch vehicle. Since the year 2000, Eurockot has successfully launched earth observation, communication and science satellites for the German Space Agency DLR and NASA, IRIDIUM, the Canadian Space Agency, the Japanese government, the Korea Aerospace Research Institute and the European Space Agency. Eurockot has been a member of the International Astronautical Federation since the year 2001.
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
(absent)