khrunichev’s launcher systems: current status and development prospects
- Paper number
IAC-08.D2.1.9
- Author
Mr. Anatoly I. Kuzin, Khrunichev State Research & Production, Russia
- Coauthor
Mr. Vladimir E. Nesterov, Khrunichev State Research & Production Space Center, Russia
- Year
2008
- Abstract
The M.V.Khrunichev ResearchProduction Space Center is a leading manufacturer of spacecraft launchers in Russia and in the world. At present, Khrunichev has Proton K, Proton M and Rockot launch vehicles and Breeze M upper stage booster in serial production. Launchers account for 80-90% of Khrunichev’s total output. Khrunichev participates in Russian federal programs and international cooperative projects and launches commercial satellites. The Proton series of launch vehicles dates back to the 1960s. Over 330 launches of the Proton family LVs have been performed including as many as 48 commercial launches starting in 1996. Proton M’s reliability has reached at least 0.986. To deploy payloads into geo-stationary and other high-altitude orbits, Proton M is configured with Breeze M. So far, Breeze M has been used to support 24 launches, and only one launch failed due to Breeze M’s malfunction (2006). Since 2000 Khrunichev has been launching Rockot launch vehicles from the Plesetsk launch base. Rockot is a converted ICBM which is configured with Breeze K upper stage booster. As many as 8 launches have been performed so far. There were 68 LV launches in the world in 2007. Khrunichev is responsible for 10% of that number, and its share of commercial launches amounts to 16%. Between 2000-2007, Khrunichev’s share of launches worldwide equaled 13.5% which accounted for 27%.of the world’s space cargo. Khrunichev’s share of the Russian launches was 27% in 2007 and 34% over the 2000-2007 period. Khrunichev is working on new launch vehicles and upper stage boosters to eventually replace the currently used ones. Among them is the Angara family comprising small-lift, medium-lift and heavy lift launch vehicles configured on the basis of the generic booster module that operates on environmentally-neutral components. Prospective upper stage boosters include those propelled by LOX/Hydrogen engines. These launchers are expected to be initially used from Plesetsk in 2011 and subsequently from Baikonur. To this end, a complex called Baiterek is being jointly developed at Baikonur with the Republic of Kazakhstan.
Reduction of payload deployment costs is an area of system and specific design research and part of Khrunichev’s RD efforts regarding next-generation launcher systems. According to the current thinking, it should be a two-stage modular-type LV with reusable Stage 1 boosters that should be able to land horizontally within the area of launch. At present, design/configuration tradeoff studies are under way. Aerodynamic characteristics, and propulsion system parameters, etc. are also being explored. Organizational options include LV designs that would be based on domestic supplier chains and also on international cooperative projects. The future of space activities is seen as being increasingly linked to an orbital infrastructure to be developed around the planet, and to exploration and development of the Moon and planets of the solar system. To support such efforts, a multi-function transportation system will be needed including expendable and reusable launcher systems, inter-orbital tugs, manned and cargo vehicles and other elements. Such a system will be coming to life through evolutionary improvements of quality and performance including design and operational excellence, reliability, safety and economic efficiency.
The report contains a preliminary analysis of prospective tasks in the field of space exploration including the Moon and planets of the solar system, and an analysis of preliminary requirements to the makeup, performance and characteristics of a prospective space transport system.
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
(absent)