India
India is another Asian giant actively developing its missile technology. This is primarily due to the improvement of the nuclear missile potential in the confrontation with China and Pakistan. At the same time, national space programs are being implemented along the way.
Indian launch vehicles
In the south of the state of Andhra Pradesh, on the island of Sriharikota in the Bay of Bengal, the Indian "Satish Dhavan Space Center" was built.
It is named after the former head of the space center after his death. The cosmodrome belongs to the Indian Space Research Organization. The proximity to the equator is one of the undoubted advantages of the cosmodrome. The first launch from the cosmodrome took place on July 18, 1980.
Indian light launch vehicle ASLV
The cosmodrome has two launch sites and a third is under construction. In addition to launch complexes for missiles of various purposes, the cosmodrome has a tracking station, two assembly and test complexes, and special stands for testing rocket engines. A plant for the production of rocket fuel has been built on the territory of the cosmodrome.
Satellite image of Google Earth: launcher at the Sriharikot cosmodrome
The launch vehicles from the cosmodrome are: light type ASLV, launch weight 41,000 kg and heavy type GSLV, launch weight up to 644,750 kg.
India is one of the very few space powers that independently launches communication satellites into geostationary orbit (the first GSAT-2 - 2003), return spacecraft (SRE - 2007) and automatic interplanetary stations to the Moon (Chandrayan-1 - 2008) and provides international launch services.
the GSLV launch vehicle is transported to the launch position
India has its own manned space program and is expected to begin manned space flights on its own in 2016 and become the fourth space superpower. Russia is rendering great help in this.
Japan
The largest Japanese cosmodrome is the Tanegashima Space Center.
The cosmodrome is located on the southeast coast of Tanegashima Island, in the south of Kagoshima Prefecture, 115 km south of Kyushu Island. It was founded in 1969 and is operated by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency.
Satellite image of Google Earth: Tanegashima cosmodrome"
Here they assemble, test, launch and track satellites, as well as test rocket engines. Heavy Japanese heavy carrier rockets H-IIA and H-IIB, launch weight up to 531,000 kg, are launched from the cosmodrome.
Launch of the carrier rocket H-IIB
These are the main launch vehicles launched from the cosmodrome, besides them, light geophysical rockets intended for suborbital scientific research are also launched from here.
The launch pad for H-IIA and H-IIB missiles - includes two launch pads with service towers. RN H-IIA - transported and installed on the platform fully assembled.
The second launch site in Japan is the Uchinoura Space Center. It is located on the Pacific coast near the Japanese city of Kimotsuki (formerly Uchinoura), in Kagoshima Prefecture. Construction of the Space Center intended for experimental launches of large rockets began in 1961 and was completed in February 1962. Until the formation of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency in 2003, it was designated the Kagoshima Space Center and operated under the auspices of the Institute of Astronautics and Aeronautics.
Satellite image of Google Earth: Utinoura cosmodrome
The cosmodrome has four launchers. From the Utinoura cosmodrome, solid-propellant light launch vehicles of the Mu class, with a launch weight of up to 139,000 kg, will be launched.
They were used for all launches of Japanese scientific spacecraft, as well as geophysical and meteorological rockets.
launch of the carrier rocket Mu-5
The Epsilon rocket should replace the Mu-5, which, although it can put a slightly lower payload into low-earth orbit than the Mu-5, should become much cheaper.
In addition to launching commercial and scientific satellites, Japan participates in a number of international programs. RN Mu-5 launched satellites for the exploration of Mars "Nozomi" and the spacecraft "Hayabusa", which explored the asteroid "Itokawa". The last launch, during which the Solar-B and HIT-SAT satellites were launched into orbit, as well as the SSSAT solar sail, are used to deliver cargo to the ISS using the H-IIB launch vehicle.
Brazil
Another South American cosmodrome after the French Kuru was the Brazilian Alcantara Launch Center, in the north of the Atlantic coast of the country. It is located even closer to the equator than the French Kuru.
Brazil's attempts to develop its own space programs, due to lack of experience, low scientific and technological base, did not lead to the desired result.
Brazilian launch vehicle VLS-1
The next tests on August 22, 2003 of the Brazilian VLS-1 light-class launch vehicle ended in tragedy. The rocket exploded on the launch pad two days before launch.
The explosion killed 21 people. This incident had an extremely negative impact on the entire Brazilian space program.
Satellite image of the launching position of the Alcantara cosmodrome after the explosion
Unable to build its own effective launch vehicles, Brazil is trying to develop the spaceport in the framework of international cooperation. In 2003, contracts were signed for the launch of Ukrainian Cyclone-4 launch vehicles and Israeli Shavit. There are plans to conclude similar contracts for Russian Protons and China's Great March 4.
Israel
A launch center has been built at the Palmachim airbase located near Kibbutz Palmachim, not far from the cities of Rishon LeZion and Yavne, to launch Shavit missiles and other missiles. The first launch took place on September 19, 1988. Rocket launches are carried out not in the east, as at the absolute majority of cosmodromes, but in the west, that is, against the rotation of the Earth. This certainly reduces the weight thrown into orbit. The reason for this is that the launch route can only be laid over the Mediterranean Sea: the land to the east of the base is densely populated, and the neighboring countries are quite close.
Israel launched a space program in connection with defense needs: both to obtain intelligence (tracking a potential enemy using satellites) and programs to create missiles capable of delivering nuclear warheads.
night launch of the carrier rocket "Shafit"
Israeli launch vehicle "Shavit" is a three-stage solid-propellant rocket. The first two stages are identical, have a weight of 13 tons each, and are mass-produced in Israel by the IAI concern. The third stage was built by Rafael and weighs 2.6 tons. The Shavit launch vehicle was launched from 1988 to 2010 eight times. This missile can be used as a carrier of a nuclear warhead. The Shavit rocket is used to launch the Israeli Ofek reconnaissance satellites. The Ofek (Horizon) satellites were developed in Israel by the IAI concern. In total, by 2010, nine Ofek satellites have been created.
The State of Israel has a developed radio-electronic industry, which makes it possible to create sufficiently advanced satellites for any purpose. But due to its small territory and geographic circumstances, there is no possibility of building a cosmodrome in this country, from which it would be possible to carry out safe launches of carrier rockets along effective trajectories. The launch of Israeli telecommunication and scientific satellites into orbit is carried out in the course of commercial launches of foreign carrier rockets from cosmodromes abroad. At the same time, Israel is demonstrating a desire to develop its own space programs and launch military satellites into orbit using its own launch vehicles. In this regard, negotiations are underway with a number of states, primarily the United States and Brazil, on the possibility of launching Israeli missiles from spaceports located on their territory.
Iran
The Iranian Semnan cosmodrome has been operating since February 2, 2009, when the Iranian Omid satellite was launched into orbit using the Safir (Messenger) launch vehicle.
The cosmodrome is located in the Deshte-Kevir desert (northern Iran), near its administrative center - the city of Semnan.
Iranian launch vehicle "Safir"
The Safir light-class launch vehicle is based on the Shahab-3/4 medium-range combat ballistic missile.
Satellite image of Google Earth: launch pad of the Semnan cosmodrome
The Semnan Cosmodrome has disadvantages and limitations due to its location, as a result of which the Iranian Space Agency intends to begin construction of a second cosmodrome for launching spacecraft, which will be located in the south of the country.
DPRK
In the early 1980s, on the east coast of North Korea, in Hwade-gun County, Hamgyongbuk-do Province, construction began on a missile test site, which later became known as the Donghae Cosmodrome.
North Korean ballistic missiles
The choice of the location of the test site was influenced by such factors as sufficient distance from the demilitarized zone, minimization of the danger of missiles flying over the territory of neighboring countries, the general distance from large settlements, and relatively favorable meteorological factors.
In the period from the mid-80s to the early 90s, a command post, MCC, fuel storage, warehouses, a test bench were built, communications were modernized.
In the early 90s, test launches of North Korean ballistic missiles began here.
Satellite Image: Donghae Cosmodrome
American and Japanese air defense and space control systems have repeatedly recorded medium and long-range missile launches from the Donghae cosmodrome.
Test launch of the Eunha-2 launch vehicle
Some of them were regarded as attempts to launch artificial satellites into space orbit. According to the statement of the DPRK news agency, on April 5, 2009, an experimental artificial communications satellite "Gwangmyeongsong-2" was launched from the cosmodrome using the "Eunha-2" launch vehicle. Despite conflicting reports from sources from different countries, most likely, the launch of the satellite into orbit ended in failure.
The Republic of Korea
Construction of the South Korean Naro Cosmodrome, located near the southernmost tip of the Korean Peninsula, on Venarodo Island, began in August 2003.
On August 25, 2009, the first Korean launch vehicle, named "Naro-1", was launched from the cosmodrome. The launch ended in failure - due to a failure in the separation of the fairing, the satellite did not enter the calculated orbit. On June 10, 2010, the second launch of the launch vehicle also failed.
Satellite image of Google Earth: the Naro cosmodrome
The third successful launch of the Naro-1 launch vehicle (KSLV-1) took place on January 30, 2013, making South Korea the 11th space power.
Loading the Naro-1 carrier rocket onto the launch pad
The launch was broadcast live by local TV channels, the rocket reached a predetermined altitude and launched the STSAT-2C research satellite into orbit.
Launch of "Naro-1"
The Naro-1 light-class rocket, with a launch mass of up to 140,600 kg, was produced by the Korean Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) in cooperation with Korean Air and the Khrunichev Russian Space Center. According to South Korean media reports, the KSLV-1 replicates 80% of the Angara launch vehicle being built at the Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center.
Floating spaceport "Sea Launch" ("Odyssey")
In 1995, within the framework of international space cooperation, the Sea Launch Company (SLC) consortium was created. It included: the American firm Boeing Commercial Space Company (a subsidiary of the Boeing aerospace corporation), providing general management and financing (40% of the capital), the Russian Rocket and Space Corporation Energia (25%), the Ukrainian Yuzhnoye Design Bureau (5%) and PO Yuzhmash (10%), as well as the Norwegian shipbuilding company Aker Kværner (20%). The consortium is headquartered in Long Beach, California. The Russian "Design Bureau of Transport Engineering" and the Central Design Bureau "Rubin" were involved as contractors.
The idea of the offshore spaceport is to deliver the launch vehicle by sea to the equator, where the best conditions for launch are available (you can make the most of the Earth's rotation speed). This method was used in 1964-1988 at the San Marco Sea Cosmodrome, which was a fixed anchored platform near the equator in Kenyan territorial waters.
The sea segment of the Sea Launch complex consists of two sea vessels: the launch platform (LP) Odyssey and the assembly and command vessel (SCS) Sea Launch Commander.
Complex "Sea Launch"
A former self-propelled oil production platform "OCEAN ODYSSEY", built in Yokosuka, Japan in 1982-1984, was used as a launch platform. The platform corresponded to the class for the unrestricted navigation area. The platform was badly damaged in a fire on September 22, 1988. After the fire, the platform was partially dismantled, and it was no longer used for its intended purpose. In 1992, the platform was repaired and refurbished at the Vyborg shipyard. It was decided to use it in the Sea Launch project. "Odyssey" has very impressive dimensions: length 133 m, width 67 m, height 60 m, displacement 46 thousand tons.
Launch platform "Odyssey"
In 1996-1997, at the Norwegian shipyard Rosenberg in Stavanger, special launch equipment was mounted on the platform, and it became known as Odyssey. The second stage of re-equipment of the joint venture took place at the Vyborg shipyard.
The Sea Launch Commander was built specifically for the Sea Launch project by Kvaerner Govan Ltd., Glasgow, Scotland in 1997. In 1998, the SCS was retrofitted at the Kanonersky shipyard, St. Petersburg. The SCS is equipped with systems and equipment that allow carrying out complex tests of the launch vehicle and the upper stage on board, refueling the upper stage with propellant and oxidizer components, and assembly of the launch vehicle.
Assembly and command ship "Sea Launch Commander"
The SCS also performs the functions of the MCC during the preparation and launch of the launch vehicle. The SCS has a command post for controlling the flight of the upper stage and means for receiving and processing telemeasurements. SCS characteristics: length 203 m, width 32 m, height 50 m, displacement 27 thousand tons, maximum speed 21 knots.
Satellite image of Google Earth: Sea Launch complex at the Long Beach parking lot
The floating cosmodrome Sea Launch uses medium-class Zenit-2S and Zenit-3SL launch vehicles with a launch weight of up to 470, 800 kg.
In "Zenith", unlike many domestic RNs, toxic hydrozine and aggressive oxidizing agents are not used. Kerosene is used as fuel, and oxygen is used as an oxidizer, which makes the rocket environmentally friendly. In total, 35 launches were made from the floating platform from March 27, 1999 to February 1, 2013.
The starting point is the water area of the Pacific Ocean with coordinates 0 ° 00 ′ north latitude. 154 ° 00 ′ W d., near Christmas Island. According to statistics collected over 150 years, this section of the Pacific Ocean is considered by experts to be the most calm and remote from sea routes. However, already a couple of times, difficult weather conditions forced the launch time to be postponed by several days.
Unfortunately, the Sea Launch program is currently experiencing serious financial difficulties, it has been declared bankrupt and the future has not been determined. According to the Kommersant newspaper, losses were caused by the fact that it was not possible to ensure the planned intensity of launches: initially it was planned to carry out 2-3 consecutive launches in one exit to the starting position. The low reliability of the Zenit launch vehicle also played a negative role, out of 80 launches of Zenit launch vehicles - 12 ended in an accident.
The head of the Rocket and Space Corporation (RSC) Energia, Vitaly Lopota, proposed to transfer control over the Sea Launch project to the state. And to carry out launches from it as part of the Federal Space Program. However, the government of the Russian Federation does not see the need for this.
Business representatives from a number of countries - China, Australia, and the USA - are showing interest in Sea Launch. There is interest from large companies such as Loсkheed Martin. If desired, Russia could become the owner of this unique complex, making the ports of Sovetskaya Gavan, Nakhodka or Vladivostok its base.
