ORIGIN: INDIA
Images: ISRO
INTRODUCTION
The Indian Space program, since its inception, has been guided by the vision of Dr Vikram Sarabhai, considered as the father of Indian Space program, he laid emphasis on the application of space technology for finding solutions to the problems of the common man and the society at large. Self-reliance in space technology has been the important motto and goal for India's policy makers. In 1969, Dr. Vikram A Sarabhai created the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO). Since then ISRO has been remarkably successful with the active participation of several great scientists and administrators. ISRO is the nodal agency to manage and implement all space related activities in India. The services in communication, broadcasting, meteorology, military reconnaissance, interplanetary and Lunar missions are now been provided by spacecrafts designed and built in India. They have also mastered the elusive and exclusive Cryogenic technology and conversely building Semi-Cryogenic stage as well and shortly poised to launch heavier boosters to place satellites in the 5-ton class. India has pursued a reasonable and a well-balanced program, nicely adapted to the nation's developmental needs. While ISRO has put together a systematic rocket launch vehicle building program, they have also significantly concentrated on the two of the most important areas for a large and developing country such as India, building telecommunications and remote sensing applications.
PSLV: The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) is the workhorse rocket of ISRO with an outstanding success rate among medium lift rocket systems. The success of the PSLV is an important milestone for the Indian space industry. India has achieved self-sufficiency in launching its operational satellites. The PSLV is a unique vehicle which employs both liquid and solid fuel engines, and it is ISRO's workhorse. The PSLV can place a satellite weighing about three tonnes in low earth orbit (LEO), at a height of 400 to 600 km. It can also deploy satellites weighing up to 1,500kg in Polar Sun Synchronous orbit at a height of 750km above the earth. This versatile and flexible vehicle can handle a LEO, a polar and a GTO orbit. The Payload capacity to Low Earth Orbit is 3,250 kilograms (7,170 lb) and Helio-Synchronous or Sun-Synchronous Orbit is 1,600 kilograms (3,500 lb) and to Geostationary Transfer Orbit is 1,410 kilograms (3,110 lb). The vehicle configuration is as follows, total height is 44 meters (144 feet), diameter is 2.8 meters (9 feet+) and Gross Mass is 295 tons. The first-stage or the core stage employs solid fuel with a total thrust of 486Kn with a specific impulse of 269 seconds with a total burn time of 105 seconds. The fuel used is Hydroxyl-Terminated Polybutadiene (HTPB). The core stage is mated to 6 solid strap-on boosters (only in the PSLV-G and PSLV-XL versions) using HTPB as fuel. The second-stage employes 1 Vikas liquid engine using Unsymmetrical Dimethyl Hydrazine (UDMH) and Nitrogen Tetroxide (N2O4) as fuel, and the third-stage is also a solid fuel motor while the fourth-stage is a liquid stage using Monomethyl-Hydrazine and Dinitrogen Tetroxide/Nitrogen Dioxide as fuel.
GSLV: The Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) is the most important rocket developed by ISRO. GSLV presented the Indian Space Program with its most demanding technological test. It embodies decades of struggle in the development of propulsion fuels, engines, avionics and other electronic and control systems by teams of dedicated ISRO research scientists. The need for a heavy lift booster was felt by India in the early eighties, as the PSLV was inadequate to place heavy payloads in Geo Synchronous Orbit. The purpose of the program is to satisfy India’s need to operate satellites in telecommunications, environmental monitoring, disaster warning and other systems as well as facilitating the country's entrance into the world space market by ensuring a credible launch capability and building a massive satellite network for itself.
The First Stage (GS1) of the GSLV comprises of a solid propellant motor (S139) derived from the PS1 Core Stage of the PSLV and four liquid propellant strap-on motors (L40H). The S139 stage is 20.1 m long and 2.8 m in diameter and it carries 138 tons of Hydroxyl Terminated Poly Butadiene (HTPB) solid propellant. The stage develops about 4736 Kilo Newton (Kn) thrust and burns for 107 seconds. The four strap-on (L40H) stages are 19.70 m long and 2.1 m in diameter and are loaded with 42 tonne of Unsymmetrical Di-Methyl Hydrazine (UDMH) hypergolic fuel and Nitrogen Tetroxide (N2O4) as oxidizer. Each produces 765Kn thrust and burns for 149 seconds.
The Second Stage (GS2) uses a single Vikas liquid propellant engine. The second stage is 11.6 m long and 2.8 ms in diameter. It is loaded with 39.3 tonne of UDMH and (N2O4) in two compartments of aluminium alloy tank separated by a thin metal sheet known as common bulkhead. The Vikas Liquid fuel engine produces a thrust of about 804Kn and burns for 136 seconds.
The Third Stage (GS3) uses a Cryogenic Stage (C12), this stage uses Liquid Hydrogen and Liquid Oxygen as fuel and oxidizer respectively, it is 8.7 m long and 2.9 m in diameter. Liquid Hydrogen (LH) and Liquid Oxygen (LOX) are stored in two separate aluminium alloy tanks connected by an inter-stage structure. With a propellant loading of 12.6 tonne, the stage can burn for a duration of about 705 second producing a nominal thrust of 73.5Kn.
The First Stage (GS1) of the GSLV comprises of a solid propellant motor (S139) derived from the PS1 Core Stage of the PSLV and four liquid propellant strap-on motors (L40H). The S139 stage is 20.1 m long and 2.8 m in diameter and it carries 138 tons of Hydroxyl Terminated Poly Butadiene (HTPB) solid propellant. The stage develops about 4736 Kilo Newton (Kn) thrust and burns for 107 seconds. The four strap-on (L40H) stages are 19.70 m long and 2.1 m in diameter and are loaded with 42 tonne of Unsymmetrical Di-Methyl Hydrazine (UDMH) hypergolic fuel and Nitrogen Tetroxide (N2O4) as oxidizer. Each produces 765Kn thrust and burns for 149 seconds.
The Second Stage (GS2) uses a single Vikas liquid propellant engine. The second stage is 11.6 m long and 2.8 ms in diameter. It is loaded with 39.3 tonne of UDMH and (N2O4) in two compartments of aluminium alloy tank separated by a thin metal sheet known as common bulkhead. The Vikas Liquid fuel engine produces a thrust of about 804Kn and burns for 136 seconds.
The Third Stage (GS3) uses a Cryogenic Stage (C12), this stage uses Liquid Hydrogen and Liquid Oxygen as fuel and oxidizer respectively, it is 8.7 m long and 2.9 m in diameter. Liquid Hydrogen (LH) and Liquid Oxygen (LOX) are stored in two separate aluminium alloy tanks connected by an inter-stage structure. With a propellant loading of 12.6 tonne, the stage can burn for a duration of about 705 second producing a nominal thrust of 73.5Kn.
On 5 January 2014, the Indian indigenous cryogenic engine performed impeccably and launched the GSAT-14 satellite using GSLV-D5 launcher into a precise GTO orbit. Cryogenic technology has only successfully been developed by a select club of nations which includes the United States, Russia, France, Japan and China. While the technology complexity seems to have been mastered, the real challenge for ISRO will be to sustain the quality and consistency to launch successful GSLV missions like its workhorse the PSLV.
GSLV MK-III: The Future GSLV MK III is a 3 Stage heavy lift booster system capable of launching 4 to 5 ton payload into a Geo Synchronous Orbit (GSO). The vehicle has a lift-off weight of about 630 tons and is 42.4 meters tall. The First stage consists of two S200 Large Solid Boosters with 200 tons of solid propellant each, which is strapped to the second stage, the S200 is the largest solid booster of its kind in Asia. Stage two L110 will be a relight-able liquid stage with 110 tons liquid propellant, this stage will be India's first liquid engine cluster design with two high pressure Vikas engines each huddled together to develop a thrust of about 150 tons. The rocket will employ a bigger and more powerful C-25 upgraded cryogenic relight-able engine. The vehicle is designed for multi-mission launch capabilities to GTO, LEO, Polar and Intermediate Circular orbits. The payload fairing is voluminous with a 5 meters diameter with a capacity to hold 100 cubic meters of payload.
ROHINI Sounding Rockets
Images: ISRO
Rohini is a series of sounding rockets developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) for meteorological and atmospheric study. These sounding rockets are capable of carrying payloads of 2 to 200 kilograms (4.4 to 440 lb) between altitudes of 100 to 500 km (62 to 310 mi). The ISRO currently uses RH-200, RH-300, RH-300 Mk-II and RH-560 Mk-II rockets, which are launched from the Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (TERLS) in Thumba and the Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota. The rockets in the series are designated with the letters RH (for "Rohini"), followed by a number corresponding to the diameter (in mm) of the rocket.
Series RH-75
The RH-75, the first sounding rocket developed by India,was launched from TERLS on November 20, 1967. It weighed 32 kilograms (71 lb), had a diameter of 75 mm (3.0 in) and flew 15 times between November 1967 and September 1968.
RH-125
This rocket was launched on October 9, 1971 from Sriharikota. It was a two-stage rocket using a solid propellant, carrying a 7 kilograms (15 lb) payload to 19 km (12 mi) in altitude. It flew twice between January 1970 and October 1971.
RH-200
The RH-200 has a maximum launch altitude of 70 km (43 mi). A variant, the RH-300 Mk-II, has a maximum launch altitude of 116 km (72 mi). Another variant, the RH-560 Mk-II, can reach a maximum launch altitude of 548 km (341 mi).
Applications: The RH-200 is used for meteorological studies, the RH-300 Mk-II for upper-atmospheric studies and the RH-560 Mk-II for ionospheric studies. The RH-200 was used as the rocket for the first payload launch in India made by students (from VIT University in Vellore).
Recent Retirements: Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV-3) and Augmented Launch Vehicle (ASLV)
______________________________________________________________
ORIGIN: RUSSIA
INTRODUCTION
The Soviet/Russian space program is the most advanced, largest and mature in the world. It involves a vast number of launchers and spacecrafts and other intricate space related ventures. Erstwhile USSR and now Russia has been the most prolific builder and launcher of rockets and artificial satellites in history. The Russian's have several firsts to their credit. The launch of Sputnik on a Vostok launcher on October 4, 1957 heralded the space age. They launched the first unmanned spacecraft to the moon. Russian space scientists launched the world's first ICBM the R-7 in 1957. The MIR space station was the forerunner to the International Space Station. But the crowning glory of all these achievements was on April 12, 1961 when Colonel Yuri Alexeyevich Gagarin (popularly know as "The Columbus of Cosmos") became the first earthling to escape earth's immense gravity. He orbited earth just once in the spaceship Vostok 1 (Orient or East), at an altitude of 302 kilometers for 108 minutes at 29,340 Kmph. On 16 June 1963 Valentina Tereshkova was lifted off from Tyuratam Launch Center (Baikonur Cosmodrome) on Vostok 6 to become the first woman in space. On March 18, 1965 Aleksei Leonov floated out of Voskhod 2, secured to the spacecraft by only a safety line to become the first man to perform an extravehicular activity (EVA) or in other words a spacewalk. Svetlana Savitskaya on July 25, 1984 became the first woman to complete a spacewalk. Despite the current post cold-war gloomy scenario the Russian space industry is still booming with plenty of vigor and activity.
Russia's accomplishment of impressive space "firsts" in chronological order:
The first Artificial Earth Satellite: Sputnik 1 (October 4, 1957)
The first Biological Space Traveler, Laika the dog: Sputnik 2 (November 3, 1957)
The first Biological Space Traveler, Laika the dog: Sputnik 2 (November 3, 1957)
The first Craft to Impact on the Moon: Luna 2 (September 12, 1959)
The first Craft Return Images of the Lunar far side: Luna 3 (October 4, 1959)
The first Animals to Safely Return from Earth Orbit:Sputnik 5 (August 19, 1960)
The first Craft to Fly by Venus: Venera 1 (February 12, 1961)
The first Animals to Safely Return from Earth Orbit:Sputnik 5 (August 19, 1960)
The first Craft to Fly by Venus: Venera 1 (February 12, 1961)
The first Man in Space, Yuri Gagarin: Vostok 1 (April 12, 1961)
The first Man to spend over 24 hours in Space, Gherman Titov: Vostok 2 (August 6, 1961)
The first Craft to Fly to Planet Mars: Mars 1 (November 1, 1962)
The first Dual Manned Spaceflight: Vostok 3 - Vostok 4 (August 11, 1962, August 12, 1962)
The first Probe launched to Mars: Mars 1 (November 1, 1962)
The first Woman in Space, Valentina Tereshkova: Vostok 6 (June 16, 1963)
The first Multi Crew Manned Mission to Space: Voskhod 1 (October 12, 1964)
The first Man to spend over 24 hours in Space, Gherman Titov: Vostok 2 (August 6, 1961)
The first Craft to Fly to Planet Mars: Mars 1 (November 1, 1962)
The first Dual Manned Spaceflight: Vostok 3 - Vostok 4 (August 11, 1962, August 12, 1962)
The first Probe launched to Mars: Mars 1 (November 1, 1962)
The first Woman in Space, Valentina Tereshkova: Vostok 6 (June 16, 1963)
The first Multi Crew Manned Mission to Space: Voskhod 1 (October 12, 1964)
The first Electrojet Plasma Ion Engine Test in Space Vacuum: Zond 2 (November 30, 1964)
The first Man to do a Spacewalk, Aleksei Leonov: Voskhod 2 (March 18, 1965)
The first Craft to Soft Land on the Moon: Luna 9 (February 3, 1966)
The first Craft to Soft Land on the Moon: Luna 9 (February 3, 1966)
The first Craft to Impact on Venus: Venera 3 (March 1, 1966)
The first Artificial Satellite of the Moon: Luna 10 (March 31, 1966)
The first Automatic Docking of 2 Space Vehicles: Kosmos-186 and 188 (October 30, 1967)
The first Automatic Docking of 2 Space Vehicles: Kosmos-186 and 188 (October 30, 1967)
The first Craft to Orbit the Moon and Return to Earth: Zond 5 (September 15, 1968)
The first Crew Transfer between two Stations in Space: Soyuz 4 and 5 (January 16, 1969)
The first Probe to Land on Moon and Return with Lunar Soil: Luna 16 (September 24, 1970)
The first Remote Controlled Lunar Rover: Lunokhod 1 (November 10, 1970)
The first Crew Transfer between two Stations in Space: Soyuz 4 and 5 (January 16, 1969)
The first Probe to Land on Moon and Return with Lunar Soil: Luna 16 (September 24, 1970)
The first Remote Controlled Lunar Rover: Lunokhod 1 (November 10, 1970)
The first Craft to Soft Land on another Planet-Venus: Venera 7 (December 15, 1970)
The first Space Station in Orbit: Salyut 1 (April 19, 1971)
The first Craft to Impact the Surface of Mars: Mars 2 (19 May, 1971)
The first Craft to Soft Land on Mars: Mars 3 (December 2, 1971)
The first Craft to Orbit and Soft Land on Venus: Venera 9 (June 8, 1975)
The first Craft to Impact the Surface of Mars: Mars 2 (19 May, 1971)
The first Craft to Soft Land on Mars: Mars 3 (December 2, 1971)
The first Craft to Orbit and Soft Land on Venus: Venera 9 (June 8, 1975)
The first Woman to do a Spacewalk, Svetlana Savitskaya: Salyut-7 (July 25, 1984)
The first Crew to Visit Two Separate Space Stations: Mir and Salyut 7 (in March, 1986)
The first International Permanent Manned Modular Space Station: MIR (February 19, 1986)
The first Crew to Visit Two Separate Space Stations: Mir and Salyut 7 (in March, 1986)
The first International Permanent Manned Modular Space Station: MIR (February 19, 1986)
The chief designers of the Soviet space program were:
Konstantin Eduardovich Tsiolkovskiy (1857 - 1935) (PIONEER of space exploration)
Sergei Pavlovich Korolev (1907 - 1966)
Valentin Petrovich Glushko (1908 - 1989)
Mikhail Klavdiyevich Tikhonravov (1900 - 1974)
Mstislav Vsevolodovich Keldysh (1911 - 1978)
Mikhail Kuzmich Yangel (1911 - 1971)
Aleksei Mikhailovich Isayev (1908 - 1971)
Vladimir Nikolayevich Chelomei (1914 - 1984)
Mikhail Fedorovich Reshetnev (1924 - 1996)
Vasili Pavlovich Mishin (1917 - 2001)
Yuri Pavlovich Semenov (1935)
SOYUZ: The Soyuz rocket without question is the greatest rocket system every built. The pioneering family of Soyuz rockets have garnered what is perhaps the most successful flight record of any launcher system in the world. The Soyuz configuration was based on the world's first ICBM the R-7 that was introduced in 1966. It has been the workhorse launcher of then erstwhile Soviet and now Russian space programs, achieving high degree of launch success. Today, this vehicle is used for manned and unmanned flights to the International Space Station and other commercial launches. Soyuz traces its roots back to the two-stage R-7 Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM), which was the first in an evolutionary series of launch vehicles, beginning with the launch of Sputnik in 1957. The Soyuz launch vehicle family has provided reliable and efficient launch services since the birth of the Russian space program. Versions in this family have launched both the first satellite, the first man into space, the first Lunar probes and even some of the first missions to Venus and Mars. The combined variants of this family of launch vehicles have been credited with more than 1,750 launches. The Soyuz launch vehicle benefits from exacting standards in both reliability and robustness.
Vasili Pavlovich Mishin (1917 - 2001)
Yuri Pavlovich Semenov (1935)
SOYUZ: The Soyuz rocket without question is the greatest rocket system every built. The pioneering family of Soyuz rockets have garnered what is perhaps the most successful flight record of any launcher system in the world. The Soyuz configuration was based on the world's first ICBM the R-7 that was introduced in 1966. It has been the workhorse launcher of then erstwhile Soviet and now Russian space programs, achieving high degree of launch success. Today, this vehicle is used for manned and unmanned flights to the International Space Station and other commercial launches. Soyuz traces its roots back to the two-stage R-7 Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM), which was the first in an evolutionary series of launch vehicles, beginning with the launch of Sputnik in 1957. The Soyuz launch vehicle family has provided reliable and efficient launch services since the birth of the Russian space program. Versions in this family have launched both the first satellite, the first man into space, the first Lunar probes and even some of the first missions to Venus and Mars. The combined variants of this family of launch vehicles have been credited with more than 1,750 launches. The Soyuz launch vehicle benefits from exacting standards in both reliability and robustness.
PROTON: The Proton rocket system is one of the greatest rocket launching systems of the world. It is the largest Russian launch vehicle in operation. The Proton is a four stage liquid fueled rocket, and is the main transport vehicle of the Russian space industry. Proton has earned an astounding 96 percent reliability record with over 390 launches since the mid-1960's. Fully fueled and launch ready Proton stands more than 80 meters high, and weighs more than 700 tonnes. Proton launched the Salyut space stations, the Mir core segment and expansion modules, and both the Zarya and Zvezda modules of the ISS. It also launched many probes to the Moon, Mars, Venus, and even Halley's Comet. International Launch Services are also undertaken. It is built by Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center. The first stage of the Proton incorporates 6 strap-on boosters and provides over 1 million pounds of thrust. The first stage engines burn for two minutes and they consume 419 thousand kilograms of fuel, taking the rocket to an altitude of 50km, and 300km down range. The second stage, with four engines, burns for three and a half minutes, and takes the final two stages and payload out of the earth's atmosphere. The third stage then ignites, and ten minutes after launch, the payload is ready for final insertion into the desired orbit of approximately 36,000 kilometers from earth. Proton-M/Proton-M-Enhanced are the upgraded and current operational version with a new upper stage. The Proton-M's improvements include modifications to the lower stages to reduce structural mass, increase thrust, and efficient use of propellants.
ZENIT: Zenit-2 launch vehicle was developed to create a "standardized" family of light, medium and heavy launchers in 1980's by the Yuzhnoye Design Bureau of Ukraine. It was built as a liquid rocket booster for the Energia rocket and the Buran shuttle configuration (Zenit-1) and as a stand-alone rocket on its own right with additional second stage (Zenit-2), the Zenit-3 is the sea launched version. The two-stage Zenit-2 rocket first flew in 1985 and was declared operational in 1987. The first stage is powered by a four-chambered RD-171 rocket engine, the world's most powerful liquid-fuel rocket engine that is designed and produced by NPO Energomash. An RD-120M engine powers the second stage. Both stages use kerosene and liquid oxygen as propellants. The Zenit-3SL is derived from the Zenit-2, which uses its first two stages, with an additional Block DM-SL third stage. The Block DM-SL can be relighted up to four times and is fueled with kerosene and liquid oxygen. The 3SL (Three-Stage Sea Launch) is operated by Sea Launch Corporation consortium and had its first launch in March 1999. The rocket uses a unique maritime floating platform for equatorial launches, which enables the operators to launch close to the equator thus improving performance for geostationary orbit injection. The Zenit-3SLB is optimized for land launches and was first flown in 2008. The vehicle operates from Launch Complex 45, at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. As of March 2014, a total of 81 launches has been completed (all variants) out of which 13 have been failures.
The Russian Space program also operates many other launch systems such as Volna, Shtil, Rockot, Start-1, Strela, Dnepr (Russia/Ukraine) and it is developing the futuristic Angara Series. The Energia/Buran Shuttle, Molniya-M, Kosmos-3M and Tsyklon (Russia/Ukraine) vehicles have since been retired.
Russia also operates a resupply ship to the International Space Station called the Progress-M/M1. The Progress resupply vehicle is an automated, unpiloted version of the Soyuz spacecraft that is used to bring supplies and fuel to the International Space Station. The Progress also has the ability to raise the Station's altitude and control the orientation of the Station using the vehicle's thrusters. Both the Progress M and M1 versions have a pressurized Cargo Module to carry supplies, a Refueling Module that holds fuel tanks containing propellant and pressurized gases, and an Instrumentation/Propulsion Module where the Progress systems equipment and thrusters are located. The Progress spacecraft is launched to the Space Station from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan aboard a Soyuz rocket. (Text: NASA)
Recent Retirements: Kosmos 3M, Molniya M, Start-1 and Tsyklon 2 & 3
______________________________________________________________
DELTA II: The Delta II expendable launch vehicle is the product of a long evolution that dates back to the earliest days of American missile development. Use of proven components and gradual modification of those components has resulted in one of the most reliable launch vehicles in the world. Over its fifty years of service, the Delta family of expendable launch vehicles has racked up the most successful flight record of any American rocket currently in use.The Delta II has had only one total failure (and one partial failure, Koreasat-1) since its first launch in February 1989—an incredible 99% success rate—and in September 2007 it set the all-time world record for consecutive successes, a tally that continues to grow with Delta 357 being the 96th success in a row. Deltas have orbited several firsts, among them the first passive communications satellite (Echo), the first commercial satellite (Telstar), the first European satellite (Ariel 1), the first commercial satellite to reach geosynchronous orbit (Syncom-2). A constellation of GPS satellites launched by Deltas provides precise location data to military and civilian users. Mars Pathfinder successfully landed on the Red Planet July 4, 1997, carrying the Sojourner rover vehicle for robotic exploration. Mars Global Surveyor, an orbital mapping satellite equipped with a laser altimeter and wide-angle camera used a series of aerobraking maneuver to circularize its orbit and has returned an unprecedented amount of data regarding Mars’ surface features, atmosphere, and magnetic properties, NEAR (Near-Earth Asteroid Rendezvous) became the first satellite to orbit an asteroid on 14 February 2000, and a year later survived a landing on the asteroid, Deep Impact intercepted a comet on 4 July 2005. Pioneer 6, launched 16 December 1965 aboard Delta 35, continues to send data about solar wind and cosmic rays to scientists on Earth after travelling more than 18 billion miles on 35 orbits around the sun.
DELTA IV: The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) initiated the Delta launch vehicle program in the late 1950's. The Delta vehicle was developed as an interim space launch vehicle using a modified Thor missile as the first stage and Vanguard components as the second and third stages. The Delta IV launch system is the latest example of this 50-year evolution, providing even more capability by incorporating heritage hardware and processes and a new robust propulsion system. The newest member of the Delta family is the Delta IV launch system, which comes in five vehicle configurations: the Delta IV Medium, three variants of the Delta IV Medium-Plus (Delta IV M+), and the Delta IV Heavy Each has a newly developed first-stage, called the Common Booster Core (CBC) using cryogenic propellants Liquid Oxygen (LO2) and Liquid Hydrogen (LH2). The first-stage CBC is powered by the Rocketdyne RS-68A engine a state-of-the-art engine burning LO2 and LH2 cryogens, capable of delivering 3,137Kn of thrust and having a specific impulse of 411.9 seconds. The first-stage CBC also consists of the LH2 tank, LO2 tank, centre body, and interstage. The second stage use the cryogenic Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne (PWR) RL10B-2 engine, derived from the flight-proven RL10 family. With an extendable nozzle, this engine produces a thrust of 110 kN (24,750 lb) and has a specific impulse of 465 sec. The engine Gimbal system uses electro-mechanical actuators that provide high reliability while reducing both cost and weight. The third-stage design is based on the proven Delta II design. The heritage Delta II third stage consists of a Star 48B solid rocket motor, the Star 48B SRM has been flown on numerous missions and was developed from a family of high-performance apogee and perigee kick motors. (Text: - United Launch Alliance - Edited)
FALCON-9: Falcon-9 is a two-stage rocket designed and manufactured by SpaceX for the reliable and safe transport of satellites and the Dragon spacecraft into orbit. As the first rocket completely developed in the 21st century, Falcon-9 was designed from the ground up for maximum reliability. Falcon-9’s simple two-stage configuration minimizes the number of separation events -- and with nine first-stage engines, it can safely complete its mission even in the event of an engine shutdown. Falcon-9, along with the Dragon spacecraft, was designed from the outset to deliver humans into space and under an agreement with NASA, SpaceX is actively working toward that goal. Falcon-9’s first stage incorporates nine Merlin engines and aluminum-lithium alloy tanks containing Liquid Oxygen and Rocket-Grade Kerosene (RP-1) propellant. After ignition, a hold-before-release system ensures that all engines are verified for full-thrust performance before the rocket is released for flight. Then, with thrust greater than five 747s at full power, the Merlin engines launch the rocket to space. The inter-stage is a composite structure that connects the first and second stages and holds the release and separation system. Falcon-9 uses an all-pneumatic stage separation system for low-shock, highly reliable separation that can be tested on the ground, unlike pyrotechnic systems used on most launch vehicles. The second stage, powered by a single Merlin vacuum engine, delivers Falcon-9’s payload to the desired orbit. The second stage engine ignites a few seconds after stage separation, and can be restarted multiple times to place multiple payloads into different orbits. For maximum reliability, the second stage has redundant igniter systems. Like the first stage, the second stage is made from a high-strength aluminum-lithium alloy.
SpaceX on 18th April 2014 successfully launched the Dragon resupply ship to the International Space Station. (Text: SpaceX)
NASA also operates other launch systems such as Antares, Minotaur I, IV & V, Taurus and the Pegasus.
FIRST PRIVATE SPACECRAFT TO THE SPACE STATION: Following the retirement of the Space Shuttle, America is currently bereft of any spacecraft to shuttle crew and provide space station logistics support to the ISS. Dragon has developed a free-flying spacecraft designed to deliver both cargo and people to orbiting destinations. Currently Dragon carries cargo to space, but it was designed from the beginning to carry humans. Under an agreement with NASA, SpaceX is now developing the refinements that will enable Dragon to fly a crew. Dragon's first manned test flight is expected to take place in 2-3 years. The Dragon spacecraft has three configurations to meet a variety of needs: Cargo, Crew and DragonLab. To ensure a rapid transition from cargo to crew capability, the cargo and crew configurations of Dragon are almost identical. This commonality simplifies the human rating process, allowing systems critical to crew and space station safety to be fully tested on unmanned cargo flights. Dragon was designed from the outset to fly humans to space. Under an agreement with NASA, SpaceX is making upgrades to Dragon to allow for crew carrying capability. Dragon will be the world’s safest and most reliable crew transport vehicle, with seating for seven, life-support systems, controls with manual capability, and a powered launch escape system. With DragonLab, essentially the same spacecraft can be used as a platform for in-space technology demonstrations and experiments. Dragon accommodates pressurized cargo in the capsule as well as unpressurized cargo in its trunk. (Text Source: SpaceX Edited)
France made the decision to build its new launch base at French Guiana in 1964, shifting the country’s nascent operations to South America from the French Sahara. Selection of what was to become the Guiana Space Center, also known as Europe’s Spaceport came after detailed studies of 14 potential locations pre-selected from a worldwide list. The Spaceport ranks as one of the most modern and capable space base facilities. Its scope was further expanded when Soyuz entered service in October 2011, to be joined by the Vega launcher in early 2012. The Spaceport became operational in April, 1968 with the launch of a French Veronique sounding rocket. Arianespace was founded in 1980 as the world’s first commercial satellite launch company. Its shareholders include the French space agency CNES, Astrium (now called Airbus Defense and Space) and all European space companies, representing 10 European countries.
ARIANE-5: The new-generation Ariane 5 continues the tradition of its famous predecessors, Ariane 1 to 4, but features a radically new design. Since 2005, the latest heavy-lift version of Ariane 5 has provided increased Geostationary Transfer Orbit payload capacity, up to 10 tonnes on dual launches, to meet the evolving demands of both commercial and institutional markets. It incorporates a new cryogenic upper stage carrying over 14 tonnes of propellants, and a strengthened cryogenic main stage, powered by the new Vulcain 2 engines. Arianespace is the lead manufacturer, responsible for the production of all Ariane 5 stages, the vehicle equipment bay, the dual launch system, upper part structure, flight control software and along with a number of other relevant sub-assemblies. Arianespace is developing the Ariane 5 ME (Midlife Evolution) launcher with a new cryogenic upper stage, which will be powered by the new Vinci engine providing an increased Geostationary Transfer Orbit payload capacity of up to 12 tonnes.
Variants:
Ariane 5 ECA is the heavy-lift workhorse for missions to GTO and Ariane 5 ES is tailored for low-Earth orbit missions with the Automated Transfer Vehicle – a resupply spacecraft for the International Space Station.
The Ariane 5 heavy-lift launch vehicle has completed 71 launches to date, including 57 successful missions in a row.
VEGA: The Arianespace commercial launcher family has grown with the addition of Vega, a new vehicle for flights with small to medium-sized satellite payloads. This four-stage launcher is tailored to carry the growing number of small scientific spacecraft and other lighter-weight payloads under development or planned worldwide. Vega's target payload lift capability is 1,500 kg on missions to a 700-km circular orbit. Arianespace operates Vega from the Spaceport’s facility in French Guiana. Costs are kept to a minimum by using advanced low-cost technologies and by introducing an optimized synergy with existing production facilities used for Ariane launchers. Vega is a single-body launcher with three solid-propellant stages and a liquid-propellant upper module for attitude and orbit control, and satellite release. Unlike most small launchers, Vega is able to place multiple payloads into orbit. Development of the launcher started in 1998. The first Vega lifted off on 13 February 2012 on a flawless qualification flight from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana. The second successful Vega launch took place on 7 May 2013 from the same spaceport. (Text: Arianespace)
Following the retirement of the Space Shuttle, European Space Agency's Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) is now the vehicles capable of delivering the single largest cargo load to the ISS, with a cargo delivery capacity of around 7,500kg, including crew provisions, scientific material, water, oxygen, air, and propellant for both ISS refueling and ISS orientation duties. The International Space Station depends on regular deliveries of experiment equipment and spare parts, as well as food, air and water for its permanent crew. Since its first voyage in April 2008, the Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) has been an indispensable supply ship to the Space Station. ATV carries 6.6 tonnes of cargo to the Station, a high-precision navigation system automatically guides ATV on a rendezvous trajectory towards the orbital outpost, where it docks with the Station's Russian service module Zvezda. ATV then remains attached as a pressurized module and integral part of the Station for up to six months. After that it detaches and reenters Earth's atmosphere, where it breaks up and burns, together with up to 6.4 tonnes of waste from the Station. ATV is equipped with its own propulsion and navigation systems and is a multi-functional spacecraft, combining the automatic capabilities of an unmanned vehicle, with human spacecraft safety requirements. ATV consists of two modules, the Service Module and the pressurised Integrated Cargo Carrier. The forward part of the Cargo Carrier docks with the International Space Station. Although no astronauts travel in an ATV, once attached to the Station, crew in normal clothing can enter the pressurized module to access the cargo. (Text: ESA)
Recent Retirements: Ariane - 4
______________________________________________________________
The emergence of China as a space power harbors no surprise as its history is steeped in rocketry, because the earliest known rocket the "firing arrow" was invented by the Chinese. In the third century, the Chinese discovered the secret of gunpowder, which comprised of 50% nitrate and 25% sulfur and 25% Carbon. The credit for this super weapon of the medieval period goes to Feng Jishin. The first known use of rockets in warfare was employed when the Japanese invaded China in 1275; Kublai Khan fired rockets to drive the Japs away. Amazingly during the Ming dynasty rule the fundamental constituents of building stable rockets was in place which essentially consisted of a combustion chamber, ignition process, fuels and a rather ingenious guidance systems using feathers. They even developed staged rocket systems wherein two sets of rockets were constructed when the first rocket burned off it ignited the main rocket, this rocket was a 5 feet long hollow bamboo tube filled with gunpowder, it skimmed over the sea to destroy enemy ships several kilometers away, this was in effect the world's first anti-ship missile. Several other variations of rockets were developed for specific battle requirements.
The father of modern Chinese rocketry however, was Qian Xuesen (Tsien Hsue Shen in the US), while working at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California the Americans humiliated him by accusing him of being a communist during the McCarthy 'Red Scare' putsch and was promptly deported to China. After his return to China, Soviet Russia and the ubiquitous Chinese penchant for copying technology suitably helped him to reverse engineer Russian missiles such as the R-2. In December 1966, China successfully tested its first indigenously developed DF-3 intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM). In November 1969, the attempt to launch Long March-1 (CZ-1) Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV) ended in failure. Then in April 1970, a CZ-1 was used again used to successfully launch the 173 kg satellite Dong Fang Hong I, thus making China the fourth country to achieve this landmark.
CZ-2F: The Changzheng-2F launcher is a human rated Launch Vehicle designed to launch the Shenzhou spacecrafts. A CZ-2F launched Shenzhou-5, China's first manned spaceflight on 15 October 2003. Since then it has launched the Shenzhou-6 to Shenzhou-10 missions into orbit. CZ-2F/G another variant of the vehicle was used to launch China's first Space Station the Tiangong-1 on 29 September 2011. The CZ-2F is a liquid fueled two-stage rocket that is equipped with four solid strap-on boosters that are ignited at liftoff to provide extra thrust during the initial ascent phase. The vehicle consists of two core stages, the 1st stage consists of four YF-20B liquid engine motors which burns Unsymmetrical Dimethyl Hydrazine (UDMH) and Nitrogen Tetroxide (N2O4) as fuel and has a Gross Mass of 196.5 tons. It generates a total thrust of 3256Kn with a specific impulse of 291 seconds and it burns for 166 seconds. The first stage is also paired with four single engine YF-20B strap-on boosters burning the same fuel as in the first stage. The second stage is also a liquid stage, which burns Unsymmetrical Dimethyl Hydrazine (UDMH) and Nitrogen Tetroxide (N2O4) as fuel, has a Gross Mass of 91.5 tons, and generates a total of 831Kn with a specific impulse of 289 seconds and burns for 300 seconds. The total length of the launch vehicle is 62 meters (203 feet), weighs is 464 tons, and it has payload capacity of around 84 tons to Low Earth Orbit (LEO). An escape tower is provided over the payload fairing for human rated flight, the system enables the astronauts to bail out during an emergency 900 seconds before launch and until the payload fairing is jettisoned at about 160 seconds. When the fault monitoring management system detects any malfunction it automatically activates the launch escape system, the ground control staff if necessary can also trigger this manually. The CZ-2F consists of multiple subsystems, including control system, propulsion devices, fault detection and processing system, escape system, telemetry tracking and safety systems and propellant utilization system. For satellite injection, the vehicle has an attitude adjustment interface and orientation system.
CZ-4C: Although the CZ-4 design failed in the bid to place geostationary communications satellite into orbit, Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology (SAST) continued to design this vehicle for Sun-Synchronous Orbit (SSO) launches. The vehicle uses Unsymmetrical Dimethyl Hydrazine (UDMH) and Nitrogen Tetroxide (N2O4) as propellants for all stages. The first and the second-stage of the vehicle are nearly identical to that of the CZ-2, but with enlarged fuel tanks to reach higher orbits and it also has a larger payload fairing. The third stage of the vehicle is powered by a 98Kn YF-40 rocket which is relight-able with two swinging nozzles. The launch vehicle has a SSO payload capability of 1,500kg. The CZ-4C made its maiden flight on 7 September 1988, sending China’s first meteorological satellite Fengyun-1 into orbit. The launch vehicle made a second flight in 1990. A further improved variant with 2,800kg to SSO payload, 1,500kg to Geostationary Transfer Orbit and 4,200kg to Low Earth Orbit was introduced in 2006. The CZ-4C is launched from the Jiuquan and Taiyuan Satellite Launch Centers. These vehicles have been used to launch the Yaogan-1, Yaogan-3 SAR satellites and the Fengyun-3A polar orbiting meteorological satellite.
______________________________________________________________
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) formerly known as National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA) was started in 1969. On February 11, 1970 the first Japanese satellite Ōsumi was launched using a Lambda-4S rocket from the Uchinoura Space Center just two months ahead of the Chinese attempt. Japan's space endeavors were not totally indigenous but depended mostly on technology borrowed from America. The early satellites and launch vehicles were American. The N-1 was Japan's first launch vehicle and its maiden flight was in 1975. The N-I was, however imported; the structure of the vehicle was based on Thor-Delta launch vehicle of McDonnell Douglas. However, the second stage liquid engine and guidance control system were Japanese. The next Launch Vehicle N-II also a derivative of the America Delta rocket produced under licence was developed for providing payload capability up to 730kg to a Geosynchronous Orbit, but the percentage of imported technology was also high in the N-II. The next evolutionary step was the development of H-I Launch Vehicle. The H-I was a liquid-fueled carrier rocket, consisting of a licence-produced American first stage and set of 6 to 9 Castor-2 booster rockets (The Castor family of solid-fuel rocket stages and boosters is built by Thiokol now ATK and used on a variety of launch vehicles). It had significant amount of local technology notably among them the liquid oxygen and hydrogen engine, the guidance system, and the third stage solid motor. H-II, which followed the H-I, was a completely indigenous vehicle and had the capability of launching two-ton class satellites into Geo Stationary Orbit, it flew seven times between 1994 and 1999, with five successes.
H-IIA: The H-IIA is an active expendable launch system operated by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and JAXA. The liquid-fueled H-IIA rockets have been used to launch satellites into geostationary orbit, to launch a lunar orbiting spacecraft, and interplanetary space probes. The H-IIA launch vehicle was developed based with the objectives of reducing launch costs, meeting various launch capability requirements, and ensuring reliability. The H-IIA stands 53 meters tall and is a two stage vehicle powered by liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen as propellants. H-IIA consists of two variants namely the H2A202 and H2A204. The standard H2A202 has two strap-on boosters (SRB-A) burning Hydroxyl-Terminated Polybutadiene (HTPB) solid propellants while the H2A204 version has four. The Gross Mass of H2A202 is 289 tons and the H2A204 is 443 tons. The H2A202 can place a 4-ton payload into a Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO), while the H2A204 can boost a 6-ton payload.
The first stage consists of a core liquid-fuel engine LE-7A, which is modified from the problem plagued LE-7 engine used for the H-II first program. It burns LOX-LH2 propellants and provides 1,100 Kn (112 tons) of thrust in vacuum with a specific impulse of 440 seconds and a burn time of 390 seconds. The second stage is powered by a LE-5B LOX/LH2 engine, which provides 137 Kn (14 tons) of thrust with a specific impulse of 445 seconds and a burn time of 434 seconds. Gimbals are used to control the nozzle for pitch and yaw axes while a Reaction Control System (RCS) uses Hydrazine jets for attitude control. Since LE-5B is a restartable engine, multiple satellites can be placed into different orbits. The H-IIA launch vehicle uses the strap-down inertial guidance system, consisting of inertial sensor units (Ring Laser Gyros) and guidance control computer. The inertial guidance system computes flight direction and velocity and automatically corrects if any deviations are found, and controls the entire vehicle until the designated orbit is achieved.
The H-IIA launch was successfully launched for the first time on 29 August 2001.The H-IIA unlike other Japanese rockets has flown 23 times with only 1 failure.
HB-IIB: The latest program H-IIB launch vehicle is used to launch specifically H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV) to the International Space Station. H-IIB rockets are liquid-fueled with solid-fuel strap-on boosters, both H-IIA and B are launched from the Tanegashima Space Center. This launcher has flown four times and all have been successful. The H-IIB has two clustered liquid rocket engines (LE-7A) using liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen as propellants as its core stage. It has four solid rocket boosters (SRB-A) powered by Polibutadiene bonded to the first stage. In addition, the H-IIB's has a larger first-stage diameter of 5.2m to accommodate the HTV spacecraft. The H-IIB is packed with advanced technology such as independent VHF communication system to send telemetry, Rate Gyro Package and a Lateral Acceleration Unit for navigational data acquisition, on-board Flight Termination System (FTS) which works with C-Band communications and can be used to terminate the flight in case of any anomalies, initial core engine management system for automatic shutdown due to any abnormal engine performance, Guidance Control Computer (GCC) to manage commands in the first-stage during vehicle ascent phase, the avionics and navigation system follow the redundant single-fault tolerant architecture, the booster shroud is made of Monolithic Carbon Fiber Polymer and all inter-stage adapters are made of carbon fiber aluminium core composites.
EPSILON: The Epsilon Launch Vehicle is a new solid-propellant rocket developed by JAXA with the objective of achieving a balance between high performance and lowering cost of operation. The Epsilon is based on the since retired M-V Launch Vehicle in 2006. The rocket has a Gross Mass of 91 tonnes and is 79 feet tall with a diameter of 8.2 feet. Future development of the Epsilon is underway in areas such as simplifying the system configuration and improving the solid motors with the aim of expanding its efficiency. Since a high level of automation has been adopted, both pre-preparation and post-preparation time has also been reduced. The pre-launch inspection tasks are performed by an inspection device mounted on the rocket called the Responsive Operation Support Equipment (ROSE). Use of ROSE has eliminated the need to connect various inspection equipment to the rocket and significantly shortened the inspection work time. As per information on Wikipedia - Due to a function called "mobile launch control", the rocket needs only eight people at the launch site, compared with 150 people for earlier launches. On September 14, 2013, the SPRINT-A satellite was successfully inserted into the intended orbit by Epsilon from the Uchinoura Space Center. (Text: JAXA - Edited)
JAXA also operates an all solid-motor booster designed to launch scientific payloads called Epsilon. . (Source: Wikipedia)
HTV: Japan has also developed an unmanned resupply spacecraft to the International Space Station called H-II Transfer Vehicle "KOUNOTORI" (HTV) it is built and operated by JAXA. An H-IIB Launch Vehicle with HTV2 resupply ship on-board was successfully launched on January 22, 2011 from the Tanegashima Space Center. The launch was successful and the vehicle berthed with the ISS on January 28, 2011. After 67 days in orbit the HTV2 spacecraft undocked, descended and re-entered Earth’s atmosphere on March 30, 2011 and successfully completed its cargo supply mission to the ISS. In addition to Japan's HTV, the other cargo spacecrafts to the ISS are Russia's Progress and the Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) operated by the European Space Agency (ESA) which delivers supplies to the ISS. Among these spacecrafts, HTV is the only unmanned vehicle that can carry both pressurized and unpressurized payloads. This is a unique feature of this vehicle.
Recent Retirements: M-V
ISRAEL: The great nation ISRAEL has perfected indigenous satellite launch vehicle capability. Israel is known to have developed world-class missile delivery systems such as Jericho-III, Python-5, the LAHAT, Derby, Barak and Arrow ABM (a theater missile defense system) since hostile enemies surround it. Israel Aircraft Industries Ltd. and Rafael are the principal designers and manufacturers of the Shavit ("Comet" in Hebrew) solid-propellant rocket and the Ofeq (Horizon in Hebrew) spacecrafts. The next upgraded configuration is a four-stage launcher unlike the earlier three-stage one which was derived from the Jericho II missile system. The first three stages use solid fuel using namely Hydroxyl-Terminated Polybutadiene (HTPB) propellant while the fourth stage is a liquid fueled engine which burns Unsymmetrical Dimethyl Hydrazine (UDMH) and Nitrogen Tetroxide (N2O4). Shavit utilizes a unique set of launch preparation equipment. It is largely independent of the launch site and provides full testing of the launcher on the launch pad. This configuration enables satellite launch from different launch sites, according to specific requirements. Most of the launches are carried out from the Palmachim/Yavne air force base. The payload capacity is around 800 kg into an in Low Earth Elliptical Orbit (LEO) with a highly retrograde (to avoid flight over unfriendly countries) inclination of 143.2 degrees. The launcher is 87 feet tall and weighs around 30.5 tonnes. Shavit launch vehicle first flew on 19 September 1988. The Shavit has been launched nine times, placing the payload into orbit seven times. Ofek-8 an Israeli reconnaissance satellite, equipped with a synthetic aperture radar was successfully launched by India’s PSLV C-10 Launch Vehicle on 21 January 2008. In its latest launch the Shavit-2 rocket launched a synthetic aperture radar imaging spy satellite named Ofek-10 into orbit from Palmachim Air Base on April 9, 2014.
IRAN: Iran became the ninth exclusive member to join the club of space fairing nations to successfully orbit a satellite using its own launch vehicle. The rocket that performed the historic launch is the SAFIR ("Emissary"), boosting a 27 kg satellite named Omid ("Hope") into a 245 perigee X 381.2 km apogee and an inclination of 55.51 degrees into Low Earth Orbit. Safir is believed to have been derived from Iran's Shahab-3 Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile (IRBM) series, itself based on North Korea's Teap’o-Dong-1 IRBM. Safir is 22 meters tall, about 1.35 meters in diameter, and weighs around 27 tonnes at liftoff. It is a two-stage liquid propellant vehicle assumed to be using the same vintage Soviet Scud-B motors and propellant combinations. The first stage uses a single fixed turbo pump fed thrust chamber of 30-34 tons thrust capability. Four graphite vanes extend into the exhaust to provide steering. Propellants may include UDMH or Kerosene burned with a storable oxidizer. The second stage is a liquid propellant stage, which is powered by two small engines, the engines and the turbo pump is similar to the Soviet R-27 SLBM Vernier engines. The turbo pump and their arrangements are similar to the Soviet R-27 Vernier version. It is worthwhile to note that Iran has achieved this capability against all odds despite the fact that the entire western world and especially the Americans are breathing down its neck to deliberately quash its legitimate scientific ambitions. The success of Safir launch is deemed to be a noteworthy impetus for Iran to extend its R&D activities on a larger scale thereby enabling them to develop technologically contemporary carrier rockets in the coming decades to fulfill its domestic civil requirements.
Note: All this information is mere conjecture as no forthcoming/authentic data is available for surefire verification. (Text Inputs from Norbert Brügge Portal - Edited)
NORTH KOREA: Unha-3 ("Galaxy" or "Universe") is a North Korean expendable carrier rocket, which partially utilizes the same delivery system as the Taepo Dong-2 ballistic missile, which is based on the famous Soviet vintage Scud missile family. North Korea joined the exclusive club of countries who can build and place their own satellites into orbit using their own launch vehicles. The successful orbital launch was conducted from its Sohae launch site on December 12, 2012. A three-stage Unha-3 rocket carried the second Kwangmyongsong 3 ("Star of Hope") satellite into a sun synchronous orbit.
North Korea is a known proliferator of missile technology and the International community has viewed this launch with caution.
PROGRESS RESUPPLY SPACECRAFT
Russia also operates a resupply ship to the International Space Station called the Progress-M/M1. The Progress resupply vehicle is an automated, unpiloted version of the Soyuz spacecraft that is used to bring supplies and fuel to the International Space Station. The Progress also has the ability to raise the Station's altitude and control the orientation of the Station using the vehicle's thrusters. Both the Progress M and M1 versions have a pressurized Cargo Module to carry supplies, a Refueling Module that holds fuel tanks containing propellant and pressurized gases, and an Instrumentation/Propulsion Module where the Progress systems equipment and thrusters are located. The Progress spacecraft is launched to the Space Station from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan aboard a Soyuz rocket. (Text: NASA)
Recent Retirements: Kosmos 3M, Molniya M, Start-1 and Tsyklon 2 & 3
______________________________________________________________
ORIGIN: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
INTRODUCTION
America has accomplished and demonstrated many great scientific and technological feats in space. America now remains a great force in scientific research and is stimulating public interest in space exploration, as well as science and technology in general. Perhaps more importantly, the exploration of space has taught one to view the Earth and the universe in a new way. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) the nodal space agency of America has a rich history of unique scientific and technological achievements in human space flight, aeronautics, space science, and space applications. Formed as a result of the Sputnik crisis of confidence, NASA immediately began working on options for human space flight. NASA’s first high profile program was Project Mercury, followed by Project Gemini, which built upon Mercury’s successes and used spacecraft built for two astronauts. NASA’s human space flight efforts then extended to the Moon with Project Apollo, culminating in 1969 when the Apollo 11 mission first put humans on the lunar surface. After the Skylab and Apollo-Soyuz Test Projects of the early and mid-1970s, NASA’s human space flight efforts again resumed in 1981, with the Space Shuttle program that still continues today but with the help of its erstwhile adversary the Russians. (Text Courtesy:Mr Roger D Launius, Associate Director for Collections and Curatorial Affairs, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution)
ATLAS V: The Atlas launch vehicle was composed of three basic families: the Atlas II (IIA and IIAS), the Atlas III (IIIA and IIIB) which have been since retired and the currently operational Atlas V (400 and 500 series). Atlas V results from the culmination of Lockheed Martin's desire to employ the best practices from both the Atlas and Titan programs into an evolved and highly competitive commercial and government launch system for the 21st Century. The Atlas V was developed as part of the US Air Force Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) program, and formerly operated by Lockheed Martin. It is now operated by the Lockheed Martin-Boeing joint venture United Launch Alliance. Lockheed Martin's desire to continually enhance the competitiveness and schedule reliability of the Atlas launch system for the commercial marketplace and U.S. government requirements has led to the series of upgrades that produced the Atlas V system. These improvements have included lengthened propellant tanks for both Atlas and Centaur stages, upgrades to the propulsion and avionics systems, improved software and mission design capabilities, and improved launch system infrastructure. In the case of the Atlas V family, the vehicle changes include a new Russian-designed and built Atlas RD-180 engine burning kerosene and liquid oxygen to power its first stage and an American-built RL10 engine burning liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen to power its Centaur upper stage.
Atlas V builds on the design innovations that was demonstrated on Atlas III and incorporates a structurally stable booster propellant tank, enhanced payload fairing options, and optional strap-on solid rocket boosters. The Atlas V family is capable of lifting payloads between 4,750 to 8,900Kg to GTO. The currently operational Atlas V family is operating at 100% Mission Success achievement, delivering more than 45 spacecraft to their intended orbits in the past twelve years.DELTA IV: The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) initiated the Delta launch vehicle program in the late 1950's. The Delta vehicle was developed as an interim space launch vehicle using a modified Thor missile as the first stage and Vanguard components as the second and third stages. The Delta IV launch system is the latest example of this 50-year evolution, providing even more capability by incorporating heritage hardware and processes and a new robust propulsion system. The newest member of the Delta family is the Delta IV launch system, which comes in five vehicle configurations: the Delta IV Medium, three variants of the Delta IV Medium-Plus (Delta IV M+), and the Delta IV Heavy Each has a newly developed first-stage, called the Common Booster Core (CBC) using cryogenic propellants Liquid Oxygen (LO2) and Liquid Hydrogen (LH2). The first-stage CBC is powered by the Rocketdyne RS-68A engine a state-of-the-art engine burning LO2 and LH2 cryogens, capable of delivering 3,137Kn of thrust and having a specific impulse of 411.9 seconds. The first-stage CBC also consists of the LH2 tank, LO2 tank, centre body, and interstage. The second stage use the cryogenic Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne (PWR) RL10B-2 engine, derived from the flight-proven RL10 family. With an extendable nozzle, this engine produces a thrust of 110 kN (24,750 lb) and has a specific impulse of 465 sec. The engine Gimbal system uses electro-mechanical actuators that provide high reliability while reducing both cost and weight. The third-stage design is based on the proven Delta II design. The heritage Delta II third stage consists of a Star 48B solid rocket motor, the Star 48B SRM has been flown on numerous missions and was developed from a family of high-performance apogee and perigee kick motors. (Text: - United Launch Alliance - Edited)
FALCON-9: Falcon-9 is a two-stage rocket designed and manufactured by SpaceX for the reliable and safe transport of satellites and the Dragon spacecraft into orbit. As the first rocket completely developed in the 21st century, Falcon-9 was designed from the ground up for maximum reliability. Falcon-9’s simple two-stage configuration minimizes the number of separation events -- and with nine first-stage engines, it can safely complete its mission even in the event of an engine shutdown. Falcon-9, along with the Dragon spacecraft, was designed from the outset to deliver humans into space and under an agreement with NASA, SpaceX is actively working toward that goal. Falcon-9’s first stage incorporates nine Merlin engines and aluminum-lithium alloy tanks containing Liquid Oxygen and Rocket-Grade Kerosene (RP-1) propellant. After ignition, a hold-before-release system ensures that all engines are verified for full-thrust performance before the rocket is released for flight. Then, with thrust greater than five 747s at full power, the Merlin engines launch the rocket to space. The inter-stage is a composite structure that connects the first and second stages and holds the release and separation system. Falcon-9 uses an all-pneumatic stage separation system for low-shock, highly reliable separation that can be tested on the ground, unlike pyrotechnic systems used on most launch vehicles. The second stage, powered by a single Merlin vacuum engine, delivers Falcon-9’s payload to the desired orbit. The second stage engine ignites a few seconds after stage separation, and can be restarted multiple times to place multiple payloads into different orbits. For maximum reliability, the second stage has redundant igniter systems. Like the first stage, the second stage is made from a high-strength aluminum-lithium alloy.
SpaceX on 18th April 2014 successfully launched the Dragon resupply ship to the International Space Station. (Text: SpaceX)
NASA also operates other launch systems such as Antares, Minotaur I, IV & V, Taurus and the Pegasus.
SPACEX DRAGON SPACECRAFT
FIRST PRIVATE SPACECRAFT TO THE SPACE STATION: Following the retirement of the Space Shuttle, America is currently bereft of any spacecraft to shuttle crew and provide space station logistics support to the ISS. Dragon has developed a free-flying spacecraft designed to deliver both cargo and people to orbiting destinations. Currently Dragon carries cargo to space, but it was designed from the beginning to carry humans. Under an agreement with NASA, SpaceX is now developing the refinements that will enable Dragon to fly a crew. Dragon's first manned test flight is expected to take place in 2-3 years. The Dragon spacecraft has three configurations to meet a variety of needs: Cargo, Crew and DragonLab. To ensure a rapid transition from cargo to crew capability, the cargo and crew configurations of Dragon are almost identical. This commonality simplifies the human rating process, allowing systems critical to crew and space station safety to be fully tested on unmanned cargo flights. Dragon was designed from the outset to fly humans to space. Under an agreement with NASA, SpaceX is making upgrades to Dragon to allow for crew carrying capability. Dragon will be the world’s safest and most reliable crew transport vehicle, with seating for seven, life-support systems, controls with manual capability, and a powered launch escape system. With DragonLab, essentially the same spacecraft can be used as a platform for in-space technology demonstrations and experiments. Dragon accommodates pressurized cargo in the capsule as well as unpressurized cargo in its trunk. (Text Source: SpaceX Edited)
NASA and Orbital Sciences Corporation is developing the Cygnus unmanned resupply spacecraft developed as part of NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) development program. Orbital has successfully completed its First Commercial Resupply Service (CRS) mission to the ISS using the Antares 120 launch vehicle on 9 January 2014.
Recent Retirements: Atlas 2/2AS, Atlas 3(A/B), Delta 2, Space Transportation System (Shuttle), Titan 2, Titan 4B, Falcon 1 & Falcon 9 V 1.0
______________________________________________________________
ORIGIN: FRANCE/EUROPE
Images: Arianespace/ESA/CNES
INTRODUCTION
France made the decision to build its new launch base at French Guiana in 1964, shifting the country’s nascent operations to South America from the French Sahara. Selection of what was to become the Guiana Space Center, also known as Europe’s Spaceport came after detailed studies of 14 potential locations pre-selected from a worldwide list. The Spaceport ranks as one of the most modern and capable space base facilities. Its scope was further expanded when Soyuz entered service in October 2011, to be joined by the Vega launcher in early 2012. The Spaceport became operational in April, 1968 with the launch of a French Veronique sounding rocket. Arianespace was founded in 1980 as the world’s first commercial satellite launch company. Its shareholders include the French space agency CNES, Astrium (now called Airbus Defense and Space) and all European space companies, representing 10 European countries.
ARIANE-5: The new-generation Ariane 5 continues the tradition of its famous predecessors, Ariane 1 to 4, but features a radically new design. Since 2005, the latest heavy-lift version of Ariane 5 has provided increased Geostationary Transfer Orbit payload capacity, up to 10 tonnes on dual launches, to meet the evolving demands of both commercial and institutional markets. It incorporates a new cryogenic upper stage carrying over 14 tonnes of propellants, and a strengthened cryogenic main stage, powered by the new Vulcain 2 engines. Arianespace is the lead manufacturer, responsible for the production of all Ariane 5 stages, the vehicle equipment bay, the dual launch system, upper part structure, flight control software and along with a number of other relevant sub-assemblies. Arianespace is developing the Ariane 5 ME (Midlife Evolution) launcher with a new cryogenic upper stage, which will be powered by the new Vinci engine providing an increased Geostationary Transfer Orbit payload capacity of up to 12 tonnes.
Variants:
Ariane 5 ECA is the heavy-lift workhorse for missions to GTO and Ariane 5 ES is tailored for low-Earth orbit missions with the Automated Transfer Vehicle – a resupply spacecraft for the International Space Station.
The Ariane 5 heavy-lift launch vehicle has completed 71 launches to date, including 57 successful missions in a row.
VEGA: The Arianespace commercial launcher family has grown with the addition of Vega, a new vehicle for flights with small to medium-sized satellite payloads. This four-stage launcher is tailored to carry the growing number of small scientific spacecraft and other lighter-weight payloads under development or planned worldwide. Vega's target payload lift capability is 1,500 kg on missions to a 700-km circular orbit. Arianespace operates Vega from the Spaceport’s facility in French Guiana. Costs are kept to a minimum by using advanced low-cost technologies and by introducing an optimized synergy with existing production facilities used for Ariane launchers. Vega is a single-body launcher with three solid-propellant stages and a liquid-propellant upper module for attitude and orbit control, and satellite release. Unlike most small launchers, Vega is able to place multiple payloads into orbit. Development of the launcher started in 1998. The first Vega lifted off on 13 February 2012 on a flawless qualification flight from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana. The second successful Vega launch took place on 7 May 2013 from the same spaceport. (Text: Arianespace)
AUTOMATED TRANSFER VEHICLE (ATV)
Following the retirement of the Space Shuttle, European Space Agency's Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) is now the vehicles capable of delivering the single largest cargo load to the ISS, with a cargo delivery capacity of around 7,500kg, including crew provisions, scientific material, water, oxygen, air, and propellant for both ISS refueling and ISS orientation duties. The International Space Station depends on regular deliveries of experiment equipment and spare parts, as well as food, air and water for its permanent crew. Since its first voyage in April 2008, the Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) has been an indispensable supply ship to the Space Station. ATV carries 6.6 tonnes of cargo to the Station, a high-precision navigation system automatically guides ATV on a rendezvous trajectory towards the orbital outpost, where it docks with the Station's Russian service module Zvezda. ATV then remains attached as a pressurized module and integral part of the Station for up to six months. After that it detaches and reenters Earth's atmosphere, where it breaks up and burns, together with up to 6.4 tonnes of waste from the Station. ATV is equipped with its own propulsion and navigation systems and is a multi-functional spacecraft, combining the automatic capabilities of an unmanned vehicle, with human spacecraft safety requirements. ATV consists of two modules, the Service Module and the pressurised Integrated Cargo Carrier. The forward part of the Cargo Carrier docks with the International Space Station. Although no astronauts travel in an ATV, once attached to the Station, crew in normal clothing can enter the pressurized module to access the cargo. (Text: ESA)
Recent Retirements: Ariane - 4
______________________________________________________________
ORIGIN: CHINA
Images: CALT & Via Chinese Internet
INTRODUCTION
The emergence of China as a space power harbors no surprise as its history is steeped in rocketry, because the earliest known rocket the "firing arrow" was invented by the Chinese. In the third century, the Chinese discovered the secret of gunpowder, which comprised of 50% nitrate and 25% sulfur and 25% Carbon. The credit for this super weapon of the medieval period goes to Feng Jishin. The first known use of rockets in warfare was employed when the Japanese invaded China in 1275; Kublai Khan fired rockets to drive the Japs away. Amazingly during the Ming dynasty rule the fundamental constituents of building stable rockets was in place which essentially consisted of a combustion chamber, ignition process, fuels and a rather ingenious guidance systems using feathers. They even developed staged rocket systems wherein two sets of rockets were constructed when the first rocket burned off it ignited the main rocket, this rocket was a 5 feet long hollow bamboo tube filled with gunpowder, it skimmed over the sea to destroy enemy ships several kilometers away, this was in effect the world's first anti-ship missile. Several other variations of rockets were developed for specific battle requirements.
The father of modern Chinese rocketry however, was Qian Xuesen (Tsien Hsue Shen in the US), while working at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California the Americans humiliated him by accusing him of being a communist during the McCarthy 'Red Scare' putsch and was promptly deported to China. After his return to China, Soviet Russia and the ubiquitous Chinese penchant for copying technology suitably helped him to reverse engineer Russian missiles such as the R-2. In December 1966, China successfully tested its first indigenously developed DF-3 intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM). In November 1969, the attempt to launch Long March-1 (CZ-1) Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV) ended in failure. Then in April 1970, a CZ-1 was used again used to successfully launch the 173 kg satellite Dong Fang Hong I, thus making China the fourth country to achieve this landmark.
CZ-2F: The Changzheng-2F launcher is a human rated Launch Vehicle designed to launch the Shenzhou spacecrafts. A CZ-2F launched Shenzhou-5, China's first manned spaceflight on 15 October 2003. Since then it has launched the Shenzhou-6 to Shenzhou-10 missions into orbit. CZ-2F/G another variant of the vehicle was used to launch China's first Space Station the Tiangong-1 on 29 September 2011. The CZ-2F is a liquid fueled two-stage rocket that is equipped with four solid strap-on boosters that are ignited at liftoff to provide extra thrust during the initial ascent phase. The vehicle consists of two core stages, the 1st stage consists of four YF-20B liquid engine motors which burns Unsymmetrical Dimethyl Hydrazine (UDMH) and Nitrogen Tetroxide (N2O4) as fuel and has a Gross Mass of 196.5 tons. It generates a total thrust of 3256Kn with a specific impulse of 291 seconds and it burns for 166 seconds. The first stage is also paired with four single engine YF-20B strap-on boosters burning the same fuel as in the first stage. The second stage is also a liquid stage, which burns Unsymmetrical Dimethyl Hydrazine (UDMH) and Nitrogen Tetroxide (N2O4) as fuel, has a Gross Mass of 91.5 tons, and generates a total of 831Kn with a specific impulse of 289 seconds and burns for 300 seconds. The total length of the launch vehicle is 62 meters (203 feet), weighs is 464 tons, and it has payload capacity of around 84 tons to Low Earth Orbit (LEO). An escape tower is provided over the payload fairing for human rated flight, the system enables the astronauts to bail out during an emergency 900 seconds before launch and until the payload fairing is jettisoned at about 160 seconds. When the fault monitoring management system detects any malfunction it automatically activates the launch escape system, the ground control staff if necessary can also trigger this manually. The CZ-2F consists of multiple subsystems, including control system, propulsion devices, fault detection and processing system, escape system, telemetry tracking and safety systems and propellant utilization system. For satellite injection, the vehicle has an attitude adjustment interface and orientation system.
CZ-3B: CZ-3B is a three-stage launch vehicle using liquid propellants. It employs enhanced CZ-3A as the core stage and is strapped with four liquid boosters. CZ-3B is primarily used to launch satellites into Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO) with a payload capacity of 5.1 tons. The lift-off mass of CZ-3B is 425 tons and the overall length is 54.9 meters. The first stage, the four boosters and the second stage use storable propellants, namely Unsymmetrical Dimethyl Hydrazine (UDMH) and Nitrogen Tetroxide (N2O4), and the third stage, which is a cryogenic stage, employs Liquid Hydrogen (LH2) and Liquid Oxygen (LOX) as propellants. CZ-3B consists of propulsion system, control systems, telemetry tracking and safety systems, coast phase propellant management system, attitude control system, cryogenic propellant utilization system, separation system and other auxiliary systems.
CZ-3C: The Long March 3C (CZ-3C) is a large three-stage liquid propelled rocket which is similar to the CZ-3B in terms of its structure and subsystems except for the two strap-on boosters instead of four as in CZ-3B. The CZ-3C is mainly used to launch satellites into Geosynchronous Orbit with a payload capacity of 3.8 tons. The CZ-3C is nearly 56 meters tall and has a Gross Mass of 345 tons. The first-stage, the two strap-on's and the second-stage use Unsymmetrical Dimethyl Hydrazine (UDMH) and Nitrogen Tetroxide (N2O4) as propellants while the third-stage is a cryogenic stage using Liquid Hydrogen (LH2) and Liquid Oxygen (LOX) as fuel which has better efficiency.
CZ-4C: Although the CZ-4 design failed in the bid to place geostationary communications satellite into orbit, Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology (SAST) continued to design this vehicle for Sun-Synchronous Orbit (SSO) launches. The vehicle uses Unsymmetrical Dimethyl Hydrazine (UDMH) and Nitrogen Tetroxide (N2O4) as propellants for all stages. The first and the second-stage of the vehicle are nearly identical to that of the CZ-2, but with enlarged fuel tanks to reach higher orbits and it also has a larger payload fairing. The third stage of the vehicle is powered by a 98Kn YF-40 rocket which is relight-able with two swinging nozzles. The launch vehicle has a SSO payload capability of 1,500kg. The CZ-4C made its maiden flight on 7 September 1988, sending China’s first meteorological satellite Fengyun-1 into orbit. The launch vehicle made a second flight in 1990. A further improved variant with 2,800kg to SSO payload, 1,500kg to Geostationary Transfer Orbit and 4,200kg to Low Earth Orbit was introduced in 2006. The CZ-4C is launched from the Jiuquan and Taiyuan Satellite Launch Centers. These vehicles have been used to launch the Yaogan-1, Yaogan-3 SAR satellites and the Fengyun-3A polar orbiting meteorological satellite.
______________________________________________________________
ORIGIN: JAPAN
Images: JAXA
INTRODUCTION
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) formerly known as National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA) was started in 1969. On February 11, 1970 the first Japanese satellite Ōsumi was launched using a Lambda-4S rocket from the Uchinoura Space Center just two months ahead of the Chinese attempt. Japan's space endeavors were not totally indigenous but depended mostly on technology borrowed from America. The early satellites and launch vehicles were American. The N-1 was Japan's first launch vehicle and its maiden flight was in 1975. The N-I was, however imported; the structure of the vehicle was based on Thor-Delta launch vehicle of McDonnell Douglas. However, the second stage liquid engine and guidance control system were Japanese. The next Launch Vehicle N-II also a derivative of the America Delta rocket produced under licence was developed for providing payload capability up to 730kg to a Geosynchronous Orbit, but the percentage of imported technology was also high in the N-II. The next evolutionary step was the development of H-I Launch Vehicle. The H-I was a liquid-fueled carrier rocket, consisting of a licence-produced American first stage and set of 6 to 9 Castor-2 booster rockets (The Castor family of solid-fuel rocket stages and boosters is built by Thiokol now ATK and used on a variety of launch vehicles). It had significant amount of local technology notably among them the liquid oxygen and hydrogen engine, the guidance system, and the third stage solid motor. H-II, which followed the H-I, was a completely indigenous vehicle and had the capability of launching two-ton class satellites into Geo Stationary Orbit, it flew seven times between 1994 and 1999, with five successes.
H-IIA: The H-IIA is an active expendable launch system operated by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and JAXA. The liquid-fueled H-IIA rockets have been used to launch satellites into geostationary orbit, to launch a lunar orbiting spacecraft, and interplanetary space probes. The H-IIA launch vehicle was developed based with the objectives of reducing launch costs, meeting various launch capability requirements, and ensuring reliability. The H-IIA stands 53 meters tall and is a two stage vehicle powered by liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen as propellants. H-IIA consists of two variants namely the H2A202 and H2A204. The standard H2A202 has two strap-on boosters (SRB-A) burning Hydroxyl-Terminated Polybutadiene (HTPB) solid propellants while the H2A204 version has four. The Gross Mass of H2A202 is 289 tons and the H2A204 is 443 tons. The H2A202 can place a 4-ton payload into a Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO), while the H2A204 can boost a 6-ton payload.
The first stage consists of a core liquid-fuel engine LE-7A, which is modified from the problem plagued LE-7 engine used for the H-II first program. It burns LOX-LH2 propellants and provides 1,100 Kn (112 tons) of thrust in vacuum with a specific impulse of 440 seconds and a burn time of 390 seconds. The second stage is powered by a LE-5B LOX/LH2 engine, which provides 137 Kn (14 tons) of thrust with a specific impulse of 445 seconds and a burn time of 434 seconds. Gimbals are used to control the nozzle for pitch and yaw axes while a Reaction Control System (RCS) uses Hydrazine jets for attitude control. Since LE-5B is a restartable engine, multiple satellites can be placed into different orbits. The H-IIA launch vehicle uses the strap-down inertial guidance system, consisting of inertial sensor units (Ring Laser Gyros) and guidance control computer. The inertial guidance system computes flight direction and velocity and automatically corrects if any deviations are found, and controls the entire vehicle until the designated orbit is achieved.
The H-IIA launch was successfully launched for the first time on 29 August 2001.The H-IIA unlike other Japanese rockets has flown 23 times with only 1 failure.
EPSILON: The Epsilon Launch Vehicle is a new solid-propellant rocket developed by JAXA with the objective of achieving a balance between high performance and lowering cost of operation. The Epsilon is based on the since retired M-V Launch Vehicle in 2006. The rocket has a Gross Mass of 91 tonnes and is 79 feet tall with a diameter of 8.2 feet. Future development of the Epsilon is underway in areas such as simplifying the system configuration and improving the solid motors with the aim of expanding its efficiency. Since a high level of automation has been adopted, both pre-preparation and post-preparation time has also been reduced. The pre-launch inspection tasks are performed by an inspection device mounted on the rocket called the Responsive Operation Support Equipment (ROSE). Use of ROSE has eliminated the need to connect various inspection equipment to the rocket and significantly shortened the inspection work time. As per information on Wikipedia - Due to a function called "mobile launch control", the rocket needs only eight people at the launch site, compared with 150 people for earlier launches. On September 14, 2013, the SPRINT-A satellite was successfully inserted into the intended orbit by Epsilon from the Uchinoura Space Center. (Text: JAXA - Edited)
JAXA also operates an all solid-motor booster designed to launch scientific payloads called Epsilon. . (Source: Wikipedia)
JAXA - H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV)
HTV: Japan has also developed an unmanned resupply spacecraft to the International Space Station called H-II Transfer Vehicle "KOUNOTORI" (HTV) it is built and operated by JAXA. An H-IIB Launch Vehicle with HTV2 resupply ship on-board was successfully launched on January 22, 2011 from the Tanegashima Space Center. The launch was successful and the vehicle berthed with the ISS on January 28, 2011. After 67 days in orbit the HTV2 spacecraft undocked, descended and re-entered Earth’s atmosphere on March 30, 2011 and successfully completed its cargo supply mission to the ISS. In addition to Japan's HTV, the other cargo spacecrafts to the ISS are Russia's Progress and the Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) operated by the European Space Agency (ESA) which delivers supplies to the ISS. Among these spacecrafts, HTV is the only unmanned vehicle that can carry both pressurized and unpressurized payloads. This is a unique feature of this vehicle.
Recent Retirements: M-V
______________________________________________________________
ORIGIN: OTHERS
SOUTH KOREA: This country launched its first homegrown rocket the NARO-1 into space on 30 January 2013 after a series of delays and two earlier failures, marking a spaceflight leap for the country's space program. The South Korean launch vehicle (KSLV) is built with Russian help as the first stage, a semi-cryogenic engine burning Liquid Oxygen and Kerosene is developed by Khrunichev of Russia. It closely resembles the standard booster of the future Russian Angara family of launch vehicles currently under development. A solid-propellant engine developed locally powers the KSLV’s second stage. South Korea a giant in the electronics sector struggled to kick-start its space endeavors since 2009. The notable upsurge in developing advanced technologies in the Electronics & Automobile industries during the past decades have left Japan in particular and the rest of the world in general huffing and puffing for survival. This launch and Korea joining the exclusive club of countries with such advanced capabilities is indeed a noteworthy achievement.
ISRAEL: The great nation ISRAEL has perfected indigenous satellite launch vehicle capability. Israel is known to have developed world-class missile delivery systems such as Jericho-III, Python-5, the LAHAT, Derby, Barak and Arrow ABM (a theater missile defense system) since hostile enemies surround it. Israel Aircraft Industries Ltd. and Rafael are the principal designers and manufacturers of the Shavit ("Comet" in Hebrew) solid-propellant rocket and the Ofeq (Horizon in Hebrew) spacecrafts. The next upgraded configuration is a four-stage launcher unlike the earlier three-stage one which was derived from the Jericho II missile system. The first three stages use solid fuel using namely Hydroxyl-Terminated Polybutadiene (HTPB) propellant while the fourth stage is a liquid fueled engine which burns Unsymmetrical Dimethyl Hydrazine (UDMH) and Nitrogen Tetroxide (N2O4). Shavit utilizes a unique set of launch preparation equipment. It is largely independent of the launch site and provides full testing of the launcher on the launch pad. This configuration enables satellite launch from different launch sites, according to specific requirements. Most of the launches are carried out from the Palmachim/Yavne air force base. The payload capacity is around 800 kg into an in Low Earth Elliptical Orbit (LEO) with a highly retrograde (to avoid flight over unfriendly countries) inclination of 143.2 degrees. The launcher is 87 feet tall and weighs around 30.5 tonnes. Shavit launch vehicle first flew on 19 September 1988. The Shavit has been launched nine times, placing the payload into orbit seven times. Ofek-8 an Israeli reconnaissance satellite, equipped with a synthetic aperture radar was successfully launched by India’s PSLV C-10 Launch Vehicle on 21 January 2008. In its latest launch the Shavit-2 rocket launched a synthetic aperture radar imaging spy satellite named Ofek-10 into orbit from Palmachim Air Base on April 9, 2014.
IRAN: Iran became the ninth exclusive member to join the club of space fairing nations to successfully orbit a satellite using its own launch vehicle. The rocket that performed the historic launch is the SAFIR ("Emissary"), boosting a 27 kg satellite named Omid ("Hope") into a 245 perigee X 381.2 km apogee and an inclination of 55.51 degrees into Low Earth Orbit. Safir is believed to have been derived from Iran's Shahab-3 Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile (IRBM) series, itself based on North Korea's Teap’o-Dong-1 IRBM. Safir is 22 meters tall, about 1.35 meters in diameter, and weighs around 27 tonnes at liftoff. It is a two-stage liquid propellant vehicle assumed to be using the same vintage Soviet Scud-B motors and propellant combinations. The first stage uses a single fixed turbo pump fed thrust chamber of 30-34 tons thrust capability. Four graphite vanes extend into the exhaust to provide steering. Propellants may include UDMH or Kerosene burned with a storable oxidizer. The second stage is a liquid propellant stage, which is powered by two small engines, the engines and the turbo pump is similar to the Soviet R-27 SLBM Vernier engines. The turbo pump and their arrangements are similar to the Soviet R-27 Vernier version. It is worthwhile to note that Iran has achieved this capability against all odds despite the fact that the entire western world and especially the Americans are breathing down its neck to deliberately quash its legitimate scientific ambitions. The success of Safir launch is deemed to be a noteworthy impetus for Iran to extend its R&D activities on a larger scale thereby enabling them to develop technologically contemporary carrier rockets in the coming decades to fulfill its domestic civil requirements.
Note: All this information is mere conjecture as no forthcoming/authentic data is available for surefire verification. (Text Inputs from Norbert Brügge Portal - Edited)
NORTH KOREA: Unha-3 ("Galaxy" or "Universe") is a North Korean expendable carrier rocket, which partially utilizes the same delivery system as the Taepo Dong-2 ballistic missile, which is based on the famous Soviet vintage Scud missile family. North Korea joined the exclusive club of countries who can build and place their own satellites into orbit using their own launch vehicles. The successful orbital launch was conducted from its Sohae launch site on December 12, 2012. A three-stage Unha-3 rocket carried the second Kwangmyongsong 3 ("Star of Hope") satellite into a sun synchronous orbit.
North Korea is a known proliferator of missile technology and the International community has viewed this launch with caution.
