What is the name of the Russian cosmodrome? The most famous cosmodrome in Russia: description, history and photos. List of the main spaceports on the planet
Interest in space exploration today is growing not only among society, but also among large states and organizations. Russia does not stand out from the general trend - on April 27, 2016, the first complexes of the new Vostochny Cosmodrome were put into operation. (UPD: April 28, 2016 at the same time, the launch was postponed by a day due to technical reasons) Its cost, according to TASS, in the full readiness phase will reach 300-400 billion rubles. But why is such an expensive facility needed, and what can it give to Russia and the whole world? Today we will understand the basics of spaceport construction.
In space flights, as in physics in general, exact numbers play a big role: they determine how and what will function. However, when the stars regulate themselves, astronautics depends entirely on man. The accuracy of actions and reliability of the designs of spacecraft and auxiliary equipment mean no less than an understanding of physical laws. This is especially true for the cosmodrome, the starting point of any space launch - once erected, it cannot be fundamentally changed, much less moved.
What is the Vostochny Cosmodrome like? We have collected its main parameters:
Eastern coordinates
The cosmodrome is located at 51° 49′ 0″ north latitude, 128° 15′ 0″ east longitude. You've probably noticed the accuracy of coordinates down to minutes - whole numbers allow you to speed up calculations of missile trajectories. At the same time, the deviation of the cosmodrome from the equator is very large. This is a very important parameter for astronautics, the influence of which on Vostochny we will consider further.
Total area of the cosmodrome
The cosmodrome occupies about 700 square kilometers, the entire territory is 1035 km 2. This includes not only the “working” buildings of Vostochny, but also infrastructure, living quarters for workers, warehouses, etc.
Panoramas of the cosmodrome
Launch complexes
The cosmodrome is equipped with launch pads for two types of space devices at once: Soyuz-2 medium-class launch vehicles and Angara heavy rockets. It is the Soyuz rocket that will solemnly open the cosmodrome; the launch pad for the Angara will be built later. By the way, the latter are capable of launching manned spacecraft into low-Earth orbit, thereby turning Vostochny into a new center of astronautics.
Secondary buildings
Like all other cosmodromes, Vostochny must be equipped with everything for assembling and refueling rockets. Therefore, along with the launch facilities, plants for the production of nitrogen, oxygen and hydrogen, hangars for the installation and testing of spacecraft, astronaut training and accommodation complexes, as well as treatment and water intake plants are being built.
Control
The real heart of the cosmodrome is not the launch pads and spacecraft, but the command center and the complex of measuring instruments. 67 kilometers of cable make it possible to remotely control all stages of preparation and launch of the rocket - but this is far from the only function of the center. It contains a suite of radars, communications and observation devices to track and control the launched rocket and help other spaceports carry out their missions.
Infrastructure
The cosmodrome is not only an important scientific and commercial facility, but also social center. All Vostochny workers, from astronauts to general workers, need somewhere to live, eat, have fun and keep their bodies healthy. We need shops, hospitals, gyms, residential buildings, cinemas and more more people who will work in the service sector. This requires the construction of an entire city - the village of Uglegorsk near the cosmodrome will be expanded and improved to accommodate 12 thousand people. In 2015, the city was renamed Tsiolkovsky - in honor of Konstantin Tsiolkovsky, the founder of Soviet rocket science.
In addition to building a city for personnel, the cosmodrome needs transport channels - only airplanes and railroads can deliver spacecraft components and rocket fuel to the launch site. Before the construction of Vostochny, Tsiolkovsky was 5 kilometers away from the Trans-Siberian Railway, but now they will build a separate branch and, in addition, build a large airfield.
Pros and cons of the cosmodrome
Those who have been interested in astronautics for a long time know one of the basic rules - for maximum efficiency, rockets must be launched as close as possible to the equator and in the direction of rotation. Using the planet’s own motion, you can save fuel and put a larger mass into orbit - the equatorial “bonus” is about 1600 kilometers per hour, which is quite serious. Moving the launch site north or south from the equator reduces the acceleration from the Earth, but at the pole there is none at all.
As already mentioned, the Vostochny Cosmodrome is located far north of the equator, which makes launching rockets from there difficult. What made the state build a spaceport in such a place? To answer this question, it is worth learning a little more about the history of astronautics, specifically Russian.
A little background
Although theoretically rockets should be launched at the equator and against the Earth's rotation vector, in reality there is one serious obstacle to this - its name is politics. Since the superpowers have had intercontinental missiles and radars to track enemy missiles, astronauts have had to look at the geopolitical aspect of the matter. Thus, in the USSR they could not launch space rockets from the Far East - they would fly east, towards the USA, which could raise a considerable fuss. The times of the Cold War have already passed, but politics still puts a spoke in the wheels of space exploration. To this day, Israel, due to tense relations with its neighbors, has to launch rockets “in reverse”, not using, but overcoming the rotation of the planet.
In addition, the rocket leaves its mark on the rocket - spent stages and fairings not only clog the orbit, but also fall to Earth along the trajectory of the rocket. Accordingly, when building a cosmodrome, it is necessary to calculate in advance where massive and explosive debris will fall. The Americans are especially lucky here - their famous Cape Canaveral is located in the south, and to the east of it lies the ocean, where it is safe to “drop” pieces of rockets.
But let's return to Russia. Because of the above problems, Plesetsk became the main Soviet cosmodrome - although its latitude is 63°, which is even further north than the Vostochny one that is currently being built, it is located on the western side of Russia. This immediately solved a number of problems: it was possible not only to launch the rocket into orbit over the uninhabited territory of Russia, but also to land its parts where they could be assembled - in particular at the Kura test site in Kamchatka.
But due to the northern location of Plesetsk, it is best to send devices from it into the polar orbit of the Earth or make suborbital launches. Launching a rocket into geostationary orbit, which is at a high altitude, and even more so long-distance flights require a more southern location of the cosmodrome. Therefore, over time, a cosmodrome was built in Baikonur, on the territory of modern Kazakhstan. Although in Soviet times it conceded the leadership in launches to Plesetsk, with the growing commercial popularity of geostationary satellites, it became the main cosmodrome for Russian satellites.
However, Baikonur also had its negative sides. It was impossible to send rockets strictly parallel to the equator from the very beginning - parts of the launch vehicles would fall on China. There are also climatic difficulties - although in the south there is mostly sunny and cloudless weather, necessary for the first stage of monitoring a launched rocket, strong winds complicate the installation of rockets, especially massive ones. And in the modern period, politics began to interfere again - the authorities of Kazakhstan have more than once banned the launch of spacecraft just before the launch. All these factors became the reasons for the construction of a new cosmodrome.
Advantages and disadvantages of Eastern
So, in the modern period, there is no longer any need to fear that the United States will confuse a conventional missile with a nuclear one - therefore, the advantages of the Russian Far East can be used. In addition to the entire Pacific Ocean and the uninhabited expanses of the taiga for landing spent rocket stages, builders are captivated by the climate favorable to astronautics. In the area where the Vostochny Cosmodrome is located, sunny weather reigns more than 84% of the year, and rain and snow are rare. Also, the new cosmodrome will be less disturbed by strong winds - here they only occur in the second half of spring.
However, there are also disadvantages. In addition to the distance from the equator, which will reduce the final payload of the rockets, the new location of the cosmodrome creates its own difficulties. Some disadvantages are hidden even in the advantages. For example, when a rocket deviates from course or when launched into a polar orbit, debris and stages will fall into forests, which will not cause immediate damage to the population and infrastructure of the region. But this can easily cause taiga. They are already causing a lot of trouble in the east - and a forest fire accelerated by an explosion of rocket fuel can become a real disaster.
Another disadvantage of the Vostochny Cosmodrome is its distance from Russian rocket and spacecraft production centers. Of course, airfields and railway lines are being built - but this increases both the cost of the cosmodrome itself and transportation costs. Some parts will have to be transported more than 5 thousand kilometers! It is true that this can be solved by restructuring production - for example, the assembly of new Angara missiles specifically for Vostochny will be transferred to Omsk.
The future of the Vostochny Cosmodrome
The main modules of the cosmodrome have already been built, and preparations are currently underway for the first launch. By 2020, they plan to complete the entire remaining infrastructure, as well as put into operation the launch pad for Angara rockets. Everything is aimed at showing the seriousness of the cosmodrome project - for example, during the first launch, the rocket will launch three satellites into orbit at once.
Models of Angara family missiles
Will the Vostochny Cosmodrome be successful, and will it be able to completely replace Baikonur? As for the latter, we can confidently say no - a number of projects in which Roscosmos participates seem to be tied to Baikonur, and for now supermassive cargo can only be sent into space from Kazakhstan. However, the Angara rockets have not yet had time to show themselves in action, and the lease of Baikonur lasts right up to 2050 - during this period a lot can change.
The only thing that makes you worry is the history of the Svobodny Cosmodrome. It is located very close to Vostochny, and it was also built with an eye to replacing Baikonur. But since 1997, only 5 missiles have been launched from it, and in 2007 it stopped functioning altogether. Will Vostochny repeat the fate of its predecessor? Time will show.
Historically, humanity has always looked closely at the sky and been interested in various celestial bodies. There are legends that supposedly the first people visited space in ancient times, but this has not been documented. But the whole world experienced surprise and joy when, in 1961, Soviet officer Yuri Gagarin traveled to space and then returned to Earth.
The first launch of a Soviet spacecraft took place from a secret facility called the Baikonur Cosmodrome. In this article we will look at not only the named launch site, but also other significant places.
Discoverer
“Research Test Site” was the name of the project approved by the General Staff of the USSR Ministry of Defense in 1955. Subsequently, this place became known as the Baikonur Cosmodrome.
This facility is located in the Kyzylorda region in Kazakhstan, near the village of Toretam. Its area is about 6,717 square meters. km. And for many years now, the first cosmodrome in the world has been considered one of the leaders in its industry in terms of the number of launches. For example, in 2015, 18 rockets were launched from it into Earth orbit. The named test site for space launches is leased by Russia from Kazakhstan until 2050. About 6 billion Russian rubles per year are spent on operating the facility.
Privacy level
All cosmodromes in the world are star havens that are guarded most carefully, and Baikonur is no exception in this regard.
Thus, the construction of a space port was accompanied by the construction of a false cosmodrome near the village of Baikonur. This tactic was also used during World War II, when the military built false airfields with dummies of equipment.
The construction of the cosmodrome was directly carried out by soldiers and officers of the construction battalion. In short, they accomplished a real feat of labor, since they were able to build a launch pad in two years.
Problems of today
Today, quite difficult times have come for the legendary cosmodrome. The starting point for the problems can be considered 2009, when the military abandoned it, and the facility came completely under the jurisdiction of Roscosmos. And all because, together with the military, the cosmodrome also lost a rather serious amount of money, which was previously allocated for training and testing.
Of course, launching rockets with satellites also makes money, but these days it is not done as often as it used to be when rockets were launched almost every week. Nevertheless, the cosmodrome still remains recognized as a world leader in the field of space launches.
Russian giant
But still, when considering the cosmodromes of the world, it would be unfair not to pay attention to other similar objects, one of which is located on the territory Russian Federation. The technical capabilities and money invested in its construction and development allow it to launch and place many satellites and space stations into earth orbit.
The Plesetsk Cosmodrome is a Russian space harbor located 180 kilometers from Arkhangelsk. The size of the object is 176,200 hectares.
The Plesetsk cosmodrome, at its core, is a special, rather complex scientific and technical complex, which is intended both to perform military tasks and to be used for peaceful purposes.
The cosmodrome includes many objects:
- Complexes for launching launch vehicles.
- Technical complexes (preparing rockets and other spacecraft).
- Multifunctional filling and neutralization station. With its help, launch vehicles and upper stages are refueled.
- Almost 1500 buildings and structures.
- 237 objects providing energy to the entire cosmodrome.
Far Eastern site
One of the newest cosmodromes in Russia is Vostochny, which is located near the city of Tsiolkovsky in the Amur region (Far East). The harbor is used exclusively for civilian purposes.
The construction of the facility began in 2012 and was actively accompanied by various corruption scandals and workers’ strikes due to non-payment of wages.
The first launch from the Vostochny Cosmodrome took place relatively recently - on April 28, 2016. The launch made it possible to place three artificial satellites into orbit. At the same time, Russian President Vladimir Putin was personally present at the site at the time of the launch of the carriers, as well as Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin and head of the Kremlin administration Sergei Ivanov.
It should be noted that the successful launch from the Vostochny Cosmodrome was carried out only on the second attempt. Initially, it was planned to launch the Soyuz 2.1A launch vehicle on April 27, but literally one and a half minutes before the launch, the automatic system canceled it. The management of Roscosmos explained this incident as an emergency failure in the control system, as a result of which the launch was postponed by a day.
List of the main spaceports on the planet
The world's existing spaceports are ranked by the date of their first orbital launch (or attempt), as well as by the number of successful and failed launches. The list currently looks like this:
This launch site sent a rocket into space for the first time on April 9, 1968. It is important to note that the cosmodrome is located literally five hundred kilometers from the equatorial line, which makes it possible to launch aircraft on our Earth as efficiently as possible. In addition, the geographical location of the space port is such that the launch angle is always equal to 102 degrees, and this indicator significantly expands the range of launch trajectories of objects used for a variety of tasks.
The effectiveness of the launch site is so high that it attracted the attention of many corporate clients from many countries around the world: the USA, Canada, Japan, Brazil, India, Azerbaijan.
In 2015, it invested over 1.6 billion euros in modernizing the spaceport infrastructure. Also deserves special attention high level object security. Space Harbor is located in an area that is densely covered with equatorial forests. At the same time, the department itself is sparsely populated. In addition, there is no risk of even the weakest earthquakes or hurricanes. To ensure maximum protection from external attack, the 3rd Regiment of the Foreign Legion (France) was located at the cosmodrome.
A joint project
The Odyssey launch platform is essentially a huge self-propelled, semi-submersible catamaran. The facility was built in Norway on the basis of an oil production platform. The described mobile spaceport includes:
- starting table;
- rocket installer;
- fuel and oxidizer filling systems;
- temperature control system;
- nitrogen supply system;
- cable mast.
The naval space launcher is serviced by a staff of 68 people. Living quarters, a medical center and a canteen have been built for them.
The platform is based in the port of Long Beach, California (southwest USA). The industrial giant of the space industry arrived at this place of its permanent deployment under its own power, having passed through the Strait of Gibraltar, the Suez Canal and Singapore.
Conclusion
Finally, I would like to note that all the cosmodromes in the world that exist today allow humanity to actively develop and explore space. With the help of platforms for launching vehicles into Earth orbit, many various actions civil and military directions.
Throughout April, the country and the world celebrated the 50th anniversary of the first manned space flight. For this anniversary, Vlast has prepared a reference book, which includes information about 28 operating and decommissioned cosmodromes, their history, infrastructure and features.
* Spaceports are ranked by the date of the first orbital launch or attempt. When calculating the number of successful and unsuccessful launches, suborbital launches and tests of intercontinental ballistic missiles were not taken into account.
Baikonur (Kazakhstan)
Successful launches: 1245
Unsuccessful launches: 114
Baikonur is the most used cosmodrome: in the last two years alone, more than 50 launches have been made from it
Construction of the world's first and largest cosmodrome, Baikonur (5th State Test Site), began in southwestern Kazakhstan in February 1955. Until 1957, it was used to test intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs). During the operation of the cosmodrome, several generations of liquid-fueled ICBMs were tested there, which became the basis of the Strategic Missile Forces, as well as 15 types of new launch vehicles (LV). From here the first artificial Earth satellite and the first manned flight into space were launched. Baikonur is still the only Russian cosmodrome from which manned space flights are carried out. Currently, the cosmodrome has 9 launch complexes with 15 installations for launching the Proton, Zenit, Soyuz, Cyclone, Rokot and Dnepr launch vehicles, as well as 4 installations for testing ICBMs. The total area of the cosmodrome is 6717 square meters. km. After the collapse of the USSR, Baikonur went to Kazakhstan. In March 1994, Russia agreed to lease it for a period of 20 years; in 2004, the lease was extended until 2050. By 2009, all facilities of the cosmodrome were transferred from the Russian Ministry of Defense to the civil department - Roscosmos.
Cape Canaveral Air Force Base (USA)
Successful launches: 558
Unsuccessful launches: 64
The US Air Force began using the Cape Canaveral site in Florida for long-range missile experiments in 1949. The location was chosen because of its proximity to the equator, which allows rockets to use the force of the Earth's rotation to accelerate. In 1957, the United States made the first attempt to send an artificial Earth satellite, Vanguard TV3, into space from Cape Canaveral. The launch ended in failure - the launch vehicle exploded upon take-off. Since 1958, rocket launches have been carried out by the US Aerospace Agency (NASA), but the spaceport is owned by the US Department of Defense. From here the Jupiter, Thor, Atlas and Titan rockets flew into space. The first manned launches under the Mercury and Gemini programs were also carried out here. There are 38 launch sites at Cape Canaveral, of which 4 are operational. Currently, Delta II and IV, Falcon 9 and Atlas V rockets launch from the spaceport.
Vandenberg (USA)
Successful launches: 598
Unsuccessful launches: 52
In 1957, the US Air Force took over an armored training center on the California coast with an area of 57 square meters. km and converted it into a missile testing site. In 1958, the Thor ballistic missile was launched from the base named after Air Force General Hoyt Vandenberg, and in 1959, the world's first space satellite, Discoverer 1, was launched into polar orbit. In 1972, NASA chose the spaceport as one of two sites for operation ships of the Space Shuttle program. The first shuttle launch from Vandenberg was supposed to take place in 1986, but due to the Challenger disaster, the program was temporarily suspended, and NASA later refused to use the California spaceport. Today, Vandenberg serves as the headquarters of the United States Air Force's 30th Space Wing. Atlas V, Delta II and IV, Falcon 9, Taurus and Minotaur rockets are launched from six launch pads.
Wallops (USA)
Successful launches: 39
Failed launches: 3
In 1945, NASA's predecessor, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), began construction of a missile test site on Wallops Island on the East Coast of the United States. Aerodynamic tests of various aircraft took place here. In particular, test flights of the Mercury manned project capsule were carried out with two monkeys as passengers. The first successful launch was carried out on February 16, 1961, when the Explorer 9 research satellite was launched into low-Earth orbit using the Scout X-1 launch vehicle. In 1985, space launches were stopped. In 1998, part of Wallops was leased by the private aerospace corporation Virginia Commercial Space Flight Authority for commercial space launches. The first of them took place in December 2006.
Kapustin Yar (Russia)
Successful launches: 84
Unsuccessful launches: 16
The 4th State Central Interspecific Test Site (Kapustin Yar) was founded in the Astrakhan region in 1947 as a testing center for the first domestic ballistic missiles. On February 20, 1956, the R-5 rocket with a nuclear warhead was tested here, and in July of the same year, the world's first launch vehicle with dogs was launched. Since 1961, defense and scientific satellites have been regularly launched from the test site. From 1969 to 1979 it functioned as an international cosmodrome - a participant in the Intercosmos program. In 1988, the need for launches sharply decreased, and space launches from the Kapustin Yar cosmodrome were stopped. Currently the cosmodrome has auxiliary meaning. It houses one stationary launch complex for the Kosmos-3M launch vehicle, which provides launches of space objects in the interests of the Strategic Missile Forces and Air Defense Forces.
Hammagir (France)
Successful launches: 4
Failed launches: 0
The French test site Hammagir was built in 1947 in the Sahara Desert, in Algeria. It was initially used to test and launch tactical and research rockets, and later the Diamant A launch vehicle, which launched the first French satellite A-1 from this test site into orbit in November 1965. Over the next two years, three more geodetic satellites were launched from the spaceport. For these purposes, the test site had four launch complexes, as well as radar and telemetry stations. On May 21, 1967, in accordance with the Evian Agreements concluded by France and Algeria, the official closing ceremony of the cosmodrome took place, all equipment from it was dismantled and taken to France.
Plesetsk (Russia)
Successful launches: 1521
Unsuccessful launches: 58
The Plesetsk Cosmodrome (1st State Test Cosmodrome) was founded in 1957 as the first domestic missile base for the R-7 and R-7A ICBMs. Located 180 km south of Arkhangelsk on an area of 1762 sq. km. He began his space activities on March 17, 1966 with the launch of the Cosmos-112 spacecraft using the Vostok-2 launch vehicle. The period of greatest activity of the cosmodrome occurred in the 1970-1980s, when up to 40% of the world's launches were made from here. In November 1994, by decree of President Boris Yeltsin, the 1st State Test Cosmodrome of the Ministry of Defense was formed on the basis of the space parts of the test site. In July 2001, the cosmodrome was included in space force RF. Currently, it houses launch complexes for all types of domestic light and medium class launch vehicles, the main ones being Rokot, Cyclone-3 and Cosmos-3M.
Uchinoura (Japan)
Successful launches: 27
Unsuccessful launches: 8
Construction of the Uchinoura Space Center on the island of Kyushu (Kagoshima Prefecture) began in 1961 and was completed in February 1962. The first space launch from the launch site took place in 1966 and ended with the loss of the Japanese Lambda 4S launch vehicle and payload due to the failure of the fourth stage attitude control system. Three subsequent launches also ended in failure, and only on February 11, 1970, Japan was able to launch its Osumi satellite into low-Earth orbit. On July 3, 1998, the Japanese Mars station Planet-B was launched from the same spaceport. Currently, the cosmodrome, whose area is 51 square meters. km, has two launch complexes (one launch position at each) for launching Lambda and Mu series launch vehicles. At the request of local fishermen, launches from Uchinoura had long been limited to 190 days a year, but in 2010, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency officials agreed to lift these restrictions as of April 2011.
San Marco (Italy)
Successful launches: 9
Failed launches: 0
The only cosmodrome that launches directly from the equator is Sea Launch. It is also the world's first private international spaceport
The Italian naval spaceport San Marco was built in 1964 in the Indian Ocean, 5 km off the coast of Kenya. In the 1970s, it was actively used for launching small research satellites using Scout series launch vehicles. The cosmodrome consists of two floating platforms - San Marco and Santa Rita, located at a distance of 500 m from each other. The first contains a launcher and an assembly and testing hangar for assembling and testing missiles; the second contains a launch control post and equipment for monitoring the launch vehicle's flight. In total, over 21 years of operation, nine satellites were launched from the San Marco spaceport (four Italian and American and one British), the last launch took place on March 25, 1988. Since then, the cosmodrome has not been in operation, although the certification period for the equipment installed on it expires only in 2014.
Kennedy Space Center (USA)
Successful launches: 149
Failed launches: 1
In 1962, NASA acquired 560 square meters from the state of Florida. km on Merritt Island. In July, construction began here on the launch center, which after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in November 1963 received his name. In 1965, the vertical assembly building was built, in which the parts of the spacecraft are connected before launch. The main launch site was launch complex N 39 with two launch platforms, built specifically for the Apollo program. From here the heavy Saturn V rockets took off, delivering American astronauts to the Moon in 1969. Since 1981, the complex has been used to launch spacecraft of the Space Shuttle project into orbit. After the US phased out the shuttle in 2007, the spaceport began to be upgraded for the Ares I and Ares V rockets of the new US Constellation manned program. In 2008, the US presidential administration closed Constellation, and the fate of the spaceport remains unclear.
Woomera (Australia)
Successful launches: 2
Unsuccessful launches: 4
The Woomera Proving Ground was built in 1946 under an Anglo-Australian agreement to test controlled aircraft. Located in the central part of South Australia. The first successful launch from it was carried out on November 29, 1967, when the first Australian WRESAT satellite was launched into low-Earth orbit using the American Redstone launch vehicle. The second and currently last successful launch was carried out on October 28, 1971 - the British Black Arrow launch vehicle launched the Prospero satellite into low-Earth orbit. In July 1976, by decision of the Australian government, the spaceport was closed as unprofitable, and the equipment there was mothballed.
Kourou (France, European Space Agency)
Successful launches: 194
Unsuccessful launches: 14
In 1964, the French government chose the coast of French Guiana, 500 km north of the equator, to create its new spaceport. Its construction began in 1965 on the initiative of the French Space Agency. In 1975, after the formation of the European Space Agency (ESA), France invited it to use Kourou for European space programs. Currently, the main launch sites of the spaceport belong to ESA. The facility is guarded by soldiers of the French Foreign Legion. The main specialization of the cosmodrome is commercial launches of geostationary satellites using the European Ariane V launch vehicle. In 2007, work began on the construction of launch sites for Russian Soyuz-2 rockets at Kourou. Since then, the expected dates for the first launch of the Soyuz have been repeatedly postponed; according to the latest data, it is scheduled for August 2011.
Jiuquan (China)
Successful launches: 46
Failed launches: 5
The first and largest Chinese spaceport, Jiuquan, was opened on October 20, 1958 in the Badan-Jilin Desert. In the 1960s, tests of medium-range ballistic missiles were carried out here, as well as launches of missiles with nuclear warheads. In 1970, China launched its first satellite, Dongfanghong-1, from this spaceport using the Long March launch vehicle. In November 1999, Jiuquan became the launch pad for China's first unmanned spacecraft, the Shenzhou. On October 15, 2003, the first Chinese astronaut Yang Liwei was sent into orbit from the cosmodrome on the Shenzhou-5 spacecraft. Since then, Jiuquan has been one of the three cosmodromes from whose launch pads manned spacecraft are launched. On its territory of 3 thousand square meters. km there are two launchers for various modifications of the Long March launch vehicle, which are assembled here. In April 2011, the country's authorities announced that the cosmodrome would soon be open to tourists.
Tanegashima (Japan)
Successful launches: 48
Failed launches: 2
Japan's second and largest spaceport, opened in 1969, is located on the coast of Tanegashima Island (Kagoshima Prefecture). Since 1975, it has been used to launch scientific, telecommunications and meteorological apparatus. In 1998, due to the growing threat from the DPRK, the country began developing a space reconnaissance system, which resulted in the launch of the first Japanese spy satellites IGS-1a and IGS-1b from Tanegashima in 2003. In September 2009, the first Japanese unmanned space truck, HTV, set off from here to the ISS. Currently at the cosmodrome, whose area is 97 square meters. km, there are two launch pads from which heavy Japanese launch vehicles H-2A and H-2B are launched. Due to the proximity of the cosmodrome to the traditional tuna fishing area, launches from it are mainly limited to January-February and August-September.
Satish Dhawan Space Center (India)
Successful launches: 32
Unsuccessful launches: 9
The Satish Dhawan Space Center is located on the island of Sriharikota in the Bay of Bengal in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. Owned by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO). On July 18, 1980, India's first satellite, Rohini, was launched from here, making the country a space power. On October 22, 2008, the Chandrayaan-1 research vehicle was launched from the cosmodrome into lunar orbit, after which India became the third Asian country after Japan and China with its own lunar program. The spaceport has two launch pads for launching Indian launch vehicles PSLV and GSLV. In addition, there is a tracking station, two installation and testing complexes, stands for testing rocket engines, as well as a plant for the production of rocket fuel.
Xichang (China)
Successful launches: 57
Unsuccessful launches: 4
In 1967, Mao Zedong decided to begin developing his own manned space program. The first Chinese spacecraft, Shuguang-1 (Project 714), was supposed to send two astronauts into orbit already in 1973. Especially for him, construction of a cosmodrome began in Sichuan province, near the city of Xichang. The location of the launch site was chosen based on the principle of maximum distance from the Soviet border. After funding for the project was cut in 1972 and several leading scientists were persecuted during the Cultural Revolution, Project 714 was closed. Construction of the cosmodrome resumed a decade later, ending in 1984. Today, the cosmodrome with two launch complexes is used to launch satellites, including commercial and foreign ones, into geostationary orbit using the Long March-3 (CZ-3), CZ-2E, CZ-3A, CZ-3B launch vehicles. During the launch, the population living within a radius of 5 km from the cosmodrome is evacuated to a safe distance. In 2007, China's first anti-satellite missile was launched from the spaceport.
Taiyuan (China)
Successful launches: 32
Failed launches: 2
Construction of the Taiyuan test site began in the northwestern Chinese province of Shanxi in 1966. Since 1968, it has been used to test medium-range ballistic missiles. In September 1988, the first Chinese polar weather satellite was launched from Taiyuan using the Long March 4 launch vehicle, after which the test site began to be actively used for launching satellites into sun-synchronous and circumpolar orbits. The area of the cosmodrome is 375 square meters. km. Orbital launches are carried out from two launch complexes using various modifications of the Long March launch vehicle. The cosmodrome is located at an altitude of 1500 m above sea level, which provides favorable weather conditions for launches.
Palmachim (Israel)
Successful launches: 6
Failed launches: 3
The Palmachim air base is located in the coastal zone of the Mediterranean Sea, 15 km south of Tel Aviv. In 1988, Israel independently launched the first spy satellite of the Ofek series from this base, becoming the eighth space power. Since then, Palmachim has been regularly used for launches of ballistic missiles and spacecraft. Currently, there is a launch complex for the launch of the Shavit rocket, with the help of which Israel puts military satellites into orbit. Based on geopolitical conditions, launch vehicles are launched from the cosmodrome not in the usual eastern, but in the western direction in order to avoid their flight over the territory of Arab states.
Al Anbar (Iraq)
Successful launches: 1
Failed launches: 0
The Al-Anbar launch complex is located 50 km west of Baghdad. On December 5, 1989, the first and only launch of the prototype Al-Abid launch vehicle (a modified Soviet R-11 ballistic missile) took place from here. According to some data, the launch vehicle reached a maximum altitude of 25 km, according to others, the third stage of the launch vehicle entered orbit and made six orbits around the Earth. A TASS report from this date stated that Iraq had begun implementing a space program, which included the creation of a more powerful launch vehicle and its own spacecraft by the end of the 20th century. In January 1991, the Al Anbar complex became one of the main targets of the US Air Force during the military operation Desert Storm, as a result of which it suffered significant destruction and has not been used since then.
Svobodny (Russia)
Successful launches: 5
Failed launches: 0
The issue of creating a new cosmodrome in Russia to replace Baikonur, which was transferred to Kazakhstan, has been discussed since 1992. On March 1, 1996, President Boris Yeltsin signed a decree on the formation of the 2nd State Test Cosmodrome of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation (Svobodny) in the Amur Region on the basis of the disbanded 27th Missile Division of the Strategic Missile Forces. For space launches there were five silo launchers of the RS-18 ICBMs and the Start-1 launcher delivered from Plesetsk. The first launch from the cosmodrome took place in March 1997, when the Zeya military apparatus was launched into orbit using the Start-1 rocket. In 1999, reconstruction of the cosmodrome began, but due to problems with financing it dragged on for several years. As a result, only four more satellites were launched from Svobodny (two Israeli, American and Swedish). In March 2007, the Ministry of Defense decided to close the cosmodrome due to its economic unprofitability.
Alcantara (Brazil)
Successful launches: 0
Failed launches: 3
The Alcántara Space Center is located in the state of Maranhão in northeastern Brazil. Since 1997, there have been three attempts to launch the VLS-1 launch vehicle, developed in the 1980s, from here. During the first launch in November 1997, one of the four boosters did not start. On December 11, 1999, the second stage engine of the launch vehicle failed, and it had to be blown up 200 seconds after launch. On August 22, 2003, three days before the next scheduled launch, a launch vehicle exploded, which led to the destruction of the launcher and the death of 21 people. Nevertheless, the country's authorities continue to develop the space program, planning to use Alcantara as an international commercial spaceport in the future. In particular, since 2002, Brazil has been developing the Cyclone-4 launch vehicle with Ukraine, the first launch of which from Alcantara is scheduled for mid-2012.
Musudan (North Korea)
Successful launches: 0
Failed launches: 2
Construction of the Musudan test site on the east coast of North Korea began in 1982. Since 1984, medium-range ballistic missiles of the Hwasong and Nodong series have been tested here. On August 31, 1998, North Korea attempted to launch its first satellite, Gwangmyeonsong-1, into orbit using the Taepodong launch vehicle. The first stage of the rocket fell into the Sea of Japan within the Russian exclusive economic zone, and the second stage overshot Japan and crashed into the Pacific Ocean. North Korea then announced the successful launch of its first national satellite, but the US Space Command denied this information. On April 5, 2009, the Koreans made a new attempt to launch a spacecraft using the Taepodong-2 rocket, but it also failed. Washington, Seoul and Tokyo considered both of these launches to be tests of an ICBM capable of striking Alaska or the Hawaiian Islands, after which they announced increased surveillance of the spaceport.
"Sea Launch" (Russia, USA, Norway, Ukraine)
Successful launches: 27
Failed launches: 3
Negotiations on the creation of an international commercial floating cosmodrome, Sea Launch, began in 1993. In 1995, the Sea Launch company was registered in California and became the operator of this project. 40% of its shares are owned by Boeing, 25% by the Russian state-owned RSC Energia, 20% by the Norwegian Aker, 15% by the Ukrainian Yuzhnoye Design Bureau and Yuzhmash Production Association. Since 1999, satellites have been launched from a floating platform in the equatorial waters of the Pacific Ocean using a Russian-Ukrainian Zenit-3SL launch vehicle. The marine segment of the complex consists of two vessels - the Odyssey launch platform (former oil production platform) and the assembly and command vessel. In 2009, Sea Launch encountered financial difficulties and filed for bankruptcy. In 2010, the company agreed with RSC Energia to exit bankruptcy proceedings. After the reorganization, Energia's subsidiary Energia Overseas Ltd will receive 85% of Sea Launch shares, the remaining share will be distributed among creditors. Launches are planned to resume in 2011.
Kodiak (USA)
Successful launches: 2
Failed launches: 0
In 1991, the state of Alaska established the Alaska Aerospace Development Corporation, deciding to capitalize on the state's convenient geographic location, which allows it to launch satellites into polar orbits. The company planned to build a spaceport for commercial launches on Kodiak Island. The idea did not find funding for a long time, until in 1997 the US Air Force became interested in creating a spaceport in Alaska. The command considered that the new launch site would be perfect for launching training targets that would simulate an attack from China and North Korea, and allocated $18 million for the project—about half the required amount. The first test launch for the Air Force was carried out in 1998. To date, the Air Force has launched 18 target missiles from Kodiak. The first commercial launch took place in 2001. The Athena I rocket launched NASA's Starshine 3, Sapphire, PCSat and PICOSat satellites into orbit.
Reagan Proving Ground (USA)
Successful launches: 2
Failed launches: 3
After the end of World War II, the US Navy established a refueling base on Kwajalein Atoll in the Pacific Ocean. In 1959, the US Army began testing anti-missile and anti-aircraft systems here as part of the Nike-Zeus program. The military leased 11 of the atoll's 95 islands, building a mission control center, missile launch pads and tracking stations. In 1999, the landfill with a total area of more than 1.9 million square meters. km was named after former president USA Ronald Reagan. Space launches from the site were started by the American corporation SpaceX, which decided to take advantage of the existing infrastructure and built a commercial spaceport on the island of Omelek for its Falcon 1 launch vehicles. Only the fourth launch, in September 2008, was successful, becoming the first successful orbital flight in history that was fully financed by a private individual.
Yasny (Russia)
Successful launches: 4
Failed launches: 0
The 13th Missile Division test site in Yasny (Orenburg region) has been used for space launches since 2006. All launches are carried out within the framework of the Dnepr conversion program, which provides for the use of RS-20 rockets removed from combat duty to launch satellites into orbit. The cosmodrome is operated by the Russian-Ukrainian space company Kosmotras, whose customers are space agencies and companies from the UK, USA, Germany, France, Japan and other countries. Since 2006, four launches have been made from Yasny with satellites from the USA, Thailand, Sweden and France. In May-June 2011, the Ukrainian Earth remote sensing satellite Sich-2 is planned to be launched from the Yasny cosmodrome.
Semnan (Iran)
Successful launches: 5
Failed launches: 1
The first and so far only Iranian spaceport, Semnan, is located in the north of the country, 60 km from the city of the same name. The launcher installed at the test site is designed to launch light-class launch vehicles. On February 4, 2008, Iran launched the Kaveshgar-1 test rocket (a variant of the Shahab-3 single-stage medium-range ballistic missile), which reached low-Earth orbit at an altitude of 250 km. Iran launched the first Omid satellite on its own on February 2, 2009, in honor of the 30th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution. After that, the country sent several more capsules with worms, mice and other living organisms into orbit. In December 2010, the country's authorities announced plans to build a second spaceport due to Semnan's "certain geographic limitations."
Naro (South Korea)
Successful launches: 0
Failed launches: 2
Construction of the Naro Space Center on the South Korean island of Venarado began in 2003. Currently, the complex includes buildings of research centers, one launch pad, as well as optical and radio control systems for the flight of rockets and satellites. On August 25, 2009, the first space launch took place from here, which ended in failure. The South Korean KSLV-I launch vehicle, created with the participation of the Russian State Research and Production Center named after Khrunichev, was unable to launch a scientific satellite into the intended orbit due to problems with the nose fairing. The second launch of a South Korean satellite on June 10, 2010 ended with the explosion of the launch vehicle 136 seconds into the flight. According to one version, a malfunction occurred in the operation of the first stage, manufactured in Russia. In October 2010, Moscow and Seoul agreed to carry out the third launch of the KSLV-I rocket, which should launch a scientific apparatus weighing up to 100 kg into low-Earth orbit. The launch is expected to take place in 2012.
A cosmodrome is a place where a complex of structures is located for launching spacecraft into outer space. Cosmodromes are located at points remote from places of settlement so that parts of ships that separate during flight do not harm people or buildings.
1. Baikonur (Russia, Kazakhstan)
The oldest and largest to this day is Baikonur, opened in the steppes of Kazakhstan in 1957. Its area is 6717 sq. km. In the best years - the 60s - it carried out up to 40 launches per year. And there were 11 launch complexes in operation. Over the entire period of the cosmodrome’s existence, more than 1,300 launches were made from it.
According to this parameter, Baikonur is the leader in the world to this day. Every year, an average of two dozen rockets are launched into space here. Legally, the cosmodrome with all its infrastructure and vast territory belongs to Kazakhstan. And Russia rents it for $115 million a year. The lease agreement is due to end in 2050.
However, even earlier, most Russian launches should be transferred to the Vostochny cosmodrome, currently under construction in the Amur region.
2. US Air Force Base at Cape Canaveral (USA)
Has existed in the state of Florida since 1949. Initially, the base hosted testing of military aircraft, and later ballistic missile launches. It has been used as a space launch site since 1957. Without stopping military tests, in 1957, part of the launch pads was made available to NASA.
The first American satellites were launched here, the first American astronauts took off from here - Alan Shepard and Virgil Grissom (suborbital flights along a ballistic trajectory) and John Glenn (orbital flight). After which the manned flight program moved to the newly built Space Center, which was named after Kennedy in 1963 after the death of the president.
From that moment on, the base began to be used to launch unmanned spacecraft that delivered the necessary cargo to astronauts into orbit, and also sent automatic research stations to other planets and beyond the solar system.
Also, satellites - both civilian and military - were launched and are being launched from Cape Canaverel. Due to the variety of tasks solved at the base, 28 launch sites were built here. Currently, there are 4 operational. Two more are maintained in operational condition in anticipation of the start of production of the modern Boeing X-37 shuttles, which should “retire” the Delta, Atlas and Titan rockets.
3. Space Center named after. Kennedy (USA)
It was created in Florida in 1962. Area – 557 sq. km. Number of employees – 14 thousand people. The complex is completely owned by NASA. It is from here that all manned spacecraft have launched, starting with the flight in May 1962 of the fourth astronaut, Scott Carpenter. The Apollo program was implemented here, culminating in the landing on the Moon. All American reusable ships - shuttles - departed from here and returned here.
Now all launch sites are in standby mode for new equipment. The last launch took place in 2011. However, the Center continues to work hard both to control the ISS flight and to develop new space programs.
4. Kourou (France, European Space Agency)
Located in Guiana, an overseas department of France located in the northeast South America. Area – about 1200 sq. km. The Kourou spaceport was opened by the French Space Agency in 1968. Due to the small distance from the equator, it is possible to launch spacecraft from here with significant fuel savings, since the rocket is “pushed” by the high linear speed of the Earth’s rotation near the zero parallel.
In 1975, the French invited the European Space Agency (ESA) to use Kourou to implement their programs. As a result, France now allocates 1/3 of the necessary funds for the maintenance and development of the cosmodrome, the rest falls on ESA. Moreover, ESA is the owner of three of the four launchers.
From here the European ISS nodes and satellites go into space. The dominant missile here is the Euro-rocket Ariane, produced in Toulouse. In total, more than 60 launches were made. At the same time, our Soyuz rockets with commercial satellites launched from the cosmodrome five times.
5. Jiuquan (China)
The PRC owns four spaceports. Two of them solve only military problems, testing ballistic missiles, launching spy satellites, and testing technology for intercepting foreign space objects. Two have a dual purpose, ensuring not only the implementation of militaristic programs, but also the peaceful exploration of outer space.
The largest and oldest of them is the Jiuquan Cosmodrome. In operation since 1958. Covers an area of 2800 sq. km.
At first, Soviet specialists used it to teach the Chinese “brothers forever” the intricacies of military space “craft.” In 1960, the first short-range missile, a Soviet one, was launched from here. Soon, a Chinese-made rocket, in the creation of which Soviet specialists also participated, successfully launched. After the breakdown of friendly relations between the countries, the activities of the cosmodrome came to a standstill.
It was only in 1970 that the first Chinese satellite was successfully launched from the cosmodrome. Ten years later, the first intercontinental ballistic missile was launched. And at the end of the century, the first descent spacecraft without a pilot went into space. In 2003, the first taikonaut was in orbit.
Currently, 4 out of 7 launch pads operate at the cosmodrome. 2 of them are allocated exclusively for the needs of the Ministry of Defense. Every year, 5-6 rockets launch from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.
6. Tanegashima Space Center (Japan)
Founded in 1969. Operated by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. Located on the southeastern coast of Tanegashima Island, in the south of Kagoshima Prefecture.
The first primitive satellite was launched into orbit in 1970. Since then, Japan, possessing a powerful technological base in the field of electronics, has greatly succeeded in creating both efficient orbital satellites and heliocentric research stations.
At the cosmodrome, two launch pads are reserved for launches of suborbital geophysical vehicles, two serve heavy rockets H-IIA and H-IIB. It is these rockets that deliver scientific equipment and necessary equipment to the ISS. Up to 5 launches are made annually.
7. Sea launch “Odyssey” (International)
This unique floating spaceport, based on an ocean platform, was put into operation in 1999. Due to the fact that the platform is based on the zero parallel, launches from it are most energetically profitable due to the use of the maximum linear speed of the Earth at the equator. The activities of Odyssey are controlled by a consortium that includes Boeing, RSC Energia, the Ukrainian Yuzhnoye Design Bureau, the Ukrainian Yuzhmash Production Association, which produces Zenit missiles, and the Norwegian shipbuilding company Aker Kværner.
"Odyssey" consists of two sea vessels - a platform with a launcher and a ship that plays the role of a mission control center.
The launch pad was formerly a Japanese oil platform that was refurbished and refurbished. Its dimensions: length - 133 m, width - 67 m, height - 60 m, displacement - 46 thousand tons.
Zenit rockets, which are used to launch commercial satellites, belong to the middle class. They are capable of launching more than 6 tons of payload into orbit.
During the existence of the floating cosmodrome, about 40 launches were carried out on it.
The most famous cosmodrome in Russia is Baikonur. It carried out the largest number of launch vehicles. Russia is currently building a new Vostochny cosmodrome.
How many spaceports are there in the world?
Baikonur is the oldest cosmodrome in Russia and the entire planet. Moreover, it is also the largest. It was founded in 1955 on the territory of Kazakhstan. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the cosmodrome is leased by the Russian government from the Kazakh side. The lease agreement is currently signed until 2050.
In total, there are 14 cosmodromes in the world from which launch vehicles were launched. The territory itself is a complex of structures designed for launching special vehicles into space. As a rule, they occupy huge areas and are located at a great distance from populated areas. After all, stages that separate during the flight can cause damage to residential buildings or neighboring launch sites.
Scientists have long noticed that the most advantageous location for cosmodromes is right on the equator. Thus, the launch vehicle saves about 10% of fuel compared to a rocket that is launched from mid-latitudes.
In addition to Russia, spaceports from which launch vehicles have already been launched exist in the USA, French Guiana, China, India, Japan, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and Iran. There is also an international launch platform "Odyssey", located in the Pacific Ocean.
No. 1 - Baikonur
Construction of the largest cosmodrome in Russia began in 1955. Initially, a special commission was created to determine the location where this structure would appear. This territory had to meet several conditions. They chose a vast, but at the same time sparsely populated area; there had to be a railway nearby. Also mandatory conditions are the availability of drinking and process water in large volumes.
Several options were considered. As a result, the choice was made in the Kyzylorda region on the territory of the Kazakh SSR. The construction of the cosmodrome began in the desert, not far from the Aral Sea, the Syr Darya rivers and the Moscow-Tashkent railway line. Another advantage was the sunny weather, which persists in these places for about 300 days a year. In addition, the desert is relatively close to the equator.
The construction of the cosmodrome was led by Georgy Shubnikov, Major General of the Engineering and Technical Service. It is interesting that in order to disorient a possible enemy, in addition to the main cosmodrome, several camouflage structures were built. This is a false cosmodrome in the Karaganda region. It is located near the village of Baikonur. After the successful flight of the first man, Yuri Gagarin, into space, it was the name Baikonur that stuck in people’s minds. As a result, this is now the name given to a real spaceport located in a different location.
History of the object
The first rocket was launched from Baikonur in 1957. True, unsuccessful. On August 21, for the first time, a rocket successfully delivered a conditional cargo from Baikonur to Kamchatka.
At 10:28 p.m. on October 4, 1957, the space age began. Soviet Union launched the world's first artificial satellite from Baikonur. And at 9.07, the first man went on a space flight from here.
A large-scale infrastructure has been organized at Baikonur. The cosmodrome has 9 launch complexes and 15 launchers. There are two airfields, more than a thousand kilometers of roads, thousands of kilometers of communication and power lines.
No. 2 - Vostochny cosmodrome
In 2007, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree to begin construction of a new facility. Construction of the Vostochny Cosmodrome in Russia began in 2012.
It must provide the country with independent access to space. In addition, it must guarantee the fulfillment of all obligations under commercial and international space programs, and will also significantly reduce the cost of maintaining Baikonur. Ultimately, the socio-economic situation in the Amur region, where construction is underway, will improve.
The territory on which the Vostochny cosmodrome is being built has a number of advantages. Russia will have the opportunity to send rockets into space, bypassing densely populated areas of the country and the territories of foreign states. There are highways, railways, and airfields nearby. With the advent of the new cosmodrome, political risks associated with location of Baikonur in Kazakhstan.
Corruption scandals
The construction of a new spaceport is regularly accompanied by scandals. More than 80 billion rubles were allocated for the first stage alone; in total they plan to spend about 300 billion on construction.
At the same time, corruption scandals constantly occur. They began back in 2012, when workers at Vostochny began to go on strike because they were not being paid their wages. To solve this problem, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin was sent there. In 2014, he became the main construction coordinator. Since then, he has visited the site of the future cosmodrome more than fifty times.
Despite this, by the spring of 2015, the wage arrears amounted to about 150 million rubles. The construction workers went on an indefinite hunger strike; this became one of the main topics of direct communication with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
At the moment, criminal cases have been opened regarding the theft of 7.5 billion rubles.
The fate of Baikonur
After it became known that there would be a cosmodrome on Russian territory, many were worried about the fate of Baikonur. Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev has officially admitted that the state budget will not be able to support the cosmodrome. For this reason, Astana will not insist on its transfer by Russia.
At the same time, it is obvious that at least for the coming years, the Kazakhstan cosmodrome will remain the main platform for launching heavy rockets. Even after Vostochny was put into operation. Although it is planned that over time this will be the main cosmodrome in Russia.
For example, the Angara super-heavy rocket is expected to be launched at the new cosmodrome no earlier than 2026. Another disadvantage of the new space rocket launch site is that it is located approximately 6 degrees north of Baikonur. But the closer the launch site is to the equator, the lower the costs and the higher the efficiency.
Therefore, for sure, Russia will not leave Baikonur in the coming years. The only thing that will decline is politicization in cooperation between Moscow and Astana, which is often based on the fact that the main Russian spaceport is located on foreign territory.
No. 3 - Plesetsk cosmodrome
Another famous Russian cosmodrome is located in Plesetsk. This cosmodrome is engaged in supporting Russian space programs that are related to defense functions, as well as scientific and commercial objectives.
He is in Arkhangelsk region, almost 200 kilometers from the regional center. The Plesetsk Northern Railway runs nearby.
The administrative and residential center of the cosmodrome is located in the city of Mirny. Its population is approximately 30,000 people.
The first launch of a launch vehicle from Plesetsk took place in 1966. After that, it served as a test site for intercontinental-range strategic missile systems.
After 1968, international programs were implemented. Other Russian cosmodromes are also carrying out similar work. Plesetsk, for example, hosted a French spacecraft.
Tragedies in Plesetsk
Many Russian cosmodromes, a list of which you will find in this article, have been involved in a sad chronicle of incidents with human casualties. Plesetsk was no exception.
In 1973, 8 people died in the explosion of the Cosmos rocket. This happened while it was being refueled. Another 10 people were hospitalized. One of them died from his burns without regaining consciousness.
In 1980, the largest tragedy occurred, which claimed the lives of 48 people. The explosion occurred again while refueling. This time, the Vostok rocket and its satellite were at the epicenter of the incident.
In 1987, a fire broke out in a nearby military unit. 5 people died.
In 2002, a Soyuz rocket exploded a few seconds after launch. There was one crew member on board.
The last tragedy occurred in 2013. Two were killed and three were hospitalized during a routine cleaning of a rocket fuel container.
Despite this, Plesetsk is the northernmost cosmodrome in Russia, where rocket launches continue.
No. 4 - Kapustin Yar cosmodrome
When listing Russian cosmodromes, the list of which is included in this article, one cannot fail to mention Kapustin Yar. It is located in the north-west of the Astrakhan region. It was originally built as a ballistic missile test site in 1946.
Kapustin Yar is often called the “Russian Roswell”. It is believed that it was here that Soviet scientists explored alien ships. In support of this legend, there are many television programs in which, for example, the layout of the underground complex under the landfill is described in detail.
No. 5 - Svobodny Cosmodrome
Those who are interested in where the cosmodromes are in Russia know about the existence of a launch pad that is not as popular as the previous ones, Svobodny. It is located in the Amur region, near the city of Tsiolkovsky, former Uglegorsk.
A total of five rocket launches were made from here. The last one was in 2006. The cosmodrome has not been operational for 10 years.
In the 2000s, it was planned that the Strela rocket complex would be launched from this cosmodrome. However, it did not pass the state environmental examination. Primarily due to the highly toxic rocket fuel heptyl. By the way, many Kazakh public and environmental organizations are also against it.
Ultimately, it was decided to liquidate it as part of a large-scale reduction of the armed forces due to low profitability and liquidity. There were very few launches from the Svobodny cosmodrome, and as a result, funding was minimal.
No. 6 - floating cosmodrome "Sea Launch"
Russia also has its own floating spaceport - the Sea Launch platform. It is located in the Pacific Ocean. The closest piece of land to it is Christmas Island.
Since 1995, it has been managed by an international consortium. It includes Russia and the USA. The first demonstration satellite was launched in 1999. At the same time, the first commercial launch of a launch vehicle took place.
At the moment, 36 rockets have been sent from the Sea Launch cosmodrome. Moreover, three of them were failures, one launch was considered partially successful.
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