Next Generation Rocket Angara: News

The first launch of Angara launch vehicle was postponed

The first launch of Angara launch vehicle (LV) was rescheduled for June 27th 2014, RIA Novosti reports with reference to a source close to the space industry.

The Angara Family comprising light, medium and heavy launch vehicles will be able to place into orbit almost any advanced payload on behalf of Russian Ministry of Defense within the limits of required range of altitudes and orbit inclinations.

"The launch initially scheduled for June 25th was postponed (it will take place at Plesetsk cosmodrome). The first launch is of great importance, that is why additional inspections are required", — the source said.

Angara rockets will not use any aggressive or toxic fuels; this fact helps improve the environmental security indicators in the region near the cosmodrome as well as in the rocket impact areas.

The Angara Family is being developed by Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Centre; it comprises LVs of different classes: from light to heavy (with a payload varying from 1.5 to 35 tons). The heavy Angara LV should be launched from Plesetsk cosmodrome in late 2014. The first manned flight of heavy Angara rocket is scheduled for 2018 (the LV will be launched from Vostochny cosmodrome located in Amur Region).

George1 wrote:The first launch of Angara launch vehicle was postponed

The first launch of Angara launch vehicle (LV) was rescheduled for June 27th 2014, RIA Novosti reports with reference to a source close to the space industry.

The Angara Family comprising light, medium and heavy launch vehicles will be able to place into orbit almost any advanced payload on behalf of Russian Ministry of Defense within the limits of required range of altitudes and orbit inclinations.

"The launch initially scheduled for June 25th was postponed (it will take place at Plesetsk cosmodrome). The first launch is of great importance, that is why additional inspections are required", — the source said.

Angara rockets will not use any aggressive or toxic fuels; this fact helps improve the environmental security indicators in the region near the cosmodrome as well as in the rocket impact areas.

The Angara Family is being developed by Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Centre; it comprises LVs of different classes: from light to heavy (with a payload varying from 1.5 to 35 tons). The heavy Angara LV should be launched from Plesetsk cosmodrome in late 2014. The first manned flight of heavy Angara rocket is scheduled for 2018 (the LV will be launched from Vostochny cosmodrome located in Amur Region).

What's this supposed to be?

Morpheus Eberhardt wrote:It was just was announced that the launch got postponed by about 24 hours to 15:15 MT, Saturday.

There are some stories about the delay being yet indeterminate and may be longer that originally announced.

There have been allusions to the effect that a leaky valve was involved in the scrub, and that it has to be replaced.

Delayed again indeterminately on Saturday, 28/06/14.

Apparently, earlier today (Monday, 30/06/2014) the Russians issued a warning to pilots regarding the area around Kura.

Some have interpreted this as relating to an Angara-1.2PP launch planned for Tuesday, 01/07/2014 or Wednesday, 02/07/2014; that is the warning to the pilots is not related to another launch.

Under this scenario, the Angara-1.2PP issue is implied to have been a minor glitch that can be bypassed easily.

Morpheus Eberhardt wrote:Apparently, earlier today (Monday, 30/06/2014) the Russians issued a warning to pilots regarding the area around Kura.

Some have interpreted this as relating to an Angara-1.2PP launch planned for Tuesday, 01/07/2014 or Wednesday, 02/07/2014; that is the warning to the pilots is not related to another launch.

Under this scenario, the Angara-1.2PP issue is implied to have been a minor glitch that can be bypassed easily.

According to the latest chatter, this variant of the news doesn't seem to be right.

Still nothing definite has been released about the exact nature of the fault that led into the launch being scrubbed.

No authoritative new schedule has been released either.

I guess we should stay tuned.

Better safe than sorry.

A week or two delay is nothing in the grand scheme of things.

Exactly... if they have to take a month then it is worth it to get it right.

We need to have confidence in this vehicle...

SUCCESS !!!!!!!!    

Russia test launches first newly designed ‘Angara’ space rocket

By the end of this year heavy Angara will fly and in 5 years new super-heavy rocket will join in preserving Russian space supremacy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axj8okDkzgQ

HD version here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3UT21p0RBc
Congrats!!

Viktor wrote:SUCCESS !!!!!!!!    

Russia test launches first newly designed ‘Angara’ space rocket

By the end of this year heavy Angara will fly and in 5 years new super-heavy rocket will join in preserving Russian space supremacy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axj8okDkzgQ

Nice images from the spot:

http://netwind.livejournal.com/59680.html

Repeated malfunction unlikely in Angara rocket’s next launch

MOSCOW, August 05. /ITAR-TASS/. The repetition of a malfunction which delayed the maiden flight of light space rocket Angara is ruled out in a next launch of this satellite carrier, the first deputy general director of Moscow-based Khrunichev space research centre told ITAR-TASS.

For the first time Angara was to be launched into geostationary orbit from space centre Plesetsk in Russia’s northern Arkhangelsk region on June 27, but the automated system aborted the launch then. The blast-off was delayed for a day and then the rocket was taken off the launching pad for more pre-launch tests. The launch was cancelled due to a malfunction in the propellant-feed system.

“The repetition of this incident is ruled out,” Nesterov told ITAR-TASS.

Angara rocket test-launched from Plesetsk space center gets to designated spot
The maiden flight of light space rocket carrier Angara was held without major hitches. The inaugural flight was made on ballistic trajectory on July 9, when a mass simulator with the second stage of the two-stage rocket had reached the target area at Kura test range on the Kamchatka peninsula.

The launch of a heavy space rocket Angara-A5 is planned in December. The launch vehicle will bring a mass simulator on geostationary orbit, the Khrunichev centre’s deputy chief said.

In general, light and heavy rockets Angara will go on flight trials until 2020. “Already starting from a second launch of both models of rockets we will be working with a concrete payload - a spacecraft,” Nesterov said.

In the future Angara can also orbit astronauts. “With some development and without quite serious investments Angara can launch piloted spaceships,” Nesterov said.

Angara is a first civil rocket created in Russia after the demise of legendary Soviet space rocket designer Sergei Korolev in 1966. For 20 years more than 100 billion roubles (around $2.8 billion) were invested in Angara project.

That is what I expect. I bet that the A5 launch later this year will be problem free, but we will have to wait and see...

I must admit I'm hugely looking forward to the maiden A-5 launch   It been a long time since Angara development was first kicked off back in 1994 (and wallowed for years from a lack of cash).  Now that the Plesetsk pad is FINALLY ready, we can finally watch this big bird fly

One question - you state the A-5 upper payload limit (to LEO I assume) is 35T, but most publicly available data suggest 24.5T?

Read this one Big_Gazza, it mentions the topic of which your question was based.

On July 21, 2014, the Russian president Vladimir Putin paid a visit to the city of Samara, south of Moscow, which included a stop at RKTs Progress, the manufacturer of the Soyuz family of rockets. The company was also vying for the leading role in the development of the future super-heavy rocket with its proposals for the STK series. Seven weeks later, on Sept. 2, 2014, during Putin's visit to Vostochny, his Vice Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin told journalists that the president had given his "preliminary approval to start the work on the super-heavy launcher." At the same time, the head of the Russian space agency, Roskosmos, Oleg Ostapenko proposed to channel the money that had originally been allocated to build backup launch pads for the Angara rocket in Plesetsk and in Vostochny into the super-heavy launcher program. Ostapenko has been known for his sharply negative attitude toward the Angara rocket as too small for the future needs of the Russian space program. If approved, the plan would leave Angara with a single launch pad at each of two launch sites. - RSW


It doesn't mention the A7 pads, but the so-called "backup ones"  might (?) be able to launch it.

Would it impede the superheavy design excessively to make it compatable with A7 launch pad, and/or modify the design of A7 pad to be compatable with both?

That is probably the best option... The pad for the next super-heavy, new or old, could probably launch the A7.

Here is the ITAR article on the same subject;

Two launch pads for Angara rocket enough — Roscosmos chief
 - Rockets launched from Vostochny, which was far closer to the equator, would be able to put in space 20% greater payloads

UGLEGORSK, September 02./ITAR-TASS/. The number of launch pads for the heavy space rocket Angara may be reduced from the original four to two and the funds saved in that way invested in creating a new super-heavy rocket, the chief of Russia’s space agency Roscosmos, Oleg Ostapenko, has said.

He addressed this proposal to President Vladimir Putin while inspecting the Vostochny space port construction site in the Amur Region on Tuesday.
“We are building two launch pads for Angara here and another two in Plesetsk. I believe that four launch pads for the heavy rocket are not very rational. Two launch pads will be enough - one in Plesetsk and another here,” Ostapenko said.
He recalled that rockets launched from Vostochny, which was far closer to the equator, would be able to put in space 20% greater payloads.
“The saved funds may be invested into the super-heavy rocket,” Ostapenko said, adding that the image of a future rocket was already being worked on and production work might be launched next year.
The corresponding calculations and feasibility studies would be presented to the president later. Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin, who is accompanying Putin on his trip, supported the Roscosmos chief’s proposal.

I don't understand where Ostapenko's harsh criticism of A-5 is coming from. A major user will be the Russian defense establishment with A-5 being the workhorse for national security payloads launched from Plesetsk, and A-5 has more than enough payload capacity for their needs, even considering the weight reductions when launching from high Northern latitudes, while a "civilian" pad in Vostochny would allow launching of oversized payloads if needed. Additionally, the use of a hydrolox upper stage (now under development) will boost performance for geostationary payloads, and give the Plesetsk pad a superior delivery capability than the current Proton from Baikonur (if Plesetsk is upgraded with hydrogen facilities of course...). All in all, it sounds like a good system that is well in line with Russias proven current needs.

I agree that a heavier launch system is needed (eg for support of BEO manned operations), but its unfair to criticize current Angara models for not being able to meet these new requirements. Ostapenko seems to be indulging in some political kabuki, but what is his real agenda? Is it as simple as wanting to divert resources from extra A-5 pads to accelerate a SHLV program?

If so, a sensible tactic would be to ensure that SHLV launch pads are designed to be able to accomodate A-5/A-7 launches as well. SHLV launch rates will be relatively low compared to A-5 class vehicles, so being able to utilise the facility for other launchers between SHLV missions makes a lot of sense IMHO. I can envision a flame pit & launch platform design that can be configured to suit a range of vehicles, and a number of service towers on seperate rail systems that can be deployed to suit the particular launcher class being employed. Launch support systems (instrumentation, communications, hydraulics, controls, fuelling etc) should be designed to use standard interfaces where possible to maximise commonality and reduce complexity.

Russia values the super-heavy more than the Angara, for some unknown reason... He probably figures that while the Angara is important, they always have the Proton and Soyuz as backup.

I've seen criticism that Angara is not cost-effective enough, that it doesn't take into account more aggressive cost/launch metrics ala SpaceX.
Therefore, another platform would be needed to really go in that direction, probably methane fuel, reusable boosters, etc.
Not really sure of the basis of that completely myself, but that's something I had read.
It does seem like Angara was chosen simply as a Plan B when Rus-M wasn't making the cut, and they needed/wanted to start a modern rocket "now".
Will be interesting to see if they do integrate Angara with SeaLaunch, in terms of commercial launches.
(one might expect US/EU commercial launch business to dry up, but the rest of world is quickly growing their launch needs anyways)

mutantsushi wrote:I've seen criticism that Angara is not cost-effective enough, that it doesn't take into account more aggressive cost/launch metrics ala SpaceX.
Therefore, another platform would be needed to really go in that direction, probably methane fuel, reusable boosters, etc.
Not really sure of the basis of that completely myself, but that's something I had read.
It does seem like Angara was chosen simply as a Plan B when Rus-M wasn't making the cut, and they needed/wanted to start a modern rocket "now".
Will be interesting to see if they do integrate Angara with SeaLaunch, in terms of commercial launches.
(one might expect US/EU commercial launch business to dry up, but the rest of world is quickly growing their launch needs  anyways)

That really can't be proven or otherwise until Angara enters full production and use. SpaceX is only so big, and they don't have a rocket with a 20 ton payload. The Falcon Heavy will change that, but it will be "overkill" for that payload size and could have issues with is 27 Merlin engines.... N1 all over again! Not only that, but the Angara has a better payload-to-weight ratio than the Heavy, indicating lower a $-per-kilo ratio.

That is sort of what the Soyuz-5 would be... Methane has no large advantages, and is less efficient at lower altitudes. Baikal booster is reusable, and could be produced with ease.

Angara was designed way before the Rus-M was even first thought up, in fact the Rus-M doesn't really fit anywhere in Russia launch lineup. More so if the Soyuz-2-3 is produced... (Angara started R&D in the early 90's)

They could, but only if they really want to. Sea Launch isn't nearly the size of other launch provider anyway.

mutantsushi wrote:I've seen criticism that Angara is not cost-effective enough, that it doesn't take into account more aggressive cost/launch metrics ala SpaceX.

Meh. There is much hoopla about SpaceX pricing, but Musk isn't opening his books and there is no way to know if he is actually making any money. I rather suspect that he is running a loss and using profits from his other enterprises to sustain SpaceX activities. His aggressive ploys to undermine ULA and Arianspace suggest that his plan is to grab market share and then jack up prices.

Angaras' principal value is as a domestic-built launcher for national security payloads using non-toxic fuels that can be launched from Russian territory. Optimal cost-effectiveness is not such a priority, as while it may be desirable to minimise costs, where the rocket builder is a 100% state owned enterprise servicing state payloads, some inefficiencies can be tolerated as operating margins are ultimately recycled back to the state authorities rather than pocketed by private interests (and much of the money flows to the pockets of local workers and thereby ploughed back into the local economy). I have no doubt that Angara can compete with Musks rocket, particularly if the reuseable Baikal strap-ons are developed (fly-back boosters functioning as a UAV and landing on an airstrip would be a more reliable system than SpaceXs rocket powered descent and landing legs).