Modern cosmodromes of Russia are objects that play a crucial role in science, economics, socio-political, cultural communications at various levels. In the Russian Federation there are both existing and under construction launch pads. Where are the cosmodromes of Russia? What kind of objects are they represented now?
What cosmodromes operate in the Russian Federation?
Baikonur, Plesetsk, Kapustin Yar, Yasny, Svobodny and Vostochny are under construction - these are modern cosmodromes in Russia. The list of relevant objects, of course, can be adjusted - depending on how the infrastructure involved in the implementation of the Russian space program will be distributed. It is possible that due to the large area of various cosmodromes, as well as the complexity of the tasks to be solved, new launch pads will open, current ones will be closed and transferred to another place. But at the moment, the cosmodromes of Russia, indicated above, can be generally considered as a well-established system of objects of the corresponding purpose. Now consider the specifics of each of them in more detail.
Baikonur - the main spaceport in the framework of the space programs of the Russian Federation
Baikonur is a spaceport that belongs not to Russia, but to Kazakhstan, but the Russian Federation is practically its only user. Its main operators are RSC Energia, TsSKB Progress, GKNPTs im. MV Khrunicheva, Yuzhny Space Center. Baikonur was built in 1955. This object was leased by the Government of the Russian Federation from Kazakhstan for 50 years. The cost of using the spaceport is about 5 billion rubles a year - 3.5 billion is, in fact, rent, 1.5 billion - funds allocated by the Russian Federation to maintain the infrastructure of the facility.
Baikonur, despite its legal affiliation with Kazakhstan, is traditionally regarded as a cosmodrome of Russia. He is known for launching the first Earth satellite , the first manned spacecraft, various scientific satellites, and ballistic missiles. Now Baikonur is the largest of all objects of the corresponding type, which are involved in the Russian space industry. Its total area is about 6717 square meters. km In the past few years, this Russian cosmodrome is the world leader in the number of launches.
The infrastructure of the Baikonur Cosmodrome
The infrastructure of Baikonur is represented, in particular, by the following facilities:
- 9 launch complexes of various categories;
- 15 launchers designed to launch rockets that launch satellites and ships into space;
- 4 launchers used to test ballistic missiles;
- 11 buildings designed for installation and testing of equipment for various purposes;
- 34 complexes adapted for the prelaunch preparation of rockets and spacecraft of various purposes for their launch;
- 3 stations at which refueling launch vehicles and other spacecraft with various types of fuel;
- measuring complex;
- information and computer center, in which control is carried out, as well as flight control of spacecraft and the processing of various types of data;
- an oxygen-nitrogen production complex capable of producing about 300 tons of various types of cryogenic products during the day;
- CHP with a capacity of 60 MW;
- 72 MW power train operating on gas turbines;
- transformer substations in the amount of 600 objects;
- communication centers in the amount of 92 units;
- airfields - “Extreme” and “Jubilee”;
- local railway infrastructure with a total length of about 470 km;
- automobile infrastructure with a length of about 1281 km;
- power lines of 6610 km, communications - of 2784 km.
Having considered the main features of the largest spaceport involved in the Russian space program, we will study the specifics of other objects of the corresponding type that operate in Russia.
Kapustin Yar
Many researchers tend to regard Kapustin Yar as a military training ground. But in many ways it can be considered a spaceport, primarily due to the fact that it launches test launches of ballistic missiles - with warheads that are being launched into outer space. Kapustin Yar was built in 1946.
This cosmodrome of Russia is located mainly in the Astrakhan region, but some of its territories are part of the Atyrau and Western Kazakhstan regions of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Its total area is about 650 square meters. km This spaceport has its own administrative center - the city of Znamensk. Not far from it is a military airfield.
"Clear"
Experts most often see the Yasny spaceport as a launch base - but for rockets, again, designed to be launched into outer space. Actively used since 2006. This relatively new spaceport is located in Russia, in the Yasnensky district, which is located in the Orenburg region.
The main operator of the facility is considered the international corporation Kosmotras. The spaceport infrastructure is mainly used to bring various satellites into low Earth orbit. Moreover, to solve the corresponding problems, the Dnepr rocket of Russian-Ukrainian production is most often used.
Plesetsk
The northernmost spaceport of Russia is Plesetsk. It is located about 180 km from Arkhangelsk - south of the city. The area of the facility is about 176.2 hectares. Operated as a spaceport "Plesetsk" began in 1966. From it can be launched rockets belonging to the R-7 family and others, which belong to similar classes.
The northernmost spaceport of Russia, as some analysts note, has a record in terms of the total number of rocket launches launched from it into space.
"Free"
The Svobodny Cosmodrome is located in the Amur Region. It has been in operation since 1996. This cosmodrome of Russia has an area of 410 square meters. km, and has the infrastructure to launch light and middle class missiles. It is interesting that the construction of Svobodny was initiated due to the fact that after the collapse of the USSR, the main Soviet Baikonur cosmodrome was outside the Russian Federation, and the leaders of the Russian space program decided that the state needed its own facility for this purpose. In practice, at that time, the easternmost spaceport of Russia after the start of operation was used, in particular, for the purpose of test launches of ballistic missiles - such as Topol. Now it is practically not actively used, this is largely due to the fact that a new facility is being built in the Far East - the Vostochny spaceport. Consider, in turn, the basic information about him.
"Oriental"
This is the newest and most eastern spaceport of Russia. It began to be built in 2010. It will be located, by the way, not far from Svobodny, which is supposed to be disbanded in connection with the installation of the main infrastructure already at Vostochny and the subsequent optimization of logistics for the specifics of the new facility.
It is estimated that the easternmost spaceport under construction in Russia will occupy an area of about 1035 square meters. km Its creation is designed to solve the following most important tasks: the acquisition by Russia of its own spaceport adapted to launch any type of rocket, the formation of additional impulses for the intensive development of the Far Eastern territories of the Russian Federation. This region is given special attention in state socio-economic programs, and the construction of the corresponding facility here is considered as one of the most significant factors in the successful implementation of these initiatives.
Vostochny is the cosmodrome of Russia, which has a number of advantages, in particular, over Baikonur. So, for example, the flight paths of missiles that will be launched from here are located outside the densely populated territories of the Russian Federation, as well as foreign states - those are laid over neutral waters. In addition, a significant factor is where the spaceport in Russia is located - namely, in the immediate vicinity of the developed transport infrastructure. This makes the operation of Vostochny particularly cost-effective. However, some experts also highlight a number of shortcomings in the design of the corresponding object of the Russian space program. First of all, the fact is noted that Vostochny is located 6 degrees north of Baikonur - therefore, the total payload mass that is being launched into space at the Russian cosmodrome will be slightly lower.
When will launches start from Vostochny?
When will the easternmost spaceport of Russia be opened and begin to operate?
Initially, it was assumed that the first launch of the rocket from the corresponding facility will be carried out at the end of 2015. But at the moment it is postponed to 2016. As for the launches of the manned spacecraft from Vostochny, the first is due to take place in 2016. The personnel of the new Russian cosmodrome will live in Uglegorsk, which is located in the Amur Region, in the immediate vicinity of the facility under construction. In the same city will be located the administrative bodies of the "East". By the way, some of the infrastructure facilities of the spaceport may be built outside the Amur Region. It is assumed that from Vostochny it will be possible to launch missiles of almost any type - light, medium and heavy - such as, for example, the Angara, whose successful tests were carried out in the Russian Federation in 2014.
Summary
Thus, the modern cosmodromes of Russia are represented by 5 operating facilities - so far, you can rank “Svobodny” as such, since it still has infrastructure, and one under construction. They are located in various parts of the Russian Federation - in the south of the European part of the country, in the north, in the Far East. The largest spaceport involved in the Russian space program is located in Kazakhstan. Soon he will share his functions, which are expressed in launching all types of missiles in demand, with the Vostochny spaceport, which is being built in the Amur Region.