Lifting off at 05:57 UTC on Tuesday morning, Russia’s new Angara 5 rocket launched on its maiden flight into space. The rocket delivered a payload mass simulator into orbit successfully, demonstrating the capabilities of the Angara 5 rocket. This was the first time a geosynchronous launch has taken place from Plesetsk.
THE ROCKET
The Angara 5 rocket’s first stage consists of an URM-1 core and four additional URM-1s around the core that act as boosters. Each URM-1 is powered by an RD-191 engine burning liquid oxygen and kerosene. The RD-191 has the ability to throttle down to around 30% in order to conserve propellant if necessary.
The second stage of the Angara 5 rocket is named URM-2. The core is powered by an RD-0124A engine that also burns liquid oxygen and kerosene. This stage burns for 3000 seconds and can take payloads to low earth orbit.
For higher orbits, a third stage is necessary. There are three possible upper stages that the Angara 5 can utilise - the already existing Briz-M (used in today’s launch) and Blok-DM, as well as the KVTK, which has currently only been proposed.
THE LAUNCH
Following lift off at 05:57 UTC, the rocket headed eastwards along an inclination of around 63 degrees. 47 seconds after liftoff Angara’s core stage throttled down, remaining at partial throttle until 213 seconds into the flight. With an altitude of 82 kilometres, the four boosters separated from the first stage.
The core URM then burned for another 111 seconds, taking the upper stages into space. 15 seconds after first stage separation the fairing was discarded of. The second stage then burned for just over seven minutes, bringing the rocket to orbital velocity.
The Briz-M third stage then took over, putting the payload mass simulator into an orbit with an apogee of 36,000 kilometres. From there a final burn will be needed to circularise and leave the payload in geosynchronous orbit. This burn is likely to occur just before 14:57 UTC, followed by the separation of the payload.
WHAT NEXT FOR ANGARA?
There are currently two Angara launches planned for 2015, with both Angara-1.2 and Angara 5 carrying real payloads to orbit. At this moment in this it is unknown when in 2015 these will occur.
VIDEO
THE ROCKET
The Angara 5 rocket’s first stage consists of an URM-1 core and four additional URM-1s around the core that act as boosters. Each URM-1 is powered by an RD-191 engine burning liquid oxygen and kerosene. The RD-191 has the ability to throttle down to around 30% in order to conserve propellant if necessary.
The second stage of the Angara 5 rocket is named URM-2. The core is powered by an RD-0124A engine that also burns liquid oxygen and kerosene. This stage burns for 3000 seconds and can take payloads to low earth orbit.
For higher orbits, a third stage is necessary. There are three possible upper stages that the Angara 5 can utilise - the already existing Briz-M (used in today’s launch) and Blok-DM, as well as the KVTK, which has currently only been proposed.
THE LAUNCH
Following lift off at 05:57 UTC, the rocket headed eastwards along an inclination of around 63 degrees. 47 seconds after liftoff Angara’s core stage throttled down, remaining at partial throttle until 213 seconds into the flight. With an altitude of 82 kilometres, the four boosters separated from the first stage.
The core URM then burned for another 111 seconds, taking the upper stages into space. 15 seconds after first stage separation the fairing was discarded of. The second stage then burned for just over seven minutes, bringing the rocket to orbital velocity.
The Briz-M third stage then took over, putting the payload mass simulator into an orbit with an apogee of 36,000 kilometres. From there a final burn will be needed to circularise and leave the payload in geosynchronous orbit. This burn is likely to occur just before 14:57 UTC, followed by the separation of the payload.
WHAT NEXT FOR ANGARA?
There are currently two Angara launches planned for 2015, with both Angara-1.2 and Angara 5 carrying real payloads to orbit. At this moment in this it is unknown when in 2015 these will occur.
VIDEO