Voskhod (rocket)

Summary

The Voskhod rocket (Russian: Восход, "ascent", "dawn") was a derivative of the Soviet R-7 ICBM designed for the human spaceflight programme but later used for launching Zenit reconnaissance satellites.[1][2] It was essentially an 8K78/8K78M minus the Blok L stage and spec-wise was a halfway between the two boosters, with the former's older, lower-spec engines and the latter's improved Blok I design. Its first flight was on 16 November 1963 when it successfully launched a Zenit satellite from LC-1/5 at Baikonur. Boosters used in the Voskhod program had a man-rated version of the RD-0107 engine; this version was known as the RD-0108.[3]

Voskhod (R-7 11A57)
Voskhod rocket
FunctionCrew-rated
LEO carrier rocket
ManufacturerOKB-1
Country of originSoviet Union
Size
Height30.84 m (101.2 ft)
Diameter2.99 m (9.8 ft)
Mass298,400 kg (657,900 lb)
Stages2
Capacity
Payload to LEO
Mass5,900 kg (13,000 lb)
Associated rockets
FamilyR-7
Launch history
StatusRetired
Launch sitesBaikonur
Site 1 and Site 31
Plesetsk, Site 41
Total launches300
Success(es)287
Failure(s)13
First flight16 November 1963
Last flight29 June 1976
Type of passengers/cargoVoskhod spacecraft
Zenit (satellite)
Boosters
No. boosters4
Powered by1 RD-107
Maximum thrust995.4 kN (223,800 lbf)
Total thrust3,981.6 kN (895,100 lbf)
Specific impulse257 seconds (2.52 km/s)
Burn time119 seconds
PropellantRP-1 / LOX
First stage
Powered by1 RD-108
Maximum thrust941 kN (212,000 lbf)
Specific impulse248 seconds (2.43 km/s)
Burn time301 seconds
PropellantRP-1 / LOX
Second stage
Powered by1 RD-0107
Maximum thrust294 kN (66,000 lbf)
Specific impulse330 seconds (3.2 km/s)
Burn time240 seconds
PropellantRP-1 / LOX

Starting in 1966, the 11A57 adopted the standardized 11A511 core with the more powerful 8D74M first stage engines, however the Blok I stage continued using the RD-0107 engine rather than the RD-0110. Around 300 were flown from Baikonur and Plesetsk through 1976, almost all of them used to launch Zenit reconnaissance satellites (one exception was the Intercosmos 6 satellite in 1973).

The newer 11A511U core had been introduced in 1973, but the existing stock of 11A57s took another three years to use up.

The rocket had a streak of 86 consecutive successful launches between 11 September 1967 and 9 July 1970.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Barensky, C. Lardier, Stefan (2013). The Soyuz launch vehicle the two lives of an engineering triumph. New York: Springer. p. 160. ISBN 978-1-4614-5459-5.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  2. ^ Hall, Rex; Shayler, David J. (2001). The rocket men: Vostok & Voskhod, the first Soviet manned spaceflights. London [u.a.]: Springer [u.a.] p. 226. ISBN 978-1-85233-391-1.
  3. ^ Kruse, Richard. "Historic Spacecraft - Soviet and Russian Rockets". HistoricSpacecraft.com. Historic Spacecraft. Retrieved 19 July 2014.
 
Interactive 3D model of the Voskhod rocket.