For the first time, the Angara-A5 heavy launch vehicle with the new Perseus upper stage was launched from the test cosmodrome of the Russian Defense Ministry in Plesetsk.

The latter will have to launch the overall mass model of the payload into the target geostationary orbit.

This was announced by the Russian defense department.

“On Monday, December 27, 2021, at 22:00 Moscow time from the State Testing Cosmodrome of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation (Plesetsk cosmodrome) in the Arkhangelsk Region, a combat crew of the Space Forces of the Aerospace Forces launched a heavy-class launch vehicle Angara- А5 ", - the message says.

The Ministry of Defense stressed that all pre-launch operations and the launch of the rocket itself took place in a normal mode under the control of ground-based facilities of the Space Forces of the Aerospace Forces.

“Three minutes after the launch, the Angara-A5 launch vehicle was taken for escort by ground-based means of the V.I.

German Titov of the Aerospace Forces Aerospace Forces, ”the ministry said.

It was noted that the Perseus upper stage routinely separated from the third stage of the Angara-A5 at design time and began to launch the overall mass model of the payload into the design orbit.

The launch will take place according to a typical nine-hour three-pulse scheme with four starts of the main engine of the upper stage.

Dmitry Rogozin, General Director of Roscosmos, congratulated the military and other participants in the launch on the successful launch of the carrier rocket.

“Congratulations to the command of the Russian Space Forces, the combat crew of the Plesetsk cosmodrome, the management and staff of the Khrunichev Center, NPO Energomash, NPTSAP, TsENKI - on the successful launch of the heavy Angara!

Come on, darling!

Now we are waiting for the work of the Perseus upper stage developed by RSC Energia, "he wrote on Twitter.

Congratulations to the command of the Russian Space Forces, the combat crew of the Plesetsk cosmodrome, the management and staff of the Khrunichev Center, NPO Energomash, NPTSAP, TsENKI - on the successful launch of the heavy Angara!


Come on, darling!


Now we are waiting for the operation of the Perseus upper stage developed by RUK Energia.

pic.twitter.com/gnMmYM86IK

- ROGOZIN (@Rogozin) December 27, 2021

The press service of Roscosmos also noted that the current flight showed that the tests of the Angara are developing exactly according to plan.

“Next year, it is expected that work on the construction of a launch pad for carriers of this type at the Vostochny cosmodrome will be completed.

A year later - its first launch from the new Russian cosmodrome! ”- added the company.

In the fight for the environment

The Perseus upper stage (RB) is a modernized version of the block created for the Angara predecessor, Proton-M.

Its developer is the Energia rocket and space corporation.

According to RIA Novosti, a new control system is used in the Republic of Belarus, fuel tanks have been increased and the pneumohydraulic system has undergone changes.

Also in the Space Environment program of May 1, 2019 on the Roscosmos TV channel, it was noted that the Perseus upper stage runs on non-toxic fuel components - a mixture of kerosene and oxygen.

As the head of the Institute of Space Policy, Ivan Moiseev, noted in a conversation with RT, in previous modifications of the RB, aggressive and toxic types of rocket fuel based on heptyl were used.

“Therefore, the new Perseus upper stage can be called environmentally friendly,” said Moiseev.

According to him, the Perseus was designed for the specific tasks of the Angara-A5 launch vehicle.

“The new upper stage is slightly more powerful than the old one.

Accordingly, more cargo can be taken out.

The pneumohydraulic system has been changed, the electronics have improved, ”the expert believes.

In turn, Nathan Eismont, a researcher at the Space Research Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, noted in a comment to RT that the Perseus tests had been expected for a long time.

“Because the blocks that are now being used are either the DM block, its age is over 50 years old, it works great, but it is observed, this cannot be avoided, obsolescence, or the Breeze block or the Fregat block.

The Breeze and the Frigate are very similar, but they are also quite a few years old, ”explained Eismont.

In addition, he stressed, environmentally friendly solutions for the space industry are relevant today, and Breeze and Fregat, using heptyl, cannot boast of this.

Rocket constructor

The launch of the heavy Angara was the third in a row.

The previous two took place on December 23, 2014 and December 14, 2020 from the Plesetsk cosmodrome.

Angara is a modern family of Russian launch vehicles with varying payloads.

They are based on universal rocket modules (URM) with oxygen-kerosene engines.

These URMs represent a complete structure of oxidizer and fuel tanks, connected by a spacer, and an engine compartment.

The URM-1, which is used for the first and second stages of the launch vehicle, is equipped with an RD-191 liquid-propellant jet engine, and the URM-2 (for the upper stages) is equipped with an RD-0124A engine.

  • Family of launch vehicles "Angara"

  • © State Scientific and Practical Center named after Khrunichev

To build a light class rocket ("Angara-1.2") you need 1 URM, and for a heavy class ("Angara-A5") - 5 URM.

Thus, the starting weight of the "Angara-1.2" is 171 tons, and the "Angara-A5" - 773 tons.

Among the state customers of the complexes are the state corporation "Roscosmos" and the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.

The head enterprise-developer is the Khrunichev State Research and Production Center.

As explained on the developer's website, "Angara-1.2" will be able to put 3.5 tons of payload into reference orbit, and "Angara-A5" - 24 tons.

As, in turn, it was emphasized on the website of "Roskosmos", this space rocket complex is being created "using exclusively domestic element base."

The "Angara-5" launch vehicle will replace the currently used "Proton" launch vehicles, which were developed back in the Soviet years and use highly toxic fuel.

Moreover, the cost of its production will exceed the cost of "Proton".

Initially, the figure was called 7 billion rubles. However, the press service of Roscosmos said that the cost under the contract with the Ministry of Defense is lower.

"The contract for several missiles of this type within the framework of development work was signed at a price of less than 5 billion rubles per missile, which is already significantly lower than the starting price, which some media refer to," RIA Novosti quoted the state corporation as saying.

In addition, Roskosmos clarified that the cost will decrease even after the transfer of production to Omsk and will presumably amount to 4 billion rubles.

  • LV "Angara-A5"

  • AP

  • © Russian Defense Ministry Press Service

Made in Russia

Experts note that the next successful launch of the Angara demonstrates its reliability and prospects in terms of a complete replacement of the Proton-M.

In addition, analysts clarify, "Angara" is entirely produced in Russia, which makes its construction independent of foreign components.

“Russia needs a heavy rocket to replace the Proton, a rocket that can be used from Russian cosmodromes - from Plesetsk and from Vostochny - to transport heavy cargo into orbit, create our new orbital station and further flights of aircraft to the planets of the solar system.

This is a very important achievement, "said Mikhail Alexandrov, a leading expert at the Center for Military-Political Research at MGIMO, Doctor of Political Science, in an interview with RT.

In his opinion, the main task now is to reduce the cost of LV production so that it is profitable and efficient from an economic point of view.

“After all, Angara has not yet shown itself in the market, unlike Proton, which is more widely known and we are buying.

It is necessary that it launches first Russian satellites, then foreign satellites, to show its reliability in order to interest potential buyers, "the analyst explained.

Ivan Moiseev also agrees with him.

In his opinion, the successor to Proton will take time to establish itself.

“The high price and lack of statistics are the trouble with any new rocket.

However, "Angara-A5" due to its modular system is easy to manufacture.

But she will still need time to collect statistics and seriality, ”the expert said.

In the meantime, according to Mikhail Aleksandrov, "Angara-A5" will be used by the Russian Aerospace Forces to build up the satellite constellation.

“We really need such a rocket as Angara-A5, capable of carrying heavy loads, for the withdrawal of military satellites.

It will serve to build up and update the satellite constellation, ”the expert summed up.