Russia’s first 2019 launch has launch issues
Russia’s first launch in 2019, putting an Egyptian Earth observation satellite in orbit with their Soyuz rocket, has had problems reaching its planned orbit.
Fregat is released shortly afterwards, firing its S5.98M engine to inject EgyptSat-A into an initial transfer orbit. Fregat will likely make a second burn following a coast phase – typically around 45 minutes after the first burn – circularise the orbit. After this burn EgyptSat-A separated, and Fregat will make an additional deorbit burn to dispose of itself into the atmosphere.
It was during the Fregat burn that Russian media reported it was tracking in a lower orbit than planned, although various reports point to the issue occurring during either the third stage flight or during the first Fregat burn.
Amazingly, Roscosmos then noted the mission was a success, potentially achieved by Fregat burning longer to catch up with the shortfall.
Remember, this is the rocket and aerospace nation that NASA prefers to use to send our astronauts into space. This is the second launch problem during a Soyuz launch in less than six months.
The standings in the 2019 launch race:
2 China
1 SpaceX
1 ULA
1 Japan
1 India
1 Europe
1 Russia
The U.S. and China remain tied at 2 in the national rankings. A SpaceX launch is set for tonight however.
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Russia’s first launch in 2019, putting an Egyptian Earth observation satellite in orbit with their Soyuz rocket, has had problems reaching its planned orbit.
Fregat is released shortly afterwards, firing its S5.98M engine to inject EgyptSat-A into an initial transfer orbit. Fregat will likely make a second burn following a coast phase – typically around 45 minutes after the first burn – circularise the orbit. After this burn EgyptSat-A separated, and Fregat will make an additional deorbit burn to dispose of itself into the atmosphere.
It was during the Fregat burn that Russian media reported it was tracking in a lower orbit than planned, although various reports point to the issue occurring during either the third stage flight or during the first Fregat burn.
Amazingly, Roscosmos then noted the mission was a success, potentially achieved by Fregat burning longer to catch up with the shortfall.
Remember, this is the rocket and aerospace nation that NASA prefers to use to send our astronauts into space. This is the second launch problem during a Soyuz launch in less than six months.
The standings in the 2019 launch race:
2 China
1 SpaceX
1 ULA
1 Japan
1 India
1 Europe
1 Russia
The U.S. and China remain tied at 2 in the national rankings. A SpaceX launch is set for tonight however.
The support of my readers through the years has given me the freedom and ability to analyze objectively the ongoing renaissance in space, as well as the cultural changes -- for good or ill -- that are happening across America. Four years ago, just before the 2020 election I wrote that Joe Biden's mental health was suspect. Only in this year has the propaganda mainstream media decided to recognize that basic fact.
Fourteen years ago I wrote that SLS and Orion were a bad ideas, a waste of money, would be years behind schedule, and better replaced by commercial private enterprise. Even today NASA and Congress refuse to recognize this reality.
In 2020 when the world panicked over COVID I wrote that the panic was unnecessary, that the virus was apparently simply a variation of the flu, that masks were not simply pointless but if worn incorrectly were a health threat, that the lockdowns were a disaster and did nothing to stop the spread of COVID. Only in the past year have some of our so-called experts in the health field have begun to recognize these facts.
Your help allows me to do this kind of intelligent analysis. I take no advertising or sponsors, so my reporting isn't influenced by donations by established space or drug companies. Instead, I rely entirely on donations and subscriptions from my readers, which gives me the freedom to write what I think, unencumbered by outside influences.
Please consider supporting my work here at Behind the Black.
You can support me either by giving a one-time contribution or a regular subscription. There are five ways of doing so:
1. Zelle: This is the only internet method that charges no fees. All you have to do is use the Zelle link at your internet bank and give my name and email address (zimmerman at nasw dot org). What you donate is what I get.
2. Patreon: Go to my website there and pick one of five monthly subscription amounts, or by making a one-time donation.
3. A Paypal Donation:
5. Donate by check, payable to Robert Zimmerman and mailed to
Behind The Black
c/o Robert Zimmerman
P.O.Box 1262
Cortaro, AZ 85652
You can also support me by buying one of my books, as noted in the boxes interspersed throughout the webpage or shown in the menu above. And if you buy the books through the ebookit links, I get a larger cut and I get it sooner.
That Fregat second stage does seem to be an ongoing problem for Roscosmos. I don’t believe it’s used for crew flights to ISS.
Tangentially, and in reference to an earlier discussion of testing, the Raptor testing has been quiet since the max pressure tests a week or so ago. Now Musk reports that Raptor SN 1 was damaged by the max pressure test, “as expected.” (Musk’s words, not mine.) SN 2 has changes to be more robust, and is near completion. Some thoughts on that: 1) Early production engines, not engineering test articles. 2) Rapid, iterative development, as SpaceX is known for. 3) SN 1 will not go to the Hopper, so the Hopper is still waiting for all three of its engines to be completed. 4) Test to destruction! Although SN 1 was not destroyed; parts can be salvaged. For reliability and reuse, you have to know where and when and how it will fail.
Watching the results of the horse race dribble in is a bit like watching electoral college returns. Where any country is right now doesn’t matter as there are launch schedules that change the numbers later on and largely tell us what the final total will be, even though there could be delays our unannounced launches.
Oh, look! SpaceX is up one on China! But China has 4 launches next month while SpaceX has only 3.