Comments on: Upper stage fails during 3rd test launch of Russia’s Angara rocket

By: Dick Eagleson

Dick Eagleson — Wed, 29 Dec 2021 20:38:57 +0000

The veteran Russian Briz and Fregat upper stages have suffered a number of failures in recent years. Now, it seems, the newest Russian upper stage is following in their problematical footsteps. The disintegration of Russia’s spacefaring capability continues.

By: Jeff Wright

Jeff Wright — Wed, 29 Dec 2021 06:14:09 +0000

Shh! Don’t give them ideas. SLS’ upper stage is Delta IV’s for time being. Angara itself is quite striking.

By: Charles

Charles — Tue, 28 Dec 2021 22:41:07 +0000

I guess they could practice shooting it down for a win.

By: Localfluff

Localfluff — Tue, 28 Dec 2021 19:24:27 +0000

At least they’ve produced a pretty propaganda clip about this launch. From Plesetsk, the cosmodrome built in the 1950s in the Russian Arctic. Not from the still under construction Vostochny in southeastern Siberia. Plesetsk is useful for polar orbits, but if this one was to go into graveyard orbit outside of geocentric orbit, perhaps that says something about the state of Vostochny?

Anyway, nice Winter landscape for a launch:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVclBgEASHU

Wikipedia says:
“On 23 January 2019, Roscosmos cancelled the agreement with the troubled PSO Kazan company to build the launch pad for the Angara rocket in Vostochny. Russia’s Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has harshly criticized Director General of Roscosmos Dmitry Rogozin and the top brass at the state space agency: ‘We should stop the project-mongering, quit blabbing about where we’ll fly to in 2030, we should work, talk less and do more’, Medvedev said.”

Medvedev is:
Putin’s trusted number two man, since decades. He is by the president appointed chairman of the most important Council of Strategic Importance, or something like that in translation. The council that sets the long term strategic goals for Russia, while the by elected parliament appointed government just administrates the day to day business.

Rogozin is this guy:
“- You could use a trampoline if you don’t want to pay for our Soyuz”.
Before SpaceX started to launch American crews to the ISS.
So. His boss is getting a bit ill tempered with him. And this Angara 5 launch was perhaps the last event that Rogozin had to oversee. I am in no way an expert in Russian “politics”, but I expect more centralization and new top brass. Putin is a very educated and intelligent man! You won’t underestimate him after having seen him talks live with anyone from foreign leaders, reporters, leading social scientists and anyone calling in on his public shows. And he said the other week that he stands with his ass to the wall in Europe (and that he has China and Central Asia cleared now after the debacle in Afghanistan when everyone abandoned the US), which is why he has drawn a final red line towards NATO and will bite for his life if anyone gets even an inch closer.
So perhaps he appoints a space guy who knows what he is doing, because he needs to do that now.

By: Ray Van Dune

Ray Van Dune — Tue, 28 Dec 2021 17:48:19 +0000

7 Europe? No wonder they were so excited by the successful JWST launch! I mean besides the fact that had the Ariane 5 done an Angara faceplant, nobody would rely on them to launch a rock across a pond! Yeah, rockets is hard… but 7 ?!

By: Robert Zimmerman

Robert Zimmerman — Tue, 28 Dec 2021 16:18:26 +0000

In reply to Joe. Joe: There is one tentative Chinese launch listed at RocketLaunch.live.

By: Joe

Joe — Tue, 28 Dec 2021 16:11:12 +0000

Could China launch another bird before the end of the year and break the tie with 1975? It might still be possible.