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Fuel leak in Russian rocket in French Guiana

May 30, 2020 at 8:57 am Robert Zimmerman Points of Information

According to French engineers in French Guiana, “systematic signals from the alarm system [have been detected] indicating the presence of oxidizer vapors” from the Fregat upper stage for a Russian Soyuz-2 rocket.

Russia is sending a team of its own engineers there to trouble-shoot what is essentially a fuel leak.

It also suggests that Russia’s systemic quality control problems in its aerospace industry have not been solved.

From my perspective, I don’t see how Russia can really eliminate what appears to be poor workmanship throughout their space industry without introducing competition, something they have banned with the consolidation of their entire aerospace industry into a single government-run corporation.

One comment engineering, French Guiana, government, oppression, policy, politics, Russia, Soyuz 2

Russians successfully launch military satellite

May 22, 2020 at 9:11 am Robert Zimmerman Points of Information

The Russians today used their Soyuz-2 rocket to successfully launch a military satellite designed to detect missile launches from other countries.

The leaders in the 2020 launch race:

8 China
7 Russia
6 SpaceX
3 ULA

The U.S. still leads China 11 to 8 in the national rankings.

One comment competition, engineering, government, policy, politics, Russia, Soyuz 2, spaceflight

Russia launches Progress freighter to ISS

April 24, 2020 at 9:18 pm Robert Zimmerman Points of Information

Russia tonight successfully launched a new Progress freighter to ISS using its Soyuz-2 rocket.

The leaders in the 2020 launch race:

6 China
6 SpaceX
6 Russia

The U.S. now leads both China and Russia 10 to 6 in the national rankings. This is the first time that Russia has been able to keep up with China in launches in several years. Since China had expected to launch more times than Russia in 2020, this suggests that China’s launch rate has been reduced because of the Wuhan flu. It at least appears that many of their smaller launch rockets have suspended launches.

We have also heard nothing recently about China’s planned mid- to late-April first launch of its Long March 5B. With only six days left in the month, one wonders if this launch too has been delayed.

One comment engineering, government, ISS, progress, Russia, Soyuz 2, spaceflight

Soyuz successfully launches three astronauts to ISS

April 9, 2020 at 1:18 am Robert Zimmerman Points of Information

The Russians early today successfully launched three astronauts into orbit, using their Soyuz-2 rocket and Soyuz capsule.

The crew, heading to ISS, is two Russians and one American, with the American the last purchased seat bought by NASA on a Soyuz. Unless they sign a new deal with Russia, the next Americans to go to ISS must fly on American capsules.

The leaders in the 2020 launch race:

6 China
5 SpaceX
5 Russia
2 Europe
2 ULA

The U.S. continues to lead China 9 to 6 in the national rankings.

2 comments engineering, government, ISS, policy, politics, Russia, Soyuz, Soyuz 2, spaceflight

Russian Soyuz rocket successfully launches 34 more OneWeb satellites

March 21, 2020 at 6:26 pm Robert Zimmerman Points of Information

The Russians today successfully placed another 34 OneWeb communications satellites into orbit, using their Soyuz-2 rocket.

The leaders in the 2020 launch race:

5 China
5 SpaceX
4 Russia
2 Arianespace (Europe)

The U.S. remains ahead of China 8 to 5 in the national rankings.

2 comments engineering, government, OneWeb, policy, politics, Russia, Soyuz 2, spaceflight

Russia successfully launches GPS-type Glonass satellite

March 17, 2020 at 12:51 am Robert Zimmerman Points of Information

Russia on March 16 successfully launched a GPS-type Glonass satellite, using a Soyuz-2 rocket launched from a launchpad at they Plesetsk spaceport that had not been used in seventeen years.

The leaders in the 2020 launch race:

5 China
4 SpaceX
3 Russia
2 Arianespace (Europe)

The national ranking remains unchanged, with the U.S. leading China 7 to 5.

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Russia and China launch satellites

February 20, 2020 at 8:33 am Robert Zimmerman Points of Information

Today both China and Russia successfully placed satellites into orbit. China’s Long March 2D rocket placed four “technology test” satellites into orbit, while Russia used its Soyuz-2 rocket to launch a military communications satellite.

The leaders in the 2020 launch race:

4 China
3 SpaceX
2 Arianespace (Europe)
2 Russia

The U.S. continues to lead China 6 to 4 in the national rankings.

One comment China, competition, engineering, government, Long March 2D, policy, politics, Russia, Soyuz 2, spaceflight

Russia and India launch satellites

December 11, 2019 at 8:18 am Robert Zimmerman Points of Information

Two launches since yesterday. First, Russia used its Soyuz-2 rocket to place another GPS-type Glonass satellite into orbit. This was Russia’s 20th successful launch in 2019, the first time that country has hit that number since 2015.

Then India used its PSLV rocket to launch a military radar reconnaissance satellite.

The leaders in the 2019 launch race:

29 China
20 Russia
12 SpaceX
7 Europe (Arianespace)
6 Rocket Lab
6 India

China remains the leader in the national rankings, 29 to 25 over the U.S.

Leave a comment competition, engineering, government, India, policy, politics, PSLV, Russia, Soyuz 2, spaceflight

Russians launch military satellite

November 26, 2019 at 9:02 am Robert Zimmerman Points of Information

Using a Soyuz-2 rocket the Russians today successfully launched a classified military satellite from its spaceport in Plesetsk.

The leaders in the 2019 launch race:

26 China
18 Russia
11 SpaceX
6 Europe (Arianespace)

China continues to lead the U.S. in the national rankings, 26 to 23.

These numbers will change again later today if Arianespace successfully launches two communications satellites. They have been trying to launch now for three days, but minor technical problems and weather have stymied them.

3 comments competition, engineering, government, policy, politics, Russia, Soyuz 2, spaceflight

Russian Soyuz-2 rocket launches Glonass GPS-type satellite

May 27, 2019 at 9:09 am Robert Zimmerman Points of Information

Using their Soyuz-2 rocket, the Russians today successfully launched a new Glonass GPS-type satellite into orbit.

Ten seconds after lift-off the rocket was hit by lightning, though this did no harm.

The leaders in the 2019 launch race:

7 China
6 SpaceX
4 Europe (Arianespace)
4 Russia
3 India

The U.S. continues to lead China 11 to 7 in the national rankings.

Leave a comment competition, engineering, Glonass, government, gps, policy, politics, Russia, Soyuz 2, spaceflight

Roscosmos cuts price for Soyuz rocket launch

October 3, 2018 at 9:24 am Robert Zimmerman Points of Information

Russia has announced it is now charging only $48.5 million for a Soyuz-2/Freget launch, a significant reduction in its previous launch prices.

The basic price to launch Russia’s Soyuz-2.1 carrier rocket with the Fregat booster will stand at about $48.5 million, the Russian launch service provider, Glavkosmos Launch Services, has said. “On the first day of the International Astronautical Congress in Bremen, our team announced the basic price to launch a Soyuz-2.1 carrier rocket with the Fregat booster. It comes to $48.5 million,” the company said in a statement, posted on Facebook.

The launch of the Soyuz-2.1 without the Fregat booster would cost about $35 million. “Therefore, the delivery of 1 kg of cargo by a Soyuz-2 rocket will cost $20,000-30,000… which is below the average market price,” the statement reads.

This makes the rocket competitive with SpaceX’s Falcon 9, though (I think) it cannot place as much payload into orbit. This price drop also proves that SpaceX’s low prices are not merely “dumping,” as claimed by Roscosmos head Dmitry Rogozin. The Russians have now shown that they can launch at this price, just as SpaceX has. It merely took the competition from SpaceX to force them to cut costs for their customers.

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Russia launches GPS satellite

June 17, 2018 at 5:20 pm Robert Zimmerman Points of Information

Using their Soyuz 2 rocket Russia today successfully launched a new Glonass satellite for providing GPS service to their nation.

The leaders in the 2018 launch standings:

17 China
11 SpaceX
7 Russia
5 ULA
4 Japan

The U.S. and China remain tied at 17 in the national rankings.

3 comments capitalism, commercial, competition, engineering, government, policy, politics, Russia, Soyuz 2, spaceflight

Soyuz launches Russian GPS satellite

September 22, 2017 at 8:29 am Robert Zimmerman Points of Information

A Russian Soyuz-2 rocket today successfully placed one of that country’s GPS satellites in orbit.

Russia now has the lead over SpaceX in the 2017 launch race, having completed 14 launches, one more than SpaceX. It however trails the U.S.’s total (19) by 5. That U.S. total did not rise yesterday because a scheduled Atlas 5 launch by ULA was delayed because of a battery problem. Its new launch date is tomorrow.

Leave a comment competition, engineering, government, policy, politics, Russia, Soyuz 2, spaceflight

Russia successfully launches military satellite with Soyuz rocket

June 23, 2017 at 12:57 pm Robert Zimmerman Points of Information

Russia today successfully launched a military satellite with its Soyuz-2 rocket.

This launch success, following Proton and Soyuz launches earlier this month, indicates that they might have finally gotten control of the engine problems that have dogged them for the last five years. That’s three Russian launches in just over two weeks.

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Russia to phase out use of Ukrainian-built Soyuz rockets

July 8, 2014 at 9:09 am Robert Zimmerman Points of Information

As part of a major upgrade of its Soyuz rocket family, Russia is also ending its partnership with Ukraine in building those rockets.

The older Soyuz rockets rely on a Ukrainian control system — a relic of the rocket family’s Soviet heritage that in the aftermath of Russia seizure of Crimea from Ukraine in March looks like a threat to Russia’s space program. The rockets are based on the same core design that launched Sputnik and Yury Gagarin into space at the dawn of the space age. “The Soyuz-U and Soyuz-FG control systems are analog [systems] made in Ukraine,” Alexander Kirilin, CEO of the Progress Rocket and Space Center in the Volga city of Samara told Interfax on Monday.

However, the Soyuz 2 rockets use a Russian-made digital control system. Aside from further moving Russia’s space industry away from its reliance on Ukrainian components, the digital control system allows the rockets to handle a wider variety of payloads — making the tried-and-tested Russian rocket more versatile than ever before.

It is Russia’s plan to complete the transition to the new wholly Russian Soyuz 2 rockets for ISS missions within the next three years.

One comment commercial, competition, engineering, government, ISS, Russia, Soyuz 2, spaceflight, Ukraine

The Russians today launched their new upgraded Soyuz 2 rocket, successfully putting three payloads into orbit.

December 28, 2013 at 10:58 pm Robert Zimmerman Points of Information

The competition heats up: The Russians today launched their new upgraded Soyuz 2 rocket, successfully putting three payloads into orbit.

The rocket appears to be more powerful. It also appears designed for significant future upgrades that will increase its power even more.

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Soyuz rocket successfully launched six satellites into orbit today

December 28, 2011 at 6:38 pm Robert Zimmerman Points of Information

Good news: A Russian Soyuz-2 rocket successfully launched six satellites into orbit today, less than a week after a differently configured Soyuz-2 rocket had failed.

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Fragments from the failed Russian launch crash onto “Cosmonaut Street” in Siberia

December 24, 2011 at 8:57 am Robert Zimmerman Points of Information

Fragments from yesterday’s failed Russian launch crashed onto “Cosmonaut Street” in Siberia.

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Another Russian launch failure today

December 24, 2011 at 12:35 am Robert Zimmerman Points of Information

Another Russian launch failure today.

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Russia puts off building space lab

October 7, 2011 at 2:40 pm Robert Zimmerman Points of Information

More Russian space industry news: Russia puts off building a space lab while announcing that it will use its Soyuz 2 rocket to launch manned missions from its new spaceport in the Vostochny spaceport in Amur, to be opened in 2015.

One comment AK-T, capitalism, commercial, engineering, Russia, Soyuz 2, spaceflight, Vostochny spaceport

Russia launches its first Soyuz rocket since the failure in August

October 2, 2011 at 7:57 pm Robert Zimmerman Points of Information

Russia launches its first Soyuz rocket since the Progress launch failure in August.

This was a launch of a Soyuz-2 rocket, which is not identical to the Soyuz-U rocket that the Progress freighter was on. Nonetheless, the success is a good sign that they are back in business.

Leave a comment engineering, Glonass, gps, Progess, Russia, Soyuz 2, Soyuz-U, spaceflight