c)2001 American Institute of Aeronautics & Astronautics or Published with Permission of Author(s) and/or Author(s)' Sponsoring Organization.

A01 -39883 MAA 2001-4698AIAA Space 200.1 - Conference andExposition, Albuquerque,NM, Aug. 28-30, 2001

AIAA Space 2001 Conference & Exposition,28-30 August 2001

Albuquerque Convention Center, Albuquerque, New MexicoROCKOT - A LIGHT CLASS LAUNCH SYSTEM

FOR RELIABLE ACCESS TO LEO

By Mark Kinnersley* & York Viertel*Eurockot Launch Services GmbHP.O. Box 286146, 28361 Bremen

Abstract:

ROCKOT, is a three stage all liquid fuelled vehicle with an unrivalled heritage. The Rockotfamily of boosters has been flight-proven more than 140 times, without a failure in over 16years or over 80 flights. Additionally the three stage version ROCKOT with the BREEZEupper stage has a 100% record with 4 flights to its credit. The ROCKOT vehicle is marketedby EUROCKOT Launch Services GmbH, Germany which is jointly owned by AstriumGmbH, Germany, and Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center, Russia.EUROCKOT offers commercial launch services to LEO between 48° up to SSO by providingtwo launch sites, Plesetsk and Baikonur. Inclined GTO and earth escape missions can also beserved with an additional commercial solid stage. EUROCKOT's launch manifest for this yearand next includes the launch of two DLR/ NASA GRACE scientific satellites as well as aRussian domestic launch with Piggyback space available to western customers.

1. Rockot Launch Vehicle heritage

The Rockot launch vehicle uses a decommissionedRS-18 ICBM (NATO designation: SS-19 Stiletto) asits first two stages. The RS-18 was developedbetween 1964 and 1975 by the Chelomei DesignBureau, which later evolved into the Khrunichev Stateresearch and Production Space Center. A restartable,upper stage, called Breeze-K, had been developed byKhrunichev to make the launcher suitable for orbitallaunches. Three successful silo test launches of theRockot vehicle with Breeze have been conductedfrom the Baikonur Cosmodrome between 1990 and1994, of which two were sub-orbital and one wasorbital. The Breeze-KM stage is a structurallymodified version of the original Breeze-K stage. Itprovides more payload space. The commercialdemonstration flight using the commercial RockotBreeze-KM configuration was carried out fromPlesetsk in May 2000. The launch was conducted outof a transport- and launch- container serviced duringlaunch preparation and countdown by a launch tower.

Mission Manager and Project Engineer, EurockotlCopyright © 2001 The American Institute ofAeronautics and Astronautics Inc. All rights reserved.

Figure 1: Rockot Launch from Plesetsk

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c)2001 American Institute of Aeronautics & Astronautics or Published with Permission of Author(s) and/or Author(s)' Sponsoring Organization.

2. Commercialisation of the Rockot Booster Design

To commercialize the Rockot booster and reachpotential western customers, Khrunichev (KSRC)teamed up with Daimler-Benz Aerospace (DASA),now Astrium, in 1995 to form a joint venture namedEUROCKOT Launch Services. KSRC, whichprovides the launch vehicle, refurbished the launchsite and is responsible for conducting launchoperations in conjunction with the Russian MilitarySpace Forces. Astrium contributed capital tocomplement the Rockot launcher launch siteinfrastructure in Plesetsk, to upgrade and refurbish thelaunch facilities. EUROCKOT is the single point ofcontact for the customer. Marketing efforts began in1997.

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EUROCKOTLaunch Service Rrovider

Figure 2: Share of Roles and Responsibilities

3. Rockot Vehicle Design

The upper composite consists of the interstage, theBREEZE upper stage, the payload adapter, thepayload and the fairing. In early 1998 EUROCKOTdecided to undertake minor structural improvementsto its BREEZE upper stage and payload fairing. Theseresulted in the BREEZE-KM configuration withincreased usable payload volume and a decrease ofthe flight dynamic loads. Specifically, the payloadfairing diameter and cylindrical section length hasbeen increased to 2.6 metres and 3.6. metresrespectively, to allow accommodation of largerpayloads.

The structure of the equipment bay of the BREEZE-KM stage has been widened and flattened byredistribution of the electrical control equipment. Thenew equipment bay was also doubled-up as a payloaddispenser allowing multiple satellites to be easilyaccommodated. Additionally the compartment hasbeen stiffened with the insertion of stiffening walls toprovide for adequate structural rigidity. Furthermorethe BREEZE-KM upper stage is no longer attached tothe launcher at its base but hung within the extendedtransition compartment.

Figure 3: Rockot Launch Vehicle Layout

Consequently the fairing is now attached directly tothe equipment bay. A high variety of differentpayload configurations can be accommodated rangingfrom single to multiple satellite launches eitherplaced on a single level or on two or more levelsusing a customised dispenser.

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c)2001 American Institute of Aeronautics & Astronautics or Published with Permission of Author(s) and/or Author(s)' Sponsoring Organization.

The BREEZE-KM stage possesses several uniquefeatures providing the ROCKOT launcher with anadvantage over its competition. The sophisticatedstage comprises a re-ignitable main engine whichallows implementation of various payload injectionschemes. It can be programmed to perform complexmanoeuvres including spin and despin and multipleburns of the main and vernier engines. In addition thelow thrust vernier engines make possible for finetuning of the final orbit. At the end of its mission thestage is de-orbited to mitigate the generation of orbitaldebris.

Figure 4: Breeze Stages in Production

The Breeze houses a multiple restartable, turbopumpfed 20 kN main engine, a bipropellant pressure fedengine with four 400 N thrusters for ullage controland orbital manoeuvres, and an attitude controlsystem

providing 12 x 16 N thrusters. The avionics arelocated in the equipment bay on top of the Breezestage. The guidance, navigation and control systemcontrols the vehicle during all stages of flight. Itincludes an inertial guidance system with a three-axisgyro platform, and a flight computer. Controlcommands are computed in three separate channels,with majority voting to correct errors.

The telemetry system includes onboard tape recordersto store in-flight data until they can be transmitted toan available tracking station. Vehicle tracking isfacilitated by a beacon. The usual mission durationcapability of five hours can be prolonged up to sevenhours on customer demand. This widens the missionflexibility to inject pay loads into different orbits onone flight.

3.1 Payload Adapter and Separation System

Eurockot offers Russian mechanical lock systems orWestern-supplied clamp band separation systems tosuit the customer, both of which are flight-proven.

The Russian mechanical lock system has to date hasprovided 23 successful satellite separations includingthe 2 for Rockot. Its next application is for the twinGRACE satellite launch in November 2001. Theaccompanying photographs show the GRACEmechanical lock system in close-up and also theEurockot supplied mission peculiar dispenser for sidemounting of the two GRACE spacecraft.

Figure 5: Breeze AOCS System

Figure 6: Russian Mechanical Lock System (Lock isright hand side, interface to spacecraft (not mounted)

on left.

For the separation systems, Eurockot can supply avariety of standard adapters as well as designing andproducing mission peculiar adapters (dispensers) formounting spacecraft as is the case for GRACE.

EUROCKOT also has a series of standard separationsystems with adapters available for piggybackpayloads in the ASAP class.

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c)2001 American Institute of Aeronautics & Astronautics or Published with Permission of Author(s) and/or Author(s)' Sponsoring Organization.

separation is obtained by unlocking of mechanicallocks along the vertical separation plane by means ofa pyrodriver located at the top of the biconic sectionand pyrotechnic separation at the base of the fairing.The unlocked fairing half shells then rotate aroundhinge points located at the bottom, assisted by springsand move away.

Figure 7:: EUROCKOT supplied mission peculiardispenser for side mounting of two GRACE satellites.

Alternatively as an option for payloads with ringinterfaces, EUROCKOT offers the classic clamp bandsystems using renowned suppliers such as SAAB-Ericsson and CASA.

3.2 Fairing

The payload fairing with an external diameter of 2.6metres encloses the payload. The accompanyingfigure shows the new payload fairing dimensions. Thefairing is a two half-shell honeycomb structure ofcarbon fibre/aluminium with a longitudinal typeseparation system. Each half of the composite iscomposed of a cylindrical and biconic section. Fairing

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Figure 8: Breeze and Payload Fairing Layout (note:for precise fairing dimensions, customers are referred

to Rockot User Manual on web pagehttp://www.eurockot.com)

Figure 9: Rockot Payload Fairings in the KhrunichevProduction Hall in Moscow

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c)2001 American Institute of Aeronautics & Astronautics or Published with Permission of Author(s) and/or Author(s)' Sponsoring Organization.

4. Payload Performance

Rockot can be launched from both the PlesetskCosmodrome in Russia and the BaikonurCosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Because both launchsites are landlocked, specific drop zones away frompopulated areas are reserved for the impact of theseparated rocket stages. Launch azimuths aretherefore limited to those that will result in impacts inthese zones. To reach orbit inclinations correspondingto other launch azimuths, Rockot trajectories caninclude a dogleg manoeuvre during second-stageburn. If necessary, the restartable Breeze upper stagecan also perform plane change manoeuvres. Themultiple burn capability is also used to perform thecircularisation burn for orbits above approximately400km.

From Plesetsk, the available launch azimuths are 90°,40°, 18°-7.5°, and 345°. These correspond toinclinations of 63°, 73°, 82°-86.4° and 94°-97°,respectively. Sun-synchronous or other retrogradeorbits are reached from the 94°-97° inclination using aplane change manoeuvre. Plesetsk performances areshown in accompanying figure. It should be noted thatpolar orbits launched from Plesetsk are speciality ofRockot. This capability has been demonstrated withthe Rockot Commercial Demonstration Flight (CDF)and will be demonstrated again for the GRACE andother upcoming missions. It should be noted that themodern Breeze stage allows extremely accurateinjection as can be seen from the CDF launch resultsshown in the figures.

From Baikonur, the restartability of Rockot's upperstage Breeze allows inclinations some degrees lowerthan 50° and higher than 53° to be reached, the exactinclination depending on payload target orbit -andmass. Rockot can also inject payloads into ellipticalorbits. Payload injection into orbits such as inclinedGTOs, earth escape and Moon missions is possible byusing suitable additional solid propellant kick-stage(e.g., Thiokol's STAR 37M) housed inside the fairing.

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Figure 10: CDF achieved inclination accuracy

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c)2001 American Institute of Aeronautics & Astronautics or Published with Permission of Author(s) and/or Author(s)' Sponsoring Organization.

5. State-of-the-art Facilities and Infrastructure

Launch Operations for Rockot are conducted by theRussian Strategic Missile Forces under subcontract toKhrunichev. Eurockot's Integration Facility (MIK)includes a state-of-the-art western standard class100,000 cleanroom for AIT of the spacecraft. Thisalso includes a fuelling hall for spacecraft, the mostmodern safety systems as well as CCTV monitoringsystems. Eurockot provides on site support during thewhole campaign using experienced technicians andengineers.

Eurockot's infrastructure also includes a moderncommunications infrastructure enabling internationalcommunications within the Eurockot areas with handheld walkie-talkies as well as supporting fixed linephones and a local fibre optic network forcommunications from the launch site / pad area,processing facility and the modern remotely locatedlaunch control centre (LCC). A commercial highstandard hotel operated by Eurockot's parentcompany Khrunichev is also available. A separatehazardous processing facility 35 km away is used forfuelling the Breeze upper stage. A great choice ofdownrange tracking and telemetry stations providecoverage up to Breeze first burn; further data arestored and downlinked via the satellite's first orbit.

Figure 13: Spacecraft fuelling area in cleanroom withCCTV monitoring in separate control room (inset)

Figure 14: Remote Mission Control Centre Screens

Figure 15: Class 100000 Cleanroom: fairing area

Figure 16: Eurockot/Khrunichev Techniciansmounting spacecraft separation systems

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c)2001 American Institute of Aeronautics & Astronautics or Published with Permission of Author(s) and/or Author(s)' Sponsoring Organization.

6. EUROCKOT's next mission -GRACE

The dual launch of the GRACE satellites is scheduledfor November 2001 from Eurockot's dedicated launchfacilities at Plesetsk in northern Russia. The missionof Grace - Gravity Recovery And Climate Experiment- will accurately map variations in the Earth's gravityfield over its 5-year lifetime. The two identicalspacecraft will fly about 220 kilometres apart in apolar orbit 500 kilometres above the Earth. GRACE isa joint partnership between the National Aeronauticsand Space Administration (NASA) in the UnitedStates and Deutsche Forschungsanstalt fur Luft- undRaumfahrt (DLR) in Germany.

The completed GRACE multiple-satellite-dispenser(MSD) used to attach the two identical GRACEsatellites to the Rockot upper stage has undergoneextensive pre-launch testing and checks. The MSDshave also been used for the satellite qualification testprogram.

The MSD adapter structure was developed by RSTRostock and two models were delivered in May 2000to Khrunichev for integration of the separation systemand testing.

An acceptance test and fit check was initiallyperformed to allow verification of the flight modelsatellites interfaces to the Flight Model Multi-SatelliteDispenser. These acceptance and fit check tests wereundertaken at Khrunichev facilities in Moscow. Thetests confirmed that the mathematical modelpredictions of stiffness of the MSD structure werecorrect. The MSD structural model is used as an inputinto the Coupled Loads Analysis (CLA) undertakenby Khrunichev as part of the standard package ofservices provided by Eurockot during missionintegration of satellites.

Subsequently the MSD was shipped to the Astriumfacilities in Friedrichshafen, Germany for the FitCheck with Flight Model Satellites. The Flight ModelMSD was fully equipped to flight configurationincluding harnesses and thermal blankets and wasmated without problem to the Flight Model GRACEsatellites. The satellites are developed and constructedby Astrium Friedrichshafen.

Following the successful acceptance and fit-check ofthe Multi Satellite-Dispenser (MSD) flight modelwith the flight model of the GRACE satellites inSeptember 2000, the Critical Design Review (CDR)and the Shipment Readiness Review of the MSD weresuccessfully completed in December 2000 andJanuary 2001 respectively, in preparation of theGRACE launch on Rockot in November 2001.

The CDR took place in Bremen between 4 and 7December 2000, involving 48 project team membersfrom Astrium, the German Aerospace Center (DLR),

NASA, Khrunichev (KSRC), RST Rostock andEurockot. Its objective was to establish thecompliance of the mission design with the respectivepayload requirements.

The design was presented in 19 documents, coveringthe injection scheme, separation analysis, coupledload analysis, electrical interface design, thermalanalysis, launch facility interfaces, securityrequirements, logistics and others as main reviewtasks. Full conformance between design and theGRACE requirements was established. No majordiscrepancies were found and the follow-up taskswere released immediately.

The MSD Shipment Readiness Review (SRR) washeld in Moscow on 31 January and 1 February 2001and approved the MSD for the further project phases,the next being integrated tests of the MSD test modeland the satellite flight model in May and June 2001.

Figure 17: GRACE flight satellites mounted on MSD

Figure 18: Artist's impression of GRACE separationfrom Rockot Breeze Upper Stage

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c)2001 American Institute of Aeronautics & Astronautics or Published with Permission of Author(s) and/or Author(s)' Sponsoring Organization.

7. Conclusions

The Rockot vehicle offers attractive prospects andflexibility for customers:• Rockot small class lifting capability combined

with attractive commercial terms allows use forboth Big Leo and Little Leo constellations.

• Rockot's launch campaign flexibility• The capabilities of launch site and commercial

Launch Vehicle configuration have beenconfirmed during CDF.

• Rockot is available to be launched fromdedicated facilities at both Baikonur and Plesetsk.

• Highly reliable, multiple flight proven launchsystem based on the strong heritage and reuse ofexisting facilities

• Inclination range 50° to 100°• Eurockot offers Launch Services at very

competitive terms and conditions• Strong parent companies offer a solid technical

and financial backing• Deployment of single and multiple satellite

configurations- and constellations• Room for secondary payloads and piggy-backs is

available• Short launch campaigns enable launch-on-

demand and avoid in-orbit spares-reduction ofprogramme costs

• Customer access to existing launch sitesincluding a modern world class infrastructure andstate of the art communication systems

Figure 19: Rockot ready for launch

Acknowledgements

The author would like to thank the combinedEurockot and Khrunichev teams for establishingRockot as the small launch vehicle of choice. Inparticular I would like to mention Alexander Sereginand Andrey Novikov, Rockot Programme Directorand Deputy Director respectively. Thanks also toAstrium for the photographs in figures 7 and 17.

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