98 Current Launch Vehicle Data part3 (Orbital and planetary launch services)
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This article is from the Space FAQ, by Jon Leech leech@cs.unc.edu and Mark Bradford tla@surly.org with numerous contributions by others.
98 Current Launch Vehicle Data part3 (Orbital and planetary launch services)
Long March (China) * CZ-1D 720 ??? 200 0/0 $10m (1,590) (440) CZ-2C 2800 1750 1000 14/14 $20m (7040) (3860) (2200) CZ-2E 9200 ??? 3370 3/5 $40m (20,300) (7430) CZ-3 5050 ??? 1500 7/9 $33m (11,150) (3300) CZ-3A ??? ??? 2500 1/1 $???m (5500) * CZ-3B ??? ??? 4800 0/0 $???m (10,560) CZ-4 4000 2500 1100 2/2 $???m (8800) (5500) (2430)
The Long March family includes a variety of different vehicles from the
small CZ-1D to the CZ-2E heavy GEO launcher. They are used both for
national programs and for international commercial launches. While Long
March vehicles are restricted from undercutting western prices by more than
15%, they have been attractive to many satellite owners in Asia. The
CZ-2E has suffered two poorly explained failures while carrying Hughes
HS-601 spacecraft. Several CZ-2C/SD vehicles will be used to launch
Iridium spacecraft starting in 1998. First launch for the 1D and 3B
variants is scheduled for 1996. There have also been reports of a new
"CZ-3C" variant with strap-on boosters. In addition, China has operated
the CZ-2D, which is slightly larger than the 2C version. However,
data on these vehicles are not available.
Vehicle | Payload kg (lbs) | Reliability | Price (nation) | LEO Polar GTO | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------- M Series (Japan) * M-V 1950 1300 1215 0/0 $70m (4300) (2860) (2680)
The M-V is an all-solid, small launch vehicle under development for ISAS,
Japan's space science agency. The vehicle will fly approximately once
per year, carrying payloads such as the upcoming Lunar A and Planet B
missions to the Moon and Mars. First launch is planned for 1996.
ISAS has also studied, but rejected, air launched versions of M-V.
Pegasus/Taurus 7/9 77% (USA) Pegasus XL 455 365 125 0/2 $13.5m (1,000) (800) (275) Taurus 1,450 1,180 375 1/1 $15m (3,200) (2,600) (830)
Pegasus was the first new American vehicle in more than a decade, and
deserves some credit for restarting the interest in small satellites.
Pegasus is a small, all solid rocket built by Orbital Sciences Corporation.
The winged rocket is launched from beneath the company's L1011 aircraft.
The original Pegasus configuration is being phased out, in favor of the
Pegasus XL (Extended Length). The first two Pegasus XL flights were
failures, but OSC hopes to have the rocket flying again soon.
Taurus was developed to meet military requirements for rapid launch of
small spacecraft. It consists of Pegasus stages mounted atop a Castor 120
first stage. Taurus will be used in conjuction with Delta-Lite for small
missions under the Med-Lite contract.
Proton 96/103 93.2% in last 10 years (Russia) Proton 20,000 ??? 5,500 $65m (44,100) (12,200)
Proton is the heavy lift workhorse of the former Soviet launch stable.
It is being marketed in the west by International Launch Services, a joint
venture between Krunichev and Lockheed Martin. ILS also offers the Atlas.
Russia is currently limited to offering prices within 7.5% of western
prices and the number of GEO launches is limited to 8 before the year 2000.
However, there is speculation that these restrictions may be abandoned
as Russian launches become more commercialized. ILS has twelve western
contracts for Proton launches, starting in 1996 with an Astra satellite for
Societe Europeenne de Satellites of Luxembourg. Proton is also scheduled to
play an important role in launching space station components. Krunichev
plans to offer new upper stages for Proton, including the storable
propellant Breeze-M upper stage in 1998 and the OHSM cryogenic stage a
few years later. Proton will put 3.2 tons in GEO with Breeze-M and
4.5 tons with OHSM. Current GEO capability is about 2.6 tons with the
Block D upper stage. In addition to these technical changes, ILS is
considering conducting Proton launches from Cape Canaveral, or sites
in Australia or Brazil. Launching closer to the equator would increase
performance.
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