H istory of Cosmonautics in Russia

to the
last results and beyond

see
the cover of the book
From the Earth to the

Moon
written by the famous French author Jules Verne in 1862
Since then it is the most popular science fiction book in Russia and may be in the world
It has inspired a lot of people by ideas of space flight
Following slides give his the portrait together with portraits of KonstantinThiolkvskyi - philosopher of cosmonautics and Fridrikh Tsander – pioneer of astrodynamics in Russia

thousand of them were used to attack London during WW2

of A-bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki at the end of

WW2 in the USSR the symmetric response was presented in late forties and early fifties: atomic and thermonuclear (hydrogen) bombs
To deliver them to the target, as a tool the intercontinental ballistic missile capable to carry more than five tons “payload” has been developed, so called “semerka” (R-7) rocket
It could reach any point in US without any possibility to intercept it

It was to be developed in very short terms
So the

approach was instead overcoming the difficulties it was chosen to bypass them:
Both stages were started simultaneously on the ground, so it was not necessary to develop the methods to start engine in weightlessness and vacuum; instead of development of big cameras the combinations of groups from four with separate steering ones were chosen, etc.
The launch mass was 278 tons and it can deliver 5.4 t of ”payload” to 8000 km distance.
First successful flight was in 1957

stage (central block) operates uninterrupted from the liftoff
Before separation procedure

the engines of the first stage are cut off

used.
Hatch above is
for cosmonaut
emergency
escape

Moon (1959)
It was direct flight without parking orbit and without

correction maneuvers

engine
start the “hot”
separation
was used, i.e.
engine ignition
before separation

stream Shield protects the second stage

photo was transmitted to the
Earth

upper stage Molniya
With development of
this stage solar system
and its

planets became
accessible and Moon
approached so close
that missions of Moon
soil samples return
missions
could be realized
Liquid propellant engines
cold start became
doable by applying for
this solid motors.

and landing module after soft landing and systems deployment
Key operations

rk

maneuvers, orientation, braking maneuver, satellite separation

ascending module and reentry capsule
Key instrument is drilling device

station
14 ships have been equipped by antennas and receiving/transmitting devises

to compensate
lack required points for global coverage on the territory of Russia

spacecraft
Thus in for contemporary tasks the problem was resolved by

introducing in regular service several space communication satellites

payload mass by more than 50% with respect to the

launch from Baikonur. For this Zenith launcher with Block-DM as upper stage was successfully used.

and commercial
Launches.
On International Market
is operated by ILS
International Launch
Service

returning to the Earth spacecraft and atmosphere reentry module (at

the up)

Moon soil samples delivery to the Earth were successful with

total mass about 0.5 kg. The final mission in 1976.

Antennas for search of the module after landing are seen

(1970)
The rover explored vast area of the Moon controlled by

ground base operator using radio link with it

to the Earth and consequent atmosphere reentry
Was developed as prototype

for piloted Moon program (L-1)
The last flight (without crew) has been fulfilled in October 1970
under name Zond-8. Then program was stopped.

) launch vehicle for Moon piloted mission
Four un successive
launches

have been
attempted

by stabilizers are 22.33m) with the height of 30.1m. The

block houses 30 engines with ground thrust of 153 tf each

return to the Earth and reentry into atmosphere
It was part

of Russian men flight to the Moon in framework of N1-L3 project

surface from Moon satellite orbit ,returning back to the orbital

module and
docking with it

tested separately from nuclear
reactor.
Propellent: Liquid hydrogen
Thrust 3.95t
Heat power 196

Mega Watt
Fuel 80% concentration U235
Radiation protection shield mass 2t

American one (NERVA)

heat dumping: by metal radiators (left) and by recuperated drops

to explore polar regions of the Moon surface, Luna-26 is

to explore Moon from the satellite orbit

launched to the closest vicinity of the Venus in 1961.

It flied by Venus at the distance of 100000km.
The first spacecraft reached surface of the Venus was Venera-3. It happened in 1966.
First measurements in Venus atmosphere were done by Venera-4 in later in 1966. It was determined that the temperature and pressure of atmosphere of Venus near surface are several times higher than it was supposed before direct measurements. So the first spacecraft could not reach the surface because they have been destroyed in conditions of real environment. After deep modification of the landing module in order it can withstand the temperature up to 530 degrees Centigrade and 150 atmosphere pressure Venera-7 spacecraft has reached the surface of the Venus and executed the scientific measurements on the surface during 23 minutes,
During further missions the photos of the surface were done and exploration of the Venus soil samples received by drilling. Radio mapping of Venus surface was done from the satellite orbit/
18 missions to Venus have been fulfilled, the last in 1986 with dropping landing modules on the way to Halley comet

two ones have been launched. The third one was European

Giotto spacecraft

During Venus fly by the landing modules were delivered to the surface and two balloons traveled in Venus atmosphere. Then interplanetary spacecraft reached Halley coma (March 1986)

are the instruments which are intended to explore hostile Venus

atmosphere ( 470 C degrees of temperature and 90 atmosphere pressure)

intended for observations in the radio interferometer mode in pair

with ground telescope

is equipped by rocket
engines for orbital parameters
control and momentum

wheels
unloading.
Orbit is high elliptical with
apogee reaching 350000 km
height and perigee higher than
1000 km. So orbit parameters
corrections are applied to avoid
Close approaching to the Moon

of the sky in these wave bands

vicinity of Solar-terrestrial collinear libration point in mid 2020

Module is shown after separation two day before entry

from high elliptical orbit to low circular one is planned

to be used:
successive aerodynamic braking in pericenter region

and landing module
It was launched by Proton-M launcher with Breez-M

upper stage on March 14 2016 and will arrive to Mars at October 19 2016.
Descent module is to be separated on October 16

for reaching Mars surface

in 2020 Mars rover and surface station and for atmospehere

studies

The spacecraft is to be delivered onto Mars high elliptical satellite orbit on October 2016 and then by aerodynamic drag is to be transferred onto low orbit simultaneously with this
entry and descent module will reach Mars surface by direct entry

platform
for autonomous
voyage on
Mars surface
with radio link
supported
ExoMars 2016
orbiter