Military crews at Baikonur are winding up preparations for the launch of the inter-continental ballistic RS-20 rocket Satana (SS-18, by Western standards). The launch of the rocket is planned for August 25 at 14:00 Moscow time, the press service of the Strategic Rocket Force told Interfax.
The rocket, which is a prototype of the new light carrier rocket Dnepr, should launch five small foreign satellites into orbit, the press service said.
Two of these satellites belong to Italy. The Megsat satellite, with a mass of 56 kilograms will be used for environmental monitoring and is also fitted with receiving-transmission equipment to broadcast information commercially. The second satellite – Unisat, with a mass of 10 kilograms – belongs to Rome University and will perform educational and scientific tasks.
Two 10-kilogram satellites – Saudisat 1A and 1B – are being launched for the Saudi Arabian Commercial Research Institute and will perform educational and scientific tasks.
The Russian rocket is also carrying a fifth Tiungsat satellite, belonging to the Malaysian state company and will be used for remote zoning.
This satellite has a mass of 52 kilograms. This is a space debut for Saudi Arabia and Malaysia as these countries are launching their first satellites.
The press service noted that the planned launch of the RS-20 rocket under the Dnepr program would be the third such launch in the past three years.
The launch is being carried out not only for commercial reasons, to launch foreign satellites, but also as a test launch for the inter- continental rocket, to extend its life span by a year. This task is the main one for the military crews at the space stations, the press release said.
The Russian government signed a resolution to set up the Dnepr space rocket complex based on the RS-20 military rocket in October 1998. In addition to the rockets, this will include silo launch complex, with so- called mortar launches. The launch complex, along with the rocket, was adapted somewhat for the satellite launch.
According to the press service, the RS-20 rocket will be called Dnepr after testing and certification is completed.
Second Delay For Dnepr Launch
Moscow (AFP) August 26, 2000 – Officials again postponed on Saturday the launch of a Russian rocket carrying five satellites for Italy, Malaysia and Saudi Arabia, citing technical problems, ITAR-TASS reported.
An Immediate Cheap Boost Machine
A new date for the satellite launch from Baikonur station in Kazakhstan was not given, the agency reported, citing sources at Dnepr, a firm which is participating in the project.
Initially scheduled for Friday, the launch was first delayed for 24 hours until Saturday due to unspecified technical difficulties.
The satellites were to have been launched by Russia's 32-metre (106-foot) Proton Rocket from the Kazakh launch site.
It is the first time Russia has undertaken launches for Malaysia and Saudi Arabia.
The satellites Saudisat-1A and Saudisat-1B and the Italian Unisat are all for scientific research. The Malaysian satellite Twingsat is for mapping the Earth, while a second Italian satellite, Megsat-1, will monitor the environment.
Copyright 2000 AFP. All rights reserved. The material on this page is provided by AFP and may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Copyright 2000
