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Molniya Launch Vehicle

The Molniya-M launch vehicle essentially consists of a basic Soyuz launch vehicle with an additional third stage. Like the lower stages, this third stage is powered by liquid oxygen and kerosene via a 11 D33 main engine. Originally developed for lunar and planetary missions beginning in 1960, the Molniya-M is now used to place payloads of 1.6-1.8 metric tons into highly elliptical (~400 km by 40,000 km) Earthorbits inclined 63 degrees to the equator. The upperstage and the payloads (normally a Molnlya communications or Kosmos early warning satellite) are encased within the launch shroud and subsequently placed into a low altitude parking orbit by the lower stages. About half a revolution of the Earth later, the third stage is ignited for transfer into the elliptical orbit. During 1993-1994 eleven Molniya-M launch vehicles performed flawlessly, bringing the overall reliability to about 89% after nearly 300 missions. Molniya-M vehicles can be launched from either Baikonur or Plesetsk, but since 1990 the boosters have only operated from Plesetsk (Reference 254). For several years, a modification of the Molniya-M launch vehicle has been under consideration. The third stage would be replaced by a new Fregat stage which is derived from the main propulsion unit of the Phobos interplanetary spacecraft developed by the Lavochkin Scientific Production Association and launched in 1988. Tentatively designated Molnlya-A, this launch vehicle would be capable of placing 5.4 metric tons into a sun-synchronous orbit. Introduction of the Molniya-A could come as early as 1996 (References 255-258).

Molniya

Background Information First Launch: February 1961 Flight Rate: 12 per year (maximum recorded launch rate) Launch Site: Plesetsk and Baikonur, Russia Capability: 3,564 lb lunar delivery trajectory; 2,596 lb Venus delivery trajectory; 2,090 lb Mars delivery trajectory History Developed from the Vostok and Soyuz launch vehicles originally derived from the SS-6 ICBM Includes a third stage for high-energy interplanetary missions Used to launch many of the former Soviet Union’s early interplanetary space probes Description Three-stage liquid fueled vehicle Stage 1 core has one RD-108 booster engine (one turbopump with four separate combustion chambers) burning LO2/kerosene propellant fed from stage 1 tanks, generating 167,000 lb of thrust Stage 1 strap-ons each have one RD-107 engine (one turbopump with four separate combustion chambers) burning LO2/kerosene propellant fed from stage 1 tank, generating a total of 740,000 lb of thrust Stage 2 has one RD-461 engine burning LO2/kerosene, generating 67,000 lb of thrust Stage 3 engine burns LO2/kerosene, generating 15,000 lb of thrust Profile Length: 138 ft Launch Weight: 683,000 lb Diameter 8.9 ft Liftoff Thrust: 907,000 lb Payload Fairing: 12.1 ft x 7.6 ft

• 254. Specifications on Application of the Molnlya Carrier Rocket, GLAVKOSMOS, Moscow, 1987.
• 255. Fregat Upper Stage, fact sheet distributed by ARKOS Innovation Company, Khimki, 1992.
• 256. V.A. Asiushkin and O.V. Papkov, "Rocket Stage - Trans-Orbit Booster Fregat", Paper IAF-93-V.2.608, 44th Congress of the International Astronautical Federation, 16-22 October 1993.
• 257. B. Konovalov, Izvestiya, 20 November 1993, p. 15.
• 258. V.A. Asiushkin, "Fregat Booster Stage and Modernization of the Launch Vehicles 43rd Congress of the International Astronautical Federation, August-September 1992.

Sources and Resources

• Adapted from: Europe and Asia in Space 1993-1994, Nicholas Johnson and David Rodvold [Kaman Sciences / Air Force Phillips Laboratory]

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