NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Launcher

An expendable launch system is a single-use launch vehicle usually used to launch a payload into space. This is in opposition to a reusable launch system where a single launch vehicle is launched more than once. A reusable launch system (or RLV: reusable launch vehicle) is a launch vehicle which is capable of launching into space more than once. ...

Most orbital expendable launchers are derivatives of 1950s-era ballistic missiles. Since the entire vehicle is discarded after launch, this may seem like an expensive launch method, but in practice they are cheaper than the one currently-existing partly reusable launch vehicle (the space shuttle -- see the shuttle article for a discussion of its economics). Most satellites are launched using expendable launchers; they are perceived as having a low risk of mission failure, a short time to launch and a relatively low cost. The Magellan probe was the first planetary spacecraft launched by a space shuttle. An orbital spaceflight (or orbital flight) in the general sense is a spaceflight where the trajectory of a spacecraft reaches the height of, and through having an appropriate velocity enters into, orbit around an astronomical body. ... // Events and trends The 1950s in Western society was marked with a sharp rise in the economy for the first time in almost 30 years and return to the 1920s-type consumer society built on credit and boom-times, as well as the height of the baby-boom from returning... Polish missile wz. ... The Space Shuttle Columbia seconds after engine ignition, 1981 (NASA). ... A satellite is an object that orbits another object (known as its primary). ... Magellan spacecraft at Kennedy Space Center The Magellan spacecraft carried out a mission from 1989-1994, orbiting Venus from 1990-1994. ...

Many see it as unfortunate that most "modern" orbital expendables are derived from ballistic missiles, as these missiles were built to Cold War specs and with Cold War budgets, and argue that this makes for horrendously expensive launch vehicles. A prime example of this is the Titan IV, probably the costliest launch vehicle in history (perhaps following the Space Shuttle). For the generic term for a high-tension rivalry between countries, see cold war (war). ... The Titan IV family (including the IVA and IVB) of space boosters are used by the US Air Force. ...

Expendable launch systems typically consist of stages which are discarded one by one, in order not to have to carry and accelerate parts that are no longer needed, see staging and multistage rocket, as opposed to the as-yet theoretical single stage to orbit system. However, there is no reason in principle why an expendable single stage to orbit system would be impossible; it is just generally more efficient to use staging when the system is not meant to be recovered intact. The second stage of a Minuteman III rocket Description A multistage (or multi-stage) rocket is, like any rocket, propelled by the recoil pressure of the burning gases it emits as it burns fuel. ... The second stage of a Minuteman III rocket Description A multistage (or multi-stage) rocket is, like any rocket, propelled by the recoil pressure of the burning gases it emits as it burns fuel. ... A single-stage to orbit (or SSTO) launcher describes an as-yet theoretical class of spacecraft designed to place a load into orbit as a self-contained vehicle without the use of multiple stages. ...

1 Expendable orbital launchers
2 See also

Expendable orbital launchers

Currently in use

Ariane 5 liftoff from Kourou Ariane 5 is an expendable launch system, designed and manufactured under the authority of the European Space Agency (ESA) by EADS SPACE Transportation, the Prime Contractor, leading a consortium of many sub-contractors, and is operated and marketed by Arianespace as part of the Ariane... Launch of the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, 7:43:00 a. ... The Cosmos-3M is a Russian space launch vehicle. ... A Delta II rocket launches from Cape Canaveral carrying a GPS satellite The Boeing IDS Delta II family of launch vehicles has been in service since 1989 and has successfully launched 115 projects (through August, 2004) including the last six NASA missions to Mars: Mars Global Surveyor in 1996 Mars... Delta IV evolution (US Govt) The Delta IV family of rockets are EELVs (evolved expendable launch vehicles) built by Boeing IDS in a purpose-built facility in Decatur, Alabama. ... The Dnipro (Ukrainian: Дніпро, after the Dnieper River; Днепр in Russian) is a Ukrainian rocket manufactured by the Yuzhnoe Design Bureau in Dnipropetrovsk. ... The H-IIA is a family of liquid-fuelled rockets providing an expendable launch system for the purpose of launching satellites into geostationary orbit. ... The Long March family of rockets (é•·å¾ç«ç®, Chang Zheng) is an expendable launch system designed and operated by the Peoples Republic of China. ... Pegasus rocket on the ground Pegasus rocket attached to bottom of carrier aircraft The Pegasus rocket is a three stage, solid propellant, winged space booster developed by Orbital Sciences Corporation (OSC). ... PSLV or Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle is an expendable launch system operated by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). ... The Proton rocket (formal designation: UR-500) is a Russian unmanned space vehicle design first launched in 1965 and still in use as of 2005. ... Sea Launch is a unique spacecraft launch service that uses a specially modified floating oil drilling platform, positioned in the equatorial Pacific Ocean, for its launch platform. ... The Soyuz launch vehicle (Western designation: A-2) is an expendable launch system designed by the Korolev Design Bureau (Soviet Union) and used as the launcher for the manned Soyuz spacecraft, as part of the Soyuz program. ... The Titan IV family (including the IVA and IVB) of space boosters are used by the US Air Force. ... The Tsyklon (Cyclone) is an expendable launch system designed in the Soviet Union and used primarily used to put Cosmos and Meteor class satellites into low earth orbit. ... Zenit rocket - Wikipedia /**/ @import /w/skins-1. ...

Planned

The Angara rocket is designed to remove Russias dependency on Kazakhstan (from whom they lease the Baikonur Cosmodrome) for heavy lift, as well as eliminate purchasing the Zenit from the Ukraine. ... The GSLV or Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle was developed by India (Indian Space Research Organization) to launch satellites into geostationary orbit. ... Vega (ESA) Vega is a planned expendable launch system developed jointly by the Italian Space Agency and the European Space Agency since 1998, with the first launch planned for 2006. ... The Falcon I is a Falcon family two stage to orbit RP-1 kerosene/liquid oxygen semi-reusable launch vehicle designed and manufactured by SpaceX. The lower stage includes one Merlin engine and the upper stage includes one Kestrel engine. ... The Falcon V is a Falcon family two stage to orbit RP-1 kerosene/liquid oxygen semi-reusable launch vehicle designed and manufactured by SpaceX. The 1st stage includes five Merlin engines and the upper stage includes one Merlin engine. ...

Historical

Ariane I is the first version of the Ariane launcher family. ... Ariane 2 and Ariane 3 were expendable launch systems in the Ariane family designed by the European Space Agency. ... Ariane 42P rocket with the TOPEX/Poseidon satellite (Kourou, August 10, 1992) (NASA) Ariane 4 was an expendable launch system, designed by the European Space Agency and manufactured and marketed by the French company Arianespace. ... Mercury Atlas 9 rocket and capsule on pad The Atlas is a venerable line of space launch vehicles built by Lockheed Martin. ... Mission Atlas II is a member of the Atlas family of launch vehicles, which evolved from the successful Atlas intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) program. ... The Diamant rocket (diamant is French for diamond) was the first exclusively French expendable launch system. ... Energia on the launch pad Energia on the launch pad Energia on the launch pad Energia lifting off with the UKSS military payload The Energia (or Energiya, Энергия in Russian) rocket was a Soviet craft that was designed at TsAGI to serve as a heavy-lift expendable launch system as... The Europa rocket was an early expendable launch system of the European Launcher Development Organisation (ELDO), which was the precursor to the European Space Agency and its Ariane family of launchers. ... N1 rocket - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... R-7 with Sputnik 2 The R-7 (Semyorka) was the worlds first ICBM and was deployed by the Soviet Union. ... The Saturn I was Americas first large clustered rocket. ... The Saturn IB was an uprated verson of the Saturn I, which was the first manned launch vehicle that was not directly derived from an ICBM (though its tanks were derived from the Jupiter and Redstone tanks, and its first stage engines were Navaho derived). ... The Saturn V (popularly known as the Moon Rocket) was a multistage liquid-fuel expendable rocket used by NASAs Apollo and Skylab programs. ... Thor-Ablestar Thor was the United Statess first operational ballistic missile. ... The Titan I was the United States first true multistage ICBM. It was the first in a series of Titan rockets, but was unique among them in that it used LOX and RP-1 as its fuels, while the later versions all used storable fuels instead. ... Titan is a family of U.S. expendable rockets. ... Mission Titan II is a medium-lift space launch vehicle used to carry payloads for the Air Force, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). ... Mission The Titan IIIC is a space booster used by the United States Air Force. ...

Contents

Currently in use

Planned

Historical

See also