Strela (launcher)

Strela

Strela ( Russian Стрела for arrow, GRAY index 14A036) is the name of a Russian launch vehicle of the light class that can carry payloads of up to 2 tons into low orbits .

development

Like the Rockot , the missile is based on the Soviet Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) SS-19 . In contrast to the Rockot, which is offered by GKNPZ Khrunichev and internationally by Eurockot , Strela is marketed by the former manufacturer of the SS-19 NPO Maschinostrojenija . Furthermore, Strela almost exclusively uses components from the already existing SS-19 ICBMs (Rockot uses a newly developed and manufactured Bris-KM upper stage ) and can therefore be offered at lower prices than the Rockot. A Strela launch is estimated to cost an estimated $ 8.5 million.

technology

The total mass of the Strela is up to 105 tons, the length 28.27 m, the maximum diameter 2.5 m. The rocket is described as two-stage, but also uses a slightly modified MIRV bus, which is used in the SS-19 to deploy nuclear warheads and in the Strela takes on the functions of an upper stage. All stages use UDMH (asymmetrical dimethylhydrazine) as the fuel and nitrous tetroxide as the oxidizer . Two types of payload fairing are offered: a typical SS-19 payload fairing and an experimental one.

Like the SS-19-ICBM, Strela is launched from a silo . The first test launch of a Strela took place on December 5, 2003 at 06:00 UTC at launch site 175/2 in Baikonur . A 978 kg dummy payload was deployed in a 458.8 × 458 km high orbit with an inclination of 67.1 °. The second launch of a Strela took place on June 27, 2013 at 17:53 UTC from launch site 175/59 in Baikonur. Further launches should take place from the Svobodny rocket launch site as early as 2006 , but it is unclear to what extent these plans will be implemented with a delay. So far, Strela has not been able to acquire any commercial start-up orders; however, it was used to launch smaller Russian payloads. From Baikonur, payloads weighing up to 1,500 kg can enter orbits with an orbit inclination of close to 63 °, from Swobodny inclinations of 51.8 ° –61 ° and 90 ° –104 ° can be reached.

Start list

This is a complete Strela missile launch list as of December 31, 2019

Serial No.	Time ( UTC )	Launch site	payload	Type of payload	Payload in kg	Orbit 1	Remarks
1	December 5, 2003 6:00 am	Ba 175/59	Gruzomaket	Payload dummy	978 kg	LEO	success
2	June 27, 2013 4:53 pm	Ba 175/59	Condor-E 1 (Kosmos-2487)	S-band radar satellite	1150 kg	LEO	success
3	December 19, 2014 4:43 am	Ba 175/59	Condor-E	Radar satellite	1150 kg	LEO	success

¹ NOT necessarily the target orbit of the payload, but the path on which the payload is to be deployed from the upper stage.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Gunter's Space Page: Kondor 1 , accessed: June 30, 2013
2. ↑ Stefan Heykes: Russia launches new radar satellite Kondor. raumfahrer.net, June 27, 2013, accessed June 30, 2013 . 

Web links

• Strela launch vehicle in the Encyclopedia Astronautica (English)
• Strela on the manufacturer's website ( Memento from October 17, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) (English)
• Strela launch vehicle on the Russian Space Web (English)
• Strela with Bernd Leitenberger
• Strela on Gunter's Space Page