The Rockot launch system

EUROCKOT Launch Services GmbH has been founded by Daimler-Benz Aerospace of Germany and Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center of Russi a to offer worldwide cost effective launch services on the Rocket launch sy stem. The Rocket commercial program is described Rocket can launch satellit es weighing up to 1850 kg into polar and other low earth (LEO) orbits. The Rocket launch vehicle is based on the former Russian SS-19 strategic missil e. The firn and second stages are inherited from the SS-19, the third stage named Breeze is newly developed and has multiple ignition capability. The Rocket launch system is flight proven. In addition to the currently adapted Rocket launch site Plesetsk for high inclinations, EUROCKOT is in the proc ess to also adapt the Baykonur cosmodrome as their complementary Rocket lau nch site for fewer inclinations. The wide range of Rocket performance is pr ovided. The firn commercial launch is foreseen in the middle of 1999. The e xpected launch capacity for Plesetsk and Baykonur will exceed 10 launches p er year. The complete Rocket system including performance is presented. (C) 1998 International Astronautical Federation Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.