Tidbits from the "Energia 1946-96" book
Even I, with my almost zero ability in Russian can pick out a few tidbits
here and there from the "Energia 1946-96" book. Here are a few
examples:
Launch times
|
Sputnik 2 being prepared for launch at Baikonur. [Picture
captured from TV screen by S Grahn]
|
Sputnik 2: 0722 Moscow Time.
[This is probably wrong and should refer to local time. In such case the
launch time corresponds to 0222 UT, which matches the RAE Table of Earth
satellites 0226 UT rather well. After posting this number on the Internet,
Igor Lissov pointed out that the book 'Cosmodrome Baykonur in the Beginning
of its Way' (Moscow, 1992), says that the launch occured at 0530:42 Moscow
time, which I think should be used as the correct number. This is 0230:42
UT]. |
Luna 1 : 1941:25 Moscow Time, January 2, 1959
Luna 9 : 1441:37 Moscow Time, January 31, 1966
Tracking station for Luna 3
"The first image developed on the return flight from the Moon was
received at a temporary measuring and control station in the Crimea - at
the mountain Kochka near Simeiz (Located at 44.26 N, 33.59 E, Sven Grahn's
comment)". (Page 97. Please check my very inadequate translation)
Voskhod flights beyond Voskhod 2
| Spacecraft 3KV-5 |
Cosmos 110 |
| Spacecraft 3KV-6 |
Two cosmonauts, 20 days |
| Spacecraft 3KV-7 |
Artificial gravity created with spacecraft and Block I stage. |
[Of course the two latter never took pace, but here is the official
Energia version of what was finally planned for the much-discussed Voskhod
3 and 4 missions.]
Soyuz radio systems
| Radio telephony system |
"Zarya" |
| Telemetry |
RTS-9 |
| Radar transponder |
"Rubin" |
| Command radio link |
DRS |
R-7 radio systems
| TM system |
"Tral" |
| Radar transponder |
"Fakel" |
Tracking stations for Molniya
IP-14 Schyulkovo and IP-15, Vladivostok used for Molniya
Mass of Gamma-1 spacecraft
7320 kg
Zenit and Vostok
On page 108 of the "Energia 1946-96" book it is said that
by April 1960 the draft project for the Vostok-1(1K), an experiment spaceship,
Vostok-2 a photographic and electronic reconnaisance satellite and Vostok-3,
a piloted spaceship had been formulated.
Well, this explains the numbering of the Vostok types and the Zenit
types. I think Vostok-2 became Zenit-2 (which is equipped with a scimitar-shaped
ELINT antenna, see page 98) and Vostok-3 became the 3K-series of spaceships
that we know as Vostok.... . So, we could write:
- Vostok-1, 1K, Sputnik 4-6
- Zenit-2, first known as Vostok-2, photorecon and ELINT S/C.
- Vostok-3, 3K, Sputnik 9,10, Vostoks, Voskhod.., C.110
- Zenit-4, maybe it was once known as Vostok-4, 4K?
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