Angara

Scale models of Angara launchers displayed at MAKS 2001 air show. Left to right: Angara 1.1, Angara 1.2, Angara 3, and Angara 5. Image credit: Anatoly Zak

A new series of Russian launch vehicles intended to complement and eventually replace the existing line of Rockot and Proton boosters. The Angara family will range from a light rocket, capable of launching small telecommunications satellites into low Earth orbit (LEO) up to a powerful booster able to deliver a payload of 30 tons to LEO or 6 tons to geostationary orbit.

By using a liquid oxygen (LOX)/kerosene first stage and a LOX/liquid hydrogen second stage, Angara will avoid the environmental concerns of Proton's hypergolic propellants. In mid-1999 Lockheed Martin entered into agreement with the Khrunichev Space Research and Production Center to develop Angara – the first time a western company had consented to pay for the right to promote Russian space launchers in the international market. However, Lockheed pulled out of this joint venture in 2006.

The first Angara light booster launch had been expected to take place from Plesetsk Cosmodrome in 2003, but this has now been pushed back to 2010 or 2011.

Angara specifications
version	Angara 1.1	Angara 1.2	Angara A3	Angara A5	Angara A5/KVRB
first stage	1×CRM, RD-191	1×CRM, RD-191	3×CRM, RD-191	5×CRM, RD-191	5×CRM, RD-191
second stage	Breeze-KM	Block I, RD-0124A	Block I, RD-0124A	Block I, RD-0124A	Block I, RD-0124A
third stage	-	-	Breeze-M	Breeze-M	KVRB
thrust (Mgf)	196 (1.92 MN)	196 (1.92 MN)	588 (5.77 MN)	980 (9.61 MN)	980 (9.61 MN)
launch mass	149 t	171.5 t	478 t	773 t	790 t
height	34.9 m	41.5 m	45.8 m	55.4 m	64 m
payload (LEO)	2 t	3.7 t	14.6 t	24.5 t	24.5 t
payload (GTO)	-	-	2.4 t	5.4 t	6.6 t
payload (GEO)	-	-	-	2.8 t	4 t

Related categories

• ROCKETS, MISSILES, AND LAUNCH VEHICLES
• RUSSIAN LAUNCH VEHICLES

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