• Forum
• SITREP
• Military
• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security

• Space

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• Public Eye

UR-700M/UR-900 - Mars

V.N.Chelomey then proposed a rather ambitious project of the MK-700 spacecraft for a flight to Mars, designed to be launched with the help of a super-powered LV UR-700M with a payload of 240 tons. However, when developing proposals for this program, it became clear that the effect of the impact of the first human flight on Mars on public opinion would be disproportionately small compared to the material costs underlying the flight. The project has not received further development.

The greatest efforts from the KBOM team and related enterprises were required to work on creating variants of the launch complex for the UR-700M space rocket of the superheavy class with a manned spacecraft MK-700 intended for the possible implementation of manned flights to Mars, also being developed at the VKBM V.N.Chelomei.

Design and exploration work on the launch complex for the UR-700M-MK-700 rocket-space system was carried out by the KBOM [Design Bureau of General Mechanical Engineering named after V.P.Barmin] in two stages. In 1970, a preliminary design of the launch complex for the main three-stage version of the launch vehicle was developed, adn then in 1971 - for a two-stage version of this rocket. It should be noted that the weight of the refueled rocket and space system in the three-stage version was more than 16,000 tons, the thrust of the engines at the time of launch was 23,400 tons. Such a rocket had to carry space objects with a weight of up to 750 tons to a near-earth orbit (for comparison, a zap-missed rocket N-1 was supposed to weigh about 3,000 tons and take out to space Earth orbit spacecraft weighing about 80 tons).

The huge dimensions and weight of the rocket, the large volumes of fuel and gas components fueled in it led to the need to revise many of the already developed solutions for the development of the project to use the created equipment to ensure the optimal operation of a number of launcher complex units. This required the carrying out of exploratory design work and the development of various variants of large lifting and transporting and launching equipment, facilities, thermostatting facilities of rocket compartments and components fuel, large volumes of storage tanks for components of fuel and compressed gases, power hydraulics with high pressures of the work of its working elements, new materials, pumps, valves, etc. Both projects were carried out by KBOM, taking into account the state and capabilities of Russian science and industry.

In the design process, the maximum use was made of circuit and design solutions, as well as recommendations and conclusions made in the development of launch systems for the rocket and space system UR-700 - LK-700. Along with this, the pre-projects of launch complexes for the UR-700M-MK-700 contained many new original solutions for the creation of aggregates and systems of the complex, due to the dimensions, weight and specific features of the launch vehicle and the spacecraft.

The structural layout of the launching complex was constructed in a new way, providing, in the main version, the availability of three autonomous launch positions with one launcher in each. Such a launch complex, in accordance with the wishes of the Customer, could provide, if necessary, simultaneous preparation for the launch of three rockets.

Considerable attention was paid to the development of the design of the launch facility. When comparing all the advantages and disadvantages of the three developed variants of the launch facility, the buried version was the most preferable, which was recommended for further elaboration.

The issues of transportation of a carrier rocket with a spacecraft from a technical position to a launch were solved in a new way. Along with the traditional horizontal transportation of the rocket and space system, the variant of vertical transportation of the UR-700M rocket carrier and the spacecraft separately and the reusable rocket and space system as a whole was considered. Much attention was paid to the development of various options for launchers, including a transport launch platform designed for vertical transportation of the rocket and space system, as well as other means to ensure the preparation of the rocket for launch, etc.

The large design and research work carried out by the KBOM team and related enterprises in the development of promising launching complexes for such super-powerful space rockets was one of the stages carried out by the exploratory design work carried out with positive results. She confirmed the achieved high scientific and technical potential of KBOM as the main design enterprise, as well as the high scientific and engineering level of the specialists of the KBOM and related enterprises involved in this work.